Hobart City Council to consider congestion busting ideas to address waterfront traffic chaos

New designated rideshare ranks in Hobart are being considered in a bid to reduce “chaotic” traffic congestion on weekends. Find out where they could go.

THE creation of pick-up locations around the Hobart waterfront for rideshare passengers will be considered by council as it looks to find a way to reduce “chaotic” traffic congestion on weekends.

A report to be considered by the Hobart City Council’s infrastructure committee on Wednesday night looks at traffic congestion on Friday and Saturday nights in the Brooke/Despard Streets area and in Salamanca Place between Montpelier Retreat and the silo apartments.

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The report says for more than a year, the council has received ongoing complaints from local businesses and police about issues in the popular night-life precinct.

The council is now proposing a three-month trial of congestion reduction initiatives to tackle the build-up of taxis and ride sharing services.

The Late Night Precinct Stakeholder group, including representation from Tasmania Police, Department of Treasury and Finance, Tasmanian Hospitality Association, Waterfront Business

Community, Salvation Army Street Teams, 13 CABS and security providers, had implemented a number of small scale measures aiming to change driver behaviour, but the council described as “largely unsuccessful.”

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In a letter to the council, Tasmania Police Hobart Divisional Inspector Laurie Huxley asked for help to address the taxi congestion issue.

“My primary concerns are that at times and nights previously discussed, emergency services vehicles are not able to freely access the area to attend to incidents within the precinct, due to the congestion caused by the taxis,” Insp Huxley wrote.

“Our officers continue to describe the congestion and double parking of taxis as chaotic.”

Inspector Laurie Huxley said emergency services vehicles are not able to freely access the night-life precinct to attend to incidents.

The council is now proposing a three-month trial of congestion reduction initiatives to tackle the build-up of taxis and ride sharing services from April to June this year, including:

*Closing Brooke St at Morrison St to taxi and rideshare vehicles on Friday and Saturday evenings from 11pm to 5am.

*Create a taxi holding area in the CSIRO car park in Castray Esplanade on Friday and Saturday evenings between 11pm and 5am.

*Create a nominated waiting location for ride share vehicles in Salamanca Pl between Davey St and Gladstone St.

*Create four pick-up locations for ride share passengers across the waterfront precinct. Located in Salamanca Place on the Davey St side of Montpelier Retreat, in Morrison St outside the Harbour Lights Cafe, in Morrison St outside the silo apartments and in Elizabeth St near Franklin Wharf.

The three month trial would cost $17,000, with it proposed the Lord Mayor write to the State Government seeking co-funding.