Griggs proposes free peak hour buses as urgent congestion fix

Letter to Jeremy Rockliff and Peter Gutwein

Richard Griggs, Independent Candidate for Legislative Council Seat of Hobart, has proposed the State Government make travel on Metro Tasmania buses free in Hobart during peak hours of 7-9am and 4-6pm.

The proposal has been identified as an urgent interim solution to Hobart congestion while longer term infrastructure options such as light rail and Derwent River ferries are assessed.

“Hobart traffic regularly comes to a complete standstill in peak hour and the time as well and truly arrived for an urgent solution,” Mr Griggs said.

“The congestion is not only bad for productivity but has poor outcomes for our way of life.

“The Government should be actively considering free bus travel for peak hour commuters as a way of doing everything possible to encourage them to catch the bus and leave their cars at home.

“Free buses do increase the number of people catching the bus. We know that when free bus travel was trialed last year it led to a 14% increase in patronage. However the trial was very limited and only lasted two weeks and we need a much more permanent roll out of free bus travel in peak hour.

“My costing work indicates to fund the free travel the State Government would need to increase its annual payment to Metro Tasmania from $37 million dollars per year to $47 million. The extra funds would be required to cover lost ticket fares and pay for increased fuel and maintenance costs due to the increased number of people riding the buses ” Mr Griggs said.

A letter to the two shareholder Ministers in Metro Tasmania, Mr Rockliff MP and Mr Gutwein MP, is attached. The letter includes full details of the costing work.

Richard Griggs consulted Future Transport Tasmania – http://www.futuretransporttas.org/ – in developing this proposal.

• Download costing …

COSTING.pdf
Richard Griggs, Independent Candidate for Legislative Council Seat of Hobart