Media release – Tasmanian Liberals, 26 April 2021
Transforming Public Transport For Tasmanians
A re-elected majority Gutwein Liberal Government will further modernise Tasmania’s transport services to bust traffic congestion and transform public transport delivery.
We will invest $81.5 million over four years into new buses and supporting infrastructure to secure Tasmania’s future and keep the economy moving.
This includes $10 million to upgrade all-access and all-weather bus stops at priority locations. This will provide comfortable, modern shelters to protect commuters from the weather and enhance passenger experience, which will boost patronage and reduce traffic congestion.
We will also invest $20 million to deliver additional school buses on routes experiencing high levels of demand, and introduce additional commuter buses on busy commuter routes.
In particular, we will introduce new buses dedicated to increasing capacity from Kingston to the city, integrating with our new park and ride facilities at Huntingfield and Firthside.
A further $20 million will be invested to develop new park and ride facilities for commuters south of Rokeby, in Sorell and the southern beaches community, and in Hobart’s northern suburbs.
A re-elected Liberal Government will provide $31.5 million through Metro Tasmania to deliver a modern common ticketing solution across public transport with real-time information for commuters.
This will provide commuters with a seamless journey and ensure a fully integrated, intelligent transport solution for users and providers of public transport in Tasmania. The modern common ticketing solution will apply to general access public transport operators, including ferry services.
This will provide a range of potential benefits, including fare payment by credit card, phone or wearable smart devices. It will make it easier to transfer between services and operators, and it will facilitate innovative and tailored fares and incentivise travel.
We expect this to also help inform network planning and fleet performance, leading to better and higher frequency services between bus interchanges.
To make the most of our infrastructure investment and to relieve traffic congestion, it is critical we improve public transport by making it faster, more efficient and a more attractive choice for Tasmanians.
The full policy is available here.
Media release – David O’Byrne MP, Shadow Treasurer; Shane Broad MP, Shadow Infrastructure Minister & Anita Dow MP, Shadow Transport Minister, 23 April 2021
Labor’s solution to ease the Liberals’ traffic pain
Labor has unveiled an ambitious 10-year, multi-billion-dollar plan to fix congestion on Tasmania’s roads and improve the state’s public transport system.
Seven years of empty promises from the Liberal Party has left our roads crammed with cars and a public transport system that is failing.
Labor’s plan includes major upgrades on some of Tasmania’s busiest roads, that will improve traffic flow and driver safety.
Shadow Treasurer David O’Byrne said the Liberals inability to deliver on major infrastructure was costing time, money and most importantly jobs.
“Local governments around Australia are delivering local infrastructure to create local jobs,” Mr O’Byrne said.
“But in Tasmania the Liberals can only announce infrastructure projects, not deliver them.
“They failed to deliver the fifth lane on the southern outlet, the mythical underground bus mall and ferries on the Derwent.
“They have had seven years in power, if they haven’t delivered on their promises by now why would you trust them to deliver them in the next four years?
“We are committed to working with the Australian Government, consistent with previous road funding arrangements, to work through our 10-year program.”
Shadow Infrastructure Minister Shane Broad said Labor’s plan will solve the big issues that are causing headaches for commuters across the region.
“We will establish 10-year improvement plans for the Midland, Tasman, Bass, Channel, Arthur, Huon & West Tamar Highways,” Dr Broad said.
“And we will also investigate the provision of shared working space in the regions for public sector workers that live in those communities to reduce the pressure in the short term.
“Labor’s bold infrastructure plan will get you home to your family sooner and create thousands of jobs for Tasmanians at the same time.”
Shadow Transport Minister Anita Dow said changes to bus services and Liberal cuts to infrastructure had literally left Tasmanians out in the cold.
“Tasmanians are tired of sitting in traffic, tired of sitting waiting for a bus and tired of this do-nothing Liberal government,” Ms Dow said.
“The Liberals continue to fail when it comes to public transport infrastructure and the lack of flexible, integrated ticketing systems overcomplicates the public transport system.
“And our rural and regional communities deserve better public transport ensuring timely access to employment and essential services.
“Labor will create a Passenger Transport Taskforce that will consult with passenger and stakeholder representatives to deliver better commuter outcomes for all Tasmanians.
“Labor’s 10-year $60 million investment in passenger transport, complimented by our extensive roads package, offer commuters fast and efficient transport options across our cities and regions.”
For more information visit https://taslabor.com/transport/
Anita Dow MP, Shadow Minister for Transport, 22 April 2021
Labor will fix the Liberals’ North-West public transport mess
A majority Labor Government will fix the Liberals’ North West public transport mess by establishing a Passenger Transport Taskforce.
Shadow Minister for Transport Anita Dow said the Liberals missed the bus on providing better transport for Tasmanians and only a majority Labor Government will deliver positive transport outcomes.
“The Liberals have had seven years to provide better transport for Tasmanians, yet what we have seen is a closed Devonport Transit Centre, broken promises and travellers being left behind,” Ms Dow said.
“A majority Labor Government will establish a new Passenger Transport Taskforce to fix the Liberals’ broken system.”
Ms Dow said the taskforce will:
- Review and resolve the public transport mess the Liberals have created on the North-West Coast
- Develop an equitable Transport Access Strategy for Tasmania
- Commence a review of current school buses and prioritise the renewal of the fleet
- Investigate new technology fleet options
- Take responsibility for the strategic assessment of Tasmania’s transport needs, planning and regulation
“This taskforce is a much-needed fix to Tasmania’s current transport issues.
