Just one simple step to ease the squeeze

Keep cheap morning bus trips and watch people hop on board, says Richard Griggs

IN

announcing $1 million for a study into tunnels and bypasses this week, the Premier said, “There’s no, single, simple solution to reducing traffic congestion”.

He is correct in that congestion is a complex problem. It is affected by the daily life decisions of commuters as well as government policy on transport infrastructure, location of schools and new housing developments, to name a few.

However, while the Premier is right to say the issue is complex, he is wrong if he infers there is nothing that can be done in the immediate future.

We do not need to wait for a feasibility study on tunnels and bypasses before we take action.

One significant policy lever the Government can pull immediately is the price of a ticket to ride Metro buses.

For the past three years Metro has made it free to travel on a bus before 7am for the first few weeks of school.

This is designed to help deal with the traffic crush each year when school resumes by encouraging people to catch an earlier bus.

It has worked, despite the early morning start required to board the bus before 7am.

In the first year the trial led to a 14 per cent increase in patronage on those early buses.

If the Government were to reduce ticket prices and make this a permanent feature then the 14 per cent figure would rise. If people know the incentive is permanent their travel routine will more likely change.

During the campaign for Nelson, traffic congestion is the number one issue that people raise.

People are responding with interest and support to my proposal for a year-long trial of free peak-hour Metro buses between 7am and 9am. They are also responding with questions.

Firstly, people ask whether it would mean Metro need to purchase more buses and invest in park and ride stations. This probably would be required. To see increased investment in public infrastructure of this kind would be a worthy use of public funds.

Secondly, people point out that buses are not reliable or frequent enough and this is the reason they personally do not use buses. As a bus user, I understand their frustrations. In addition to use of pricing incentives, I also support investment in more frequent bus services and real-time trackability of buses so people waiting know how far away their bus is.

Finally, people remark that bus travel only makes up a relatively small portion of total travel in Hobart. I don’t dispute the statistics but point out two different perspectives.

We can look pessimistically at the situation and cite the low number of bus users as a reason not to bother with further investment. Or we can view this situation as an opportunity to unleash the full potential of buses to help combat congestion.

After all, one bus full of people is equivalent to taking up to 60 cars off the road.

We could start with free buses on the Southern Outlet and Channel Highway/Sandy Bay Rd between 7am and 9am. A 12-month trial funded through a joint venture between State Government, Kingborough Council and Hobart City Council would be an excellent start.

Bus travel is not an option for all commuters. It is, however, suited to people who travel into the Hobart CBD, spend their working day in the CBD and then return home of an evening. It is these people who are more likely to choose bus travel if the pricing signals are right.