Results of a $762k study on a western Hobart bypass being kept secret by State Government

The State Government spent $762,000 on consultants to examine the feasibility of a Hobart bypass road – but the report is being kept under wraps.

• We should build a city bypass: Bob Cotgrove
• We shouldn’t build city bypass: John Livermore

A COSTLY consultants report on a Hobart western bypass road is yet to see the light of day.

In October the State Government gave consultants GHD $762,000 to analyse the costs and benefits of a western city bypass road to divert traffic around the city.

The investigation was promised by the Liberals under a package of policies to address Hobart’s worsening traffic, with $1 million allocated in last year’s state budget.

The report was due to be provided to the Government by March.

The State Government has declined to release the results of the study, with a spokeswoman saying a brief was being prepared on the outcomes.

“A feasibility study examining the potential costs, benefits and impacts of a Hobart western bypass has been completed,” a spokeswoman said.

“The report has been received by the Department of State Growth, and after a delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a brief on the outcomes is now being prepared for consideration prior to any public release of the summary of the study’s findings.”

The study on a western bypass was labelled “out of touch” by Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds.

Morning city-bound traffic banked up on the Southern Outlet in Hobart. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

Hobart City Council infrastructure committee chair Bill Harvey said the State Government should be transparent about the outcomes of the study.

“If a study has been completed I’m not sure why they wouldn’t release it … if the government is concerned about it, it should be put out for public comment and discussion,” Councillor Harvey said.

“My view is a bypass is unnecessary expenditure when we consider we haven't invested in other options for reducing congestion in Hobart, which includes park and ride.”

The Department of State Growth has awarded almost $2 million to consultants since October on a range of projects related to fixing Hobart’s traffic.

Following the GHD contract, Sydney-based firm WSP Australia received $1.09 million from the Hobart City Deal funding pool to look at ways of improving peak demand traffic flow from the Southern Outlet.

Pitt and Sherry were also awarded $246,834 to conduct a planning study for stage three of the South Arm Highway/Rokeby Main Rd upgrade.

Professionals Australia, the union representing engineers, says consultants are increasingly being called upon to do work once performed by department staff, adding to the cost of traffic studies and road design.