Bob Brown Announces Light Rail Roundtable
22 Dec 2012
Bob Brown announced today that he is establishing a forum to lobby Canberra to support Hobart’s proposed light rail project.
He is sending the attached letter ( Download: Rail_roundtable_invitation.pdf ) to relevant stakeholders including local government, state and federal politicians, academics, community groups, real estate, business and union peak bodies inviting them to attend a roundtable discussion to held at MONA on Friday Feb 15.
• Hobart Northern Suburbs Rail Action Group: We’ve got the track, all we want for Christmas is a train
The Hobart Northern Suburbs Rail Action Group anxiously awaits the release of the Light Rail Business Case Review by Sustainable Transport Minister Nick McKim today. Rail Action
Group President, Ben Johnston, said “many southern Tasmanians are hoping that Minister McKim will be giving them an early Christmas present and release a review that blows the
whistle on the flawed business case”.
“The flaws of the initial business case are obvious. As an example, DIER based their business case on ridiculous assumptions like an average of $3 per day parking cost in Hobart!” said Mr Johnston. “We are hoping that the review will properly recognise that the rail project will rejuvenate a large part of Hobart and link world class attractions such as MONA and TMAG.
Powered from renewable energy it will provide an emission and congestion free transport link. The project will also provide much needed economic stimulus as developments and
activity are drawn to the new rail stations. Integrating Rail with Park ‘n’ Ride and Feeder Buses will increase patronage and therefore reduce recurrent subsidies to Metro Tasmania,
reduce road maintenance costs and negate $200m+ capacity upgrades for the Brooker Highway.” said Mr Johnston.
Mr Johnston said “In essence it is a no brainer – Our car dependent city has an undervalued, underutilised, and soon to be abandoned railway line just begging for passenger trains.
Other Australian States would do anything to be blessed with such an infrastructure gift!”
After providing a detailed written submission to the review, the Rail Action Group have not had any contact with the consultants at Minister McKim’s specific request. “As the major
community stakeholder we are concerned about the lack of opportunities for the community to be genuinely consulted, the fact that the project is being managed by the same DIER officer who oversaw the initial business case, and that the mainland based consultants were selected without going through an open tender process” said Mr Johnston.
“However, Minister McKim has given us his personal assurance that he’s committed to see this project get up, so the community will just have to put their faith in him and show the
kind of leadership required to change the face of sustainable transport in Hobart for the better” said Mr Johnston.
