 Labor Government will seek to masterplan and rezone northern suburbs rail corridor
 Plan will see affordable housing market open up, traffic congestion ease
 Rail plan will bring new jobs, private sector investment for Tasmania’s south
 Increasing land supply will address affordable housing crisis
A majority Labor Government will test the market for potential operators to run a rail service between Hobart and Bridgewater through a competitive process to facilitate private investment in the project.
Labor Leader Rebecca White said the use of the rail corridor would create the opportunity to masterplan and re-zone the existing northern suburbs rail corridor and open up the area for affordable medium density housing.
“In terms of traffic congestion, Hobart is the second worst ranked city in the country behind Sydney,” Ms White said.
“In terms of housing affordability, our rental market has become unaffordable – placing huge hurdles in the path of families who want to break into the housing market – and the best solution to that is to increase the supply of land for medium density residential development.
“Rather than continuing to talk about this project or commissioning yet another report to shove in a bottom drawer, a Labor Government will test the market to get a better understand of the costs of construction and operating passenger rail, while ensuring the rail corridor stays in public ownership.
“This is our chance to completely change Hobart’s northern suburbs to deliver affordable medium density housing adjacent to the rail corridor with park and ride carparks as well as new retail and recreation precincts.
“The Hodgman Liberal Government has done nothing to address the re-opening of the rail corridor and it has done nothing to address traffic congestion or affordable housing.
“This is our opportunity to do both.”
Shadow Public Transport Minister Craig Farrell said Labor would test the market for passenger train services to run between Hobart and Bridgewater, including necessary upgrades to level crossings and stations.
“Labor’s All Aboard traffic congestion and public transport policy already allocates $14 million from the first term of government to undertake significant make ready works along the Hobart rail corridor,” Mr Farrell said.
“Labor’s plan is to incorporate integrated ticketing to make sure passenger trains run in combination with existing bus services and potential future ferry services on the Derwent River.”
Rebecca White MP Labor Leader Craig Farrell MLC Shadow Public Transport Minister