Taking the bus puts people first

TRANSPORT

PUBLIC transport is part of the solution to the complex issues facing urban transport. People, not cars, need to be prioritised in the planning of Hobart in order to sustain a high quality of life. Hobart no longer has trams or trains. It still has buses. Metro is often criticised for its services, but my experience has been positive. I have been using Metro buses regularly since I retired nearly 10 years ago. I want to commend the drivers on the Mt Stuart route. They are consistently polite and go out of their way to help passengers.

Often I walk into the city (downhill) and take the bus home (uphill). Travelling by bus is an opportunity to talk to others. I have got to know regulars and strangers, and it’s a pleasant way to spend the journey. Recently, a young man thanked me for talking to him, suggesting such communication is not normal. Plans to improve public transport and discourage private vehicles should promote the benefits of buses for enriching people’s lives. Talking to people on the bus is much better than being stuck in a car in a traffic jam or being distracted by the mobile phone. I wish all Metro drivers a Happy New Year. trations and drivers can get charged. I spent a bit of time in Adelaide and cyclists have got the message and done the right thing from what I have seen. You often see the local police there keeping an eye on the cyclists. I’ve never seen a police officer in all the times I have been out early from 6-8am. What can we do as drivers when these incidents are occurring?

Setting cycling standard

ABOUT 5pm on New Year’s Eve, I saw something truly remarkable as I was driving between Kettering and Snug on the Channel Highway towards Kingston. Six cyclists were riding quite comfortably inside the solid white line on the side of the road. I don’t think it was even a designated bike lane but it made me wonder how they found it so easy to ride like this when similar sized groups of cyclists find it impossible to stay inside the much more generous cycling lanes at Taroona and Sandy Bay. Thank you to those country cyclists. You could teach some of your city counterparts a thing or two about safe road use — and common courtesy.

Shifting the problem

RENE Hidding’s article (Talking Point, December 14) fails to deliver a sensible solution to the peak-hour traffic problems for south-east commuters. The solution must start from the city destination and not from Sorell and beyond. Improving the traffic flow from Sorell will just move the problem to the Tunnel Hill/Tasman A new way to have your say themercury.com.au readers have a new way to have their say. It’s free to use, just register and have your say. For more details and to register, visit the website. Bridge area. This section of highway is often reduced to a peak hour crawl as a result of the limited capacity of the Tasman Bridge and all its feeder roads. Clarence commuters will also be greatly affected by the increased traffic volume arriving much quicker with nowhere to go. If the Liberal Government is re-elected, commuters can look forward to arriving at Tunnel Hill in record time but must be prepared to spend much more time crawling the last 9km into the city. With a minimum eight-year time frame, it is likely the majority of Liberal ministers will be enjoying their generous pensions by project completion and be blaming someone else for the chaos.

Wake up to road toll

I AM devastated with the road toll around our country this holiday period. Our son was killed by a negligent driver, so we know the horrific pain these crashes cause to loved ones. We also have to think of the ones who are injured and fighting for their lives. I believe some of the crashes were on country roads where people may have fallen asleep. It would be good if all roads were divided. Seeing as we don’t have all roads divided, we must come up with something else.

I think all cars should have an alarm system that activates every few minutes to keep people awake when on long journeys. Maybe there are such devices in new cars. Unfortunately, the police can’t make sure every driver stops to have a break, so if an alarm system was compulsory, it may save a life or injury.

Amazing hospital staff

I HAD to be admitted to the RHH and spent four days, I think, in the ICU then six days or so in Ward 7. I would like to thank the doctors, nurses and carers for the great care. I cannot speak too highly of the service I received. The building may be in need of attention but the staff are amazing.

Bothered at buns

DECEMBER 29 — local supermarket selling hot-cross buns. Don’t they know what the cross is for?

Zephyrs, not Hurricanes

THE Hurricanes they are not. They need to be renamed the Zephyrs. Pathetic effort after all the hype and money spent.

More like a gentle breeze

Our T20 cricket team should have a name change from the Hurricanes to the Zephyrs. One puff and they’re gone.

Burning money

MILLIONS go up in smoke New Year’s Eve while thousands live in poverty and starvation. Makes one wonder about our priorities.