Fix Ferry Road

RACT to keep pollies honest

Following this years state budget Lara Giddings had this to say about road funding:

Tasmania’s road and bridge network has been allocated nearly $225 million for 2010-11. In addition, a new approach in funding has been established with up to $12.5 million being available over the next four years to allow for early planning and scoping work to be carried out on road projects separate from the construction phase.

Once the planning phase is scoped, the project will be submitted to a Structured Infrastructure Investment Review process to be considered for funding to complete detailed planning if required and move into the construction phase.

In this Budget, a capital provision of $275 million is provided over the Forward Estimates for allocation to future infrastructure investment endorsed by Government through the whole of government Review process.

The Government’s priority for roads is to begin planning work on a number of important regional and rural roads projects as identified in the Community Roads package and the West Coast Roads package.

For more of what Lara had to say click here.  Ferry Road is part of the Community Roads package.  The “Structured Infrastructure Investment Review process” is obviously what DIER’s Shane Gregory was talking about when he briefed attendees at the Kettering Community Association AGM on 5 August.

The RACT appear as cagey about this new process as we are if the following extract from a recent press release is anything to go by:

RACT will closely watch the newly-announced system of road construction planning and approval – the so-called Structured Infrastructure Investment Review Process.

The Treasurer has personally assured the RACT that the Government’s commitments contained in the Community Roads Package announced during the election, will all be funded, but will be directed through the new process first.

RACT will carefully monitor the situation to ensure that the new system leads to better decisions, not delays.

At least the “Kettering Precinct Master Plan” arrears as a line item in the list of transport projects which form part of the Government’s infrastructure strategy.

Racing to improve infrastructure

In an article in the Sunday Tasmanian on 11 April there is some speculation about the composition of the new Labor cabinet.

Surprised to be back?

Returning Treasurer, Michael Aird, is touted as gaining responsibility for Infrastructure as well as Racing and a further raft of portfolios.

Minister for Racing and Infrastructure?  Does this mean it’s an odds on bet that we will get some money set aside in the forthcoming budget to Fix Ferry Road?

In the Kingborough and Huon Times supplement to the same newspaper the ills of Ferry Road get another run following on from a record volume of traffic visting Bruny Island over Easter.  The main point of the article is that in the light of election promises from both major political parties the focus of the Fix Ferry Road campaign should now be on holding the government’s feet to the fire to ensure delivery on their promises.

The article also point the finger at Kingborough Council who have yet to come to the party and finally do something about the foreshore walkway they have been going on about for years.  Council have precious little responsibility for anything along Ferry Road since they lost responsibility for Water and Sewerage.  Pedestrian access is now the only thing they can contribute to but they seem to have chosen to broaden the terms of reference for a review and embarked on a grand plan for walkways all over Kettering rather than focusing on long standing priorities.

Easter on Bruny Island takes patience

An article in today’s Mercury reports that:

The ferry smashed records at the weekend, carrying more than 660 cars to the island on Good Friday alone, although motorists were forced to wait up to four hours in a queue more than 2km long which spilled on to the Channel Highway.

The Bruny Island Community Association are calling for an extra ferry to service the island between December and May.  You can read the full article here.

It’s a little ironic that after 15 years of lobbying to get some sort of financial commitment from the government to fix Ferry Road we finally get election promises of $8 million from both major political parties.  Great – then we get a hung parliament.  Doh!

RACT support action on Ferry Road

The Royal Automobile Club of Tasmania have come out in support of plans to Fix Ferry Road.   An article entitled Kettering precinct promises welcomed in the  April/May edition of the organisation’s Journeys magazine says that:

The RACT will keep the two main political parties to their promises on Bruny Island ferry access at Kettering.

Through its Southern Regional Advisory Committee, the RACT has taken a close interest over several years in the congested ferry access at Kettering.

“We’ve been concerned that the facilities are inappropriate and dangerous, both for motorists queuing to get onto the ferry, and local residents and pedestrians,” said RACT spokesman Vince Taskunas.

Yesterday, the Liberal Party promised to upgrade the ferry access and surrounds, following an earlier, similar commitment by the Labor Government.

“Local residents, pedestrians, commuters, tourists, and Tasmania’s travel brand itself will all benefit from a Government focus on fixing congestion, services and road safety around the Bruny Island ferry terminal,” Mr Taskunas said.

“It is also heartening to hear that consideration is being given to an additional ferry service operating alongside the Mirambeena to address the growing peak period demand

“The traditional two-week peak period starting Boxing Day has, over the last few years, grown strongly and now covers at least six weeks starting mid-December and extending to the end of January.

Mr Taskunas said the RACT’s Southern Regional Advisory Committee’s meeting in Hobart last night reaffirmed its longstanding commitment to the need for urgent action at Ferry Road in Kettering.

“The RACT has spent over three years lobbying on this matter, and we expect the next Tasmanian Government to get on with safety and access improvements early in its term following the March 20 election.”

Campaign Chronicles

Today’s Kingborough Chronicle features extended coverage of the issues with Ferry Road.

Next week’s edition will feature an article on the expansive Oyster Cove Marina redevelopment.

It all helps.