Light rail stuck in slow
Government ‘ dragging heels’
THE state government must stop dragging its heels on the northern suburbs light rail proposal, Labor and the Greens say.
Elwick MLC Josh Willie said the project was an opportunity for economic and social renewal, as well as improving educational outcomes.
“There are some 15 schools along this corridor and an active rail service would benefit many students, not only in terms of their access to education, but also in terms of access to workplaces and employment opportunities,” he said.
“If we can have an active rail service through the northern suburbs corridor it would take a lot of traffic off the road, it would improve access to education; it’s another transport option for young people to use.
The principal of Glenorchy’s Indie School, Lauren Watson, said transport was a barrier for children trying to get to school — and improvements would be welcome.
“Any additional support that allows young people to engage with education can only be a positive for the community,” she said.
“For a lot of our young people, they’re coming from the eastern shore, or the Huon Valley, so it’s an additional option to help them access education.”
Infrastructure and Transport Minister Michael Ferguson said the government was committed to “activating” the corridor and delivering an effective public transport solution within five to 10 years.
“The Hobart and Glenorchy city councils have provided feedback on the initial consultant’s report, with changes now being considered and incorporated into the final report,” he said. “We intend for this to be publicly released as soon as possible following this process”.
Greens leader and local MP Cassy O’Connor said the project was “still stuck at the station”.
“Under the Hobart City Deal, the state government is required to deliver a transport solution for the rail corridor within the next decade,” Ms O’Connor said.
“After seven years of dragging their collective heels, the Liberals at a state and federal level need to accelerate the project.”