Hobart City Council to retain scramble crossings in CBD following ‘successful’ 12-month trial

Following a 12-month trial deemed successful by the Hobart City Council, four scramble crossings in the CBD are set to be made permanent – but their continuation will rely on external funding.

Scramble crossing at the intersection of Liverpool and Elizabeth streets in Hobart CBD. Picture: Linda Higginson

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Scramble crossings are set to become a permanent fixture of city life in Hobart following a 12-month trial deemed successful by the local council.

External funding will now be sought for capital works that will enable the crossings to be fully implemented.

While some businesses in the CBD claim the initiative is having an adverse impact on trade, council officers say that data shows the crossings are encouraging motorists to increasingly use the “BBB route” – Barrack, Bathurst, and Brisbane streets – when exiting the city, improving amenity and safety at key pedestrian hotspots in the busy city centre.

Scramble crossing at the intersection of Murray and Collins streets. Picture: Caroline Tan

A majority of Hobart councillors voted to continue the scramble crossing trial indefinitely at a meeting on Monday evening but some elected members expressed reservations about the project.

Councillor Will Coats said he worried there was great risk in making the measures permanent.

“It’s going to cost us $40,000 … [and] we’re seeking $160,000 from the state government [for this project]. In recent history, we’ve seen the state government redirect or pull funding for projects that aren’t seen to have wide community support,” he said.

“There’s been a lot of commentary about [the crossings] – some positive, some negative – but I do think there’s a lot of risk in this project and we don’t have a secure funding profile.”

Hobart councillor Will Coats. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Councillor Gemma Kitsos said there was “nothing controversial” about the crossings and “every city has to manage their traffic”.

“I think that it’s massively improved the way that pedestrians can navigate our city. It’s making shopping during this busy time, this Christmas period, much easier for people,” she said.

“And I agree that the countdown on the lights also helps people with accessibility issues know how long they have to cross as well.”

The scramble crossings have been operating at the intersections of Elizabeth and Collins streets, Elizabeth and Liverpool streets, Murray and Collins streets, and Murray and Liverpool streets since September last year.

Hobart councillor Gemma Kitsos. Picture: Chris Kidd

They feature a dedicated phase during which all vehicle traffic is stopped to allow pedestrians to safely cross the road, including diagonally.

It means that when vehicles are eventually given the green light, drivers are able to turn freely without waiting for pedestrians to cross first.

Council data has shown that daily average journey times on the Liverpool St corridor had increased by 40 seconds between 2023 and 2024, 64 seconds on Elizabeth St, and 68 seconds on Murray St.