Government department orders another consultant’s report on Northern Suburbs Transit Corridor

Advocates for the northern suburbs light rail are calling for urgent action to get the project moving – but the state government has decided to take a different approach.

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THE painstaking process to establish a new public transport link to Hobart’s northern suburbs continues, with a state government department ordering another consultant’s report on the project.

The Department of State Growth has advertised a tender for a consultant to deliver a growth strategy for the Northern Suburbs Transit Corridor, a key part of the $1.4b Hobart City Deal.

It comes amid mounting criticism that money spent on consultants should instead be put into constructing infrastructure for light rail.

A report by Sydney-based PricewaterhouseCoopers last year highlighted rail’s city-transforming potential, but stopped short of recommending rail over a dedicated rapid bus link.

The PwC report provided an analysis of various transport modes, identifying two for further work — bus rapid transit and light rail.

Part of it considered each of the 13 proposed stop locations along the corridor and the potential land use and rezoning opportunities at each of them.

But this month’s tender said a growth strategy was required for the corridor to guide urban and economic development as part of its activation.

It aims to:

INFORM future development along the corridor, especially in the vicinity of proposed stop locations;

TO increase the population living along the corridor to support the operational efficiency of the transport solution;

SUPPORT urban renewal and the lifting of value along the corridor;

ENCOURAGE movement of people along the corridor, between stop locations, and on other public transport routes.

Michael Hangan, of the Hobart Northern Suburbs Rail Action Group, newly elected independent MP Kristie Johnston and Federal Lcark MP Andrew Wilkie on the rail corridor. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Newly elected independent MP and long-serving Glenorchy Mayor Kristie Johnston said the new report was a key step but should not be a reason for slow progress.

“Clearly the mode analysis demonstrated that by far rail is the best option, and that only rail will deliver the growth that our city needs,” she said.

“The growth strategy shouldn’t be a reason for delaying. It’s work that can be done at the same time as infrastructure delivery.”

Ms Johnston said $25m assigned for the project in the Hobart City Deal should be used for detailed design work for rail to advance the project.

“We should be starting that immediately. The money has been in the budget,” she said.

She has said the project would deliver hundreds of new jobs and thousands of new homes.

Northern Suburbs Rail Action group president Michael Hangan said he was concerned it was just another consultancy.

“They just keep doing reports,” he said.

“I’m a little bit confused as to why they are doing this.”

The PwC report found light rail could be built for as little as $291m, bus rapid transit for $221m and trackless trams for $249m, but the latter was ruled out.

The report found the chosen option could be operational by 2026.

Rail lines heading north from the Regatta Grounds. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

A state government spokeswoman said the government was working with its federal counterpart and the Glenorchy and Hobart city councils to determine the best solution.

“While our City Deal commits to activating public transport using this corridor within 10 years, we want to do so much sooner,” she said

“We are continuing to evaluate a number of possible modes of transport along the corridor.

“Following the release of the very challenging costs in the PricewaterhouseCoopers report, and to inform our decision making, we have commissioned a detailed engineering assessment of the condition of the corridor, including the existing rail infrastructure.”

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