On Roads Infrastructure …

Media release – Michael Ferguson, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, 14 January 2022

Moving forward with a solution to ease traffic congestion on the Southern Outlet

The Tasmanian Government is moving forward with planning for a transit lane as the only solution to ease traffic congestion on the Southern Outlet.

The Government quietly got on with the job of positively working with key property owners on Dynnyrne Road and the number of properties impacted will be considerably fewer than that repeatedly and falsely claimed by Labor and the Greens.

I am pleased to announce that due to our mutually respectful engagement with property owners, some negotiated acquisitions have now been agreed. Also, subject to final engineering advice, as few as four dwellings might be acquired.

As Minister committed to helping Kingston residents with a solution, I have consistently said that any property owners impacted by the new transit lane will be dealt with respectfully and generously and that has certainly been the case.

Greens Leader Cassy O’Connor has demonstrated her hypocrisy on the Southern Outlet. She has failed to back this public transport initiative despite her loud advocacy for buses over cars. Ms O’Connor could not bring herself to support the transit lane, which will be for the exclusive use of buses and high occupancy vehicles, including 70 extra daily bus services between Hobart and Kingston each day.

The Labor Opposition meanwhile has a policy for permanent congestion on the Southern Outlet. Despite the initiative as a part of the Hobart City Deal, Labor want to forever condemn more than 50,000 residents of the Kingborough and Huon municipal areas to time wasted in traffic jams and a network that simply can’t cope with interruption.

The Tasmanian Government is getting on with the job of finding a solution to this traffic congestion and the next steps will involve on-going discussions with home owners and geo-technical assessments of the land for the proposed 5th lane.

Bass Highway at Leith safety update

The Tasmanian Government has responded to community feedback about a proposed overpass on the Bass Highway at Leith and will instead pursue other upgrade options to provide safer access to the highway from two existing junctions.

Instead of building a grade-separated overpass, the Bass Highway junctions with Short Street and Braddons Lookout Road will be structurally improved, making it easier and safer for vehicles to enter and exit the highway.

This is a new design, arrived at as a result of feedback and additional expert engineering advice procured by the Department of State Growth.

The new design features a structured separation of right-turning traffic to improve safety at the intersections. This will enable improved visibility for vehicles turning right both on and off the Bass Highway at both intersections and a hard separation for both left and right turning vehicles.

A summary of the consultation outcomes can be viewed online at: www.transport.tas.gov.au/leithsafetyupgrade

We are determined to deliver an upgrade which improves safety – that is a non-negotiable. After the upgrade is completed, the Department of State Growth will closely monitor traffic conditions and safety performance to ensure the risk of crashes is mitigated.

Feedback will be sought on the final designs of the intersection upgrades this quarter.

Ella Haddad MP, Labor Member for Clark, 14 January 2022

Time to stop cruel fifth lane plan

It’s time for the government to put an end to its cruel plan to bulldoze homes on Hobart’s Southern Outlet.

Labor Member for Clark Ella Haddad said the government had backflipped on its plan to demolish homes in Leith and should now do the same in Dynnyrne.

“It is quite incredible that despite such community outrage and lack of consultation, the government is pushing forward with its flawed fifth lane plan,” Ms Haddad said.

“We saw in Leith just yesterday what people power can do, with the government deciding not to demolish people’s homes and to come up with an alternate plan.

“Why can’t they do this with the Southern Outlet?

“A short extra strip of road from Olinda Grove to Macquarie Street is not going to fix traffic congestion, all it will do it plunge residents into homelessness in the middle of a housing crisis.

“Minister Ferguson should change his decision on this project like he did the Leith Overpass and instead look at more viable options to ease traffic congestion.

“The government must seriously reconsider this plan, the community have expressed their views and it’s time for Mr Ferguson to listen.”

Media release – Cassy O’Connor MP, Greens Leader, 13 January 2021

Leith Overpass Reversal a Sign of Electoral Fear

The stressed residents of Leith will be hugely relieved following the Gutwein Government’s reversal of plans to build a massive overpass at their peaceful town.

The decision has a strong whiff of electoral fear about it, with both the Morrison and Gutwein governments on the nose over their mishandling of Covid.

They know Tasmanians are angry.

For years, Leith residents have fought this ludicrous project, yet all their pleas for common sense alternatives fell on deaf ears within the Gutwein Government. We congratulate the community on their strong campaign, winning what would have seemed like a near-impossible struggle to reach a Minister who refused to listen.

With a Federal Election due before May, there’s a sudden reversal. With the Liberals, in the end, it’s always about politics.

This decision seems very much to be about the politics of Braddon at the upcoming poll.

Regrettably for people who live along the Southern Outlet in Clark, the Gutwein Government continues to ignore the local community.

Minister Ferguson refuses to consider common sense alternatives to a fifth lane which will only add to traffic congestion.

If he can see the light for Leith, he should be able to for the Outlet and come up with an alternative that doesn’t displace residents and increase congestion.

Dynyrnne residents are entitled to the same belated respect as the people of Leith.