“Not only will it review the Liberals’ ill-informed bus service changes in the North-West, but it will deliver integrated ticketing and a strategic assessment of Tasmania’s transport needs.
“The Taskforce will consult with all stakeholders, including passenger and local bus companies, to ensure that Tasmanians have a public transport service that works for them.
“A majority Labor Government will improve bus infrastructure state-wide and help get Tasmania’s transport system back on track.
“Labor is working for Tasmanians to deliver better transport outcomes.”
Media release – Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU), 26 April 2021
Liberals’ public transport conversion a step forward
The Tasmanian Liberal Party’s belated discovery of public transport is a welcome step forward, according to the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU).
Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) Tasmanian State Secretary Ric Bean today said the Liberal Party’s commitment of $81.5 million over four years would help bring Tasmania’s under-resourced bus network up to speed.
“Funding for bus shelters, priority lanes, park and ride facilities and new buses is desperately needed
“This is a good start – but we still need to see more detail about how these proposals will be rolled out
“Investing in public transport is the best value-for-money solution to the growing traffic congestion problems in Tasmania’s major cities.
“There is one significant hole in the policy though: the need to employ more bus drivers.
“Buses don’t drive themselves. There will need to be more drivers working in order to meet the demand for extra services, especially at peak hours.”
Mr Bean said commuters would be justifiably cynical about the Liberal Party’s policy announcement, given its chronic failure to deliver on past promises.
“The community hasn’t forgotten the Liberal Party’s pledge to deliver a new bus interchange for the Hobart CBD in 2018.
“It’s also gone quiet on the key issue of the future of light rail.
“The pressure is now on Labor to meet and exceed the Liberal Party’s commitment to public transport.
“Labor has committed to forming a Passenger Task Force, but we need to see the colour of its money when it comes to improving better bus services.”
Media release – Christian Bell, Pedestrian & Public Transport Users Group, 26 April 2021
In response to the Tasmanian Liberals just released public transport policy
Some of the lobbying by our group is producing fruit, the support for the provision of new bus shelters by the State Government is a direct result of our efforts (given the Tasmanian Governments no funding for shelters position). This is an excellent policy response.
Park and ride, sensible option. It’s much more efficient to get more people into fewer vehicles using existing public roads is a good move.
Still the total cost of their program over 4 years is not much more than the amount of money being spent on one slip road out to Hobart airport (such is the eye watering road spend) in the state.
They are still silent on the light rail. They shouldn’t be, they should make their position clear before the election.
No mention of real time tracking of busses either, or the underground transit centre in Hobart or transit centres in other cities in Tasmania. Facilities for coach services are truly primitive and an embarrassment to passengers and tourists around the state.
Media release – Independent Clark MP Sue Hickey, 22 April 2021
Hobart’s roads and infrastructure must be a priority for next Government
Ending Hobart’s transport woes must be a priority for the next Tasmanian Government.
Independent Clark MP Sue Hickey said Hobart’s roads and transport infrastructure was seriously inadequate and must be addressed. In doing so, the Government would create additional new employment and foster a significant increase in economic activity.
Ms Hickey said over the past seven years, the Liberal Government’s road announcements had provided multiple photo opportunities but that did not mean any significant improvements had been achieved.
“Anyone travelling between Kingston and Hobart, the Eastern Shore or Glenorchy and the city during peak hour, will quickly tell you our road network is seriously out-of-date and public transport inadequate to meet the demand,” she said.
“So, a major effort is needed to upgrade the infrastructure to meet the needs of our community today and into the future.
“Countless promises have been made and studies undertaken ‑ for example an additional lane on the Southern Outlet and a trans-Derwent ferry service ‑ but little of substance achieved.
“Yes, we have a trial ferry service about to commence and residents along part of the Southern Outlet received surprise news that their properties ‘may have to be acquired to allow for the road widening’, but little else has been done to address, what are major and growing challenges.
“One wonders if similar problems existed in Launceston, would they have been addressed with more urgency?
“We now have respected engineers detailing problems with large vessels sailing under the Tasman Bridge, and the Premier says everything is okay.
“Yet today Launceston is now promised a new bridge over the Tamar River. It certainly makes you question this Government’s bias.
“Although, given their propensity to over promise, under deliver and the time taken to get anything done, it will probably take longer than the replacement Bridgewater Bridge to actually be built”
Ms Hickey said unfortunately, in the current election climate, the Liberals appears more intent on just throwing promises and money around to win votes, rather than strategically invest in identifying and implementing real and lasting solutions.
“For example, the $100 million three-year interest-free loan provided to Incat to build a ship for a speculative international sale, could have been used to construct ferries for a trans-Derwent service.
“The funds would have achieved the same purpose in securing employment at Incat, but could also have constructed a fleet of new, modern ferries capable of attracting commuters to use this mode of transport.
“It’s also worth asking if the multiple millions of dollars wasted on Macquarie Point, with more millions promised, would be better spent addressing Hobart’s pressing transport, traffic and infrastructure needs?
“Beginning the construction of roads to ease Hobart’s traffic bottlenecks rather than studying and talking about them, increasing the capacity on the Tasman Bridge some 44 years after the adding of the fifth lane and improving transport access to and from the northern suburbs, now in dire need of resolution are challenges ignored or deferred for years, that the new Tasmanian Government must address,” Ms Hickey said.
