RACT backs cheaper buses

THE State Government is being urged to incentivise greater use of public transport to ease the strain on overloaded roads.

In its state budget submission to Treasurer Peter Gutwein, the RACT called for subsidies to be implemented to make bus trips cheaper and encourage people to leave their cars at home.

The submission said, in relative terms, Hobart had the least affordable transport costs of all Australian cities, and called for the Government to undertake a review of transport options.

The RACT is also pushing for a trial of an autonomous shuttle bus, or trackless tram trial on the vacant rail network in Hobart.

Stacey Pennicott, RACT’s executive general manager of membership and community, said feedback from its members had reflected people’s concerns with public transport.

“What we heard time and again is people are finding it difficult to get public transport that meets their needs,’’ she said.

“One of the key things is around the cost of transport, and we believe we need to get people onto public transport to take pressure off the roads that are currently very congested. We need to put that incentive in place to get people to change their behaviour, but also it needs to be in place for periods of time when people want to actually travel.”

Metro bus fares cost $2.80 (one zone) or $3.84 (two zones) for travellers who have a Greencard, depending on the length of their trip.

For a five-day working week, this can equate to more than $38 a week for return fares. Those without a Greencard pay $3.50 or $4.80 per trip.

The submission also called for a planning decision framework that ensures impact assessment occurs across Tasmanian municipal areas and considers traffic and mobility implications.

It suggested increased investment in separated cycling infrastructure, while again backing in a range of medium to long-term infrastructure priorities, including a new Bridgewater Bridge.

The RACT also suggested the Government fund a fuel check program that makes it compulsory for fuel retailers to report their prices in real-time.

Written submissions to inform the budget process were due to Treasury on December 6.

The 2020-21 state budget will be delivered on June 4.