Make plans for city’s bright future
Helen Burnet tells how this week you can have your say on the way the city of Hobart will look in years to come
IN 1964 Bob Dylan released a song that became an anthem for a generation: The Times, They are a’Changing.
That certainly still feels applicable today.
The world has a renewed romance with Tasmania and our beautiful city. Clean air and water, enviable World Heritage, national parks and beautiful natural assets, the incredible array of food and beverages along with our growing cultural confidence, Tasmania is the apple of the world’s eye. The world is coming to visit, often to stay.
Hobart City Council continues upgrades to the city waterfront, Salamanca Place, suburban retail precincts and the central business district, along with parks and gardens, sportsgrounds, playgrounds and toilets. Much of this work is what the community is calling for — our City Vision document has been guided by what residents and stakeholders see as important.
In order to ensure we don’t lose what is special when our city and region grow, we need to prepare for the future we want. Transport solutions are key to this success.
At the council meeting on Monday, July 9, aldermen unanimously supported a Draft Transport Strategy, to release for wider community and stakeholder engagement. Input is open until August 4.
The Draft Transport Strategy is about our city’s future — planning for a better place — and doing the projects to enable that to happen.
Traffic congestion makes headlines. No one wants to be stuck in traffic, and we all want certainty as to how long a trip might take.
Feedback from the community is that this needs addressing. They want fewer cars on the road, real public transport options for people travelling to and around the city, and more support for people walking and cycling. Safety is seen as important too.
There are two different transport stories in Hobart.
Compared with the other Australian capitals, Hobart residents are more likely to walk to their destination. Additionally, some parts of Hobart, especially near bike paths, have proportionally very high numbers of bicycle commuters.
However, the regional story is different. Journeys from surrounding municipalities that make up Greater Hobart, are mostly by car. This car dependence is a legacy of land use, settlement patterns and past transport policy decisions. It is a large part of the reason for traffic congestion we are experiencing.
Planning for future growth that maintains Hobart’s liveability and the things that make our city so special requires integrated and sustainable transport outcomes. Transport is an important consideration for a growing city in order to facilitate access and movement that supports us socially, economically and environmentally.
To achieve this, we need a connected pedestrian and cycle network. We need high quality, accessible streetscapes, and neighbourhoods where the traffic is calm and people are encouraged to
The Draft Transport Strategy outlines how Hobart and its residents can play their part in addressing these larger regional challenges.
choose active travel, regardless of age or ability. We need public transport that is reliable, affordable and connected, supported by waiting facilities and park and ride.
The Draft Transport Strategy outlines how council and its residents can play their part in addressing these larger regional challenges.
The council is not the only player. Ongoing involvement with state and federal governments, other councils and stakeholders such as Metro, is vital to find the solutions through good policy and planning. The provision of public transport and strong regional land use strategies is key. More dwellings on major transport corridors and incentives for infill residential housing, not purely on the city fringes, would see a shift in car journeys being the only option for many. Surrounding councils play an important role in supporting their own walking and bicycle riding infrastructure, to improve access to public transport into Hobart, and to local facilities. Park and ride options linked to bus and eventually ferry will need consideration too.
The times they are a’changing and together we can make them change for the better. Rather than travel by car being the only option, driving ought to be just one transport choice readily available for everybody — to get to work, to school, to shop, to play, and to enjoy our lives in this amazing place.
We all want to reach our destinations every day, safe, healthy and happy.
The council is excited about helping create this better future for Hobart in partnership with the community, and we invite everyone to read more and have their say.
Information sessions will be held this week. For the strategy and to comment before August 4, please visit hobartcity.com.au or yoursay.hobartcity.com.au Alderman Helen Burnet chairs the City Infrastructure Committee