Greater Hobart Mayors urge candidates to back public transport

Published on 12 April 2021

The Greater Hobart Mayors have joined together to urge candidates in the upcoming State Election to commit to a better public transport system for Tasmania’s capital city.

A joint statement from the four Mayors (Acting Mayors in the case of Glenorchy and Kingborough) has been sent to candidates in the seats of Clark, Franklin and Lyons, urging them to deliver a “reliable, sustainable and effective public and active transport” for Greater Hobart.

The statement was issued by Lord Mayor of Hobart Cr Anna Reynolds, Mayor of Clarence Ald Doug Chipman, Acting Mayor of Glenorchy Ald Bec Thomas and Acting Mayor of Kingborough Cr Jo Westwood.

The united call from the four Mayors wants all the candidates in the 1 May election to promise to:

1. Deliver a Hobart Transit Centre and invest in more buses.

2. Allocate the $25 million Urban Congestion Fund commitment in the Hobart City Deal to light rail on the Northern Suburbs Transit Corridor.

3. Deliver a network of commuter cycle ways across Greater Hobart.

Ald Chipman said the Hobart City Deal was a “good start” in tackling traffic congestion but insisted that Hobart still needed “an integrated commuter public and active transport system to encourage residents to get out of their cars and onto buses, ferries and cycle ways”.

“Every candidate in this election must commit to a plan that sets a strategic direction for public transport development in the Greater Hobart region over the next 10 years,” Ald Chipman insisted.

Cr Reynolds said that despite being two years into the Hobart City Deal, there was still no clear commitment to deliver a Hobart Transit Centre, an essential infrastructure project for Greater Hobart.

“We are calling on candidates to commit to investing in the Hobart Transit Centre as well as more buses to deliver the public transport system that the residents of Clark and Franklin deserve,” Cr Reynolds said.

Ald Thomas said candidates must commit to progressing light rail for the northern suburbs to support urban renewal and improve housing supply, affordability and diversity for all of Greater Hobart.

“This vitally important project has completely stalled, and the Greater Hobart Councils want to see it progressed as soon as possible,” Ald Thomas said.

Cr Westwood said everyone standing in the 1 May election should pledge to fund a network of interconnected active transport routes in the region, including cycling infrastructure.

“We need a coordinated plan covering everything from better bus stops, more park and ride facilities as well as cycling routes in one network for regular bikes, e-bikes, e-scooters and other personal mobility options into the future,” Cr Westwood said.