City bus stops set for more changes

MORE changes to bus stops in Hobart’s CBD could be implemented by the April school holidays after a council committee approved a plan to modify the bus interchange.

The Hobart City Council’s infrastructure committee last night unanimously approved the Central Bus Interchange Planning Project.

The plan was devised by the Department of State Growth to identify bus solutions for up to 10 years. It includes: RELOCATING Tassielink and O’Driscolls services from opposite Franklin Square on Macquarie St to beside the Town Hall on Elizabeth St, and moving Airporter buses to a similar area near the hall. THE bus stop opposite Franklin Square on Macquarie St would be used by Metro, with part of a nearby loading zone converted into seating and a shelter. Metro will also take short-term, taxi and permit vehicle parking in the bus mall. BUSES will no longer stop on Macquarie St next to the old Mercury building, which was first implemented in December due to the Hyatt Centric hotel development in the bus mall. The development had forced Metro to originally relocate its Eastern Shore stops until mid-2019. THE Mt Stuart/West Hobart service would continue on Collins St but would no longer enter the bus mall, with a dropoff area set for Collins St. METRO buses would continue beside Franklin Square.

The committee heard the plan would now front full council for approval and implementation by the school holidays, which begin on April 12. The next meeting is on April 9.

It is also likely that no Metro buses will stop on the Hyatt hotel side of the bus mall, with more services set for the GPO side.