Rosalie Woodruff MP | Greens Infrastructure spokesperson
A Community forum is a good start, but Minister Hidding needs more than a talkfest if he wants a proper fix for Hobart’s traffic chaos.
Recent reductions in Metro’s services means there are now fewer bus stops and less services on some routes. It’s no surprise there has been a crush of cars in the city at the end of summer.
The Minister's forum needs to address how his own policies have affected people’s ability to take public transport to school and work.
Transport research all shows that making it easier for cars to travel only fixes the problem in the short-term. A long-term solution has to include tackling demand, as well as the management.
More people are commuting to work every day. Unless we improve public transport options, such as fast lanes for buses and multiple passenger vehicles, and public transport hubs out of the CBD, we will never make any headway on the traffic gridlock.
The Greens Energy Strategy has a target of reducing our liquid fuel use in Tasmania by 30% in the next ten years. Public and active transport are an essential part of the transport mix.