Media release – Michael Ferguson, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, 16 January 2023

Labor opposes Southern Outlet expansion, again despite forgotten election promise

Labor needs to tell Tasmanians what its solution is for the Southern Outlet and the growing population it serves.

With a compound traffic growth of 1.6 per cent a year on the Southern Outlet, Labor has an obligation to do more than just than oppose the planned works on the Southern Outlet and Davey and Macquarie streets.

Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Michael Ferguson, said Dean Winter and Bec White offer no plan and simply oppose everything for political purposes. Let’s hear their alternative.

“Their whinging does nothing to help the 60,000 Tasmanians who live in Kingborough and the Huon Valley and who rely on their Government to provide the transport capacity they need,” Mr Ferguson said.

“The Rockliff Liberal Government is getting on with our commitment to deliver an extra transit lane on Hobart’s Southern Outlet as the only solution to improving commuter traffic flow, particularly in morning peaks. It’s been far from easy, but we have to do it.

“The first stage of the project is about to begin with night works to remove parking on Davey and Macquarie streets to ease the pressure on these key connectors.

“This includes an extra clearway lane at the top of Macquarie Street as well as an extra lane on the Southern Outlet between Davey and Macquarie streets.

“Work on the transit lane will begin in 2025 and the Government will work with stakeholders and the successful tenderer to minimise traffic disruptions with options such as night work and construction outside of peak periods.

“Staging the works with the start at the ‘bottleneck’ at the bottom of the Southern Outlet, Davey and Macquarie streets, will help to ease the pressure valve.

“Dean Winter and Bec White have never given any detail on what Labor would do other than an election commitment to “look to improve the congestion around Davey St/Macquarie St interfaces onto the Southern Outlet”.

“In the meantime, if Labor has an alternative it should come out and provide it or stop the incessant moaning.”

Rebecca White MP, Labor Leader, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure; Dean Winter MP, Labor Member for Franklin, 16 January 2024

Southern Outlet long term lane closures will cause major impacts to traffic

The Tasmanian Liberal Government promised a fifth lane on the southern outlet almost six years ago.  Since that time, as we have come to expect, absolutely nothing has happened.

We already knew the project was years behind schedule, now we know the costs have blown out ‘significantly’ – we just don’t know by exactly how much.

Right from the start it has been clear this project had minimal benefits as it only got commuters to the bottleneck more quickly, yet documents received under RTI show it will also create traffic chaos for years while it’s constructed.  The project is already years behind schedule and we can’t find anyone in Kingborough or the Huon who actually thinks the project will lead to less time in traffic.

In documents obtained under RTI by Labor, a Minute to Infrastructure Minister, Michael Ferguson, shows:

  • Significant impacts on traffic during construction
  • Significant risk of rockfall during construction
  • A ‘significant shortfall’ in funding for the project

The consultant report shows the project taking between three to four years to complete and creating traffic chaos with long term lane closures, and ‘major impacts to traffic’.  An email from State Growth’s Manager of Strategic Operations outlines delays to outbound traffic on both the Southern Outlet and Tasman Bridge resulting in overlapping queues on Davey and Macquarie streets, creating gridlock in and around the CBD.

Every Hobart commuter needs to understand this will impact them.  From Glenorchy, Clarence and of course Kingborough and the Huon – if this project goes ahead it will create chaos for you, your work and your family.  Lane closures, gridlock and hours wasted in the car over up to four years.

Right from the start, the Government knew that the project would do little to help congestion.  Yet they have pushed on spending millions of dollars on consultant reports and acquiring homes during a housing crisis.

This project is complete madness. It should be stopped and focus given to projects that will actually help: get the cancelled bus services back on the road, add new services and get on with the ferry system that’s been talked about for years.