State Government contract for $762,000 traffic study not a good use of public money, says Anna Reynolds

Building bypasses and tunnels will do nothing to achieve the congestion-busting aims of the Hobart City Deal, a councillor says.

SPENDING more than $750,000 on a consultant to consider how to divert traffic around central Hobart is not a good use of public funds and is based on “out of touch” advice, says Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds.

It was revealed today the State Government will spend $762,000 on consultants GHD to conduct a feasibility study.

An analysis of the costs and benefits of a western city bypass road was promised by the Liberals under a package of policies to address Hobart’s worsening traffic.

There was $1 million allocated in this year’s state budget to begin investigations into alternative routes through the city.

Hobart Councillor Anna Reynolds said the feasibility study would be a waste of money. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

Infrastructure Minister Michael Ferguson said the work would consider bypass roads and tunnels.

A western Hobart bypass, which has been discussed for many years, could separate through-traffic from city-bound and local traffic via a road connecting the Southern Outlet with the Brooker and Tasman highways.

Heavy traffic on Davey St. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

Speaking as an individual councillor and not as Lord Mayor, Cr Reynolds said the project was not a sensible use of funds.

“It would be much better for us to work on the projects agreed to as part of the [Hobart] City Deal,” she said.

“In particular, projects that help us to advance the goal of the City Deal, which is to see a greater number of commuters travelling by public transport. This won’t do anything towards achieving that goal at all.

“Building more roads won’t encourage people to get out of their vehicles — it’s a really disappointing decision to pursue this. And it’s being pursued on the advice of a fairly limited number of advisers who I think are a little bit out of touch with modern city trends.”

TALKING POINTS:

ONLY TUNNELS WILL FIX HOBART’S TRAFFIC-JAM WOES

ARTERIAL BYPASS TO THE WEST CRITICAL TO FIX TRAFFIC

Cr Reynolds warned the consultants to avoid lessons learnt in Brisbane after global design group Arup was almost sent bankrupt in 2017 after building an airport link road.

“Based on the discussions I’ve had with people, the volumes of traffic in Hobart and the population is nowhere near large enough to make this kind of project economic for any private toll road developer unless the toll was horrendously expensive,” she said.

“First year infrastructure economics could tell you a tunnel/bypass here would struggle.”