Article: Commuters join travel survey

[colinw]

The Mercury -> click here

SUBURBAN trains, more bike lanes