Independent Member for Clark, Andrew Wilkie, has welcomed a trial ferry service on the River Derwent but says a holistic response is desperately needed to fix the traffic snarl.
“While it’s great to hear that local operator Roche Brothers has been selected to run a one-year trial of a River Derwent commuter ferry service, this is a mere drop in the ocean towards what is needed to solve a long-standing problem that only continues to get worse,” he said.
“While the ferry will provide a welcome alternative for people on the Eastern Shore, what about those gridlocked on the Southern Outlet from Kingston each morning, making the arduous trip in from other outlying suburbs like Sorell, or crawling down the Brooker Highway from Hobart’s Northern Suburbs?
“We will always need roads, so we have to look at improving the road system and traffic flow. But Hobart’s traffic mess also clearly needs a holistic solution that includes light rail, ferries, bike and pedestrian infrastructure, dedicated bus lanes and infill development close to public transport.
“The State Government has made some big promises to bust congestion, but its reforms to date seem to be limited to clearways in Macquarie and Davey streets and, more recently, an offer to ‘look into’ engaging a specialist traffic engineer to examine the problem.
“The Government needs to show some genuine vision and create a liveable city where people aren’t forced into their cars because of poor public transport and a lack of infrastructure for other modes of transport.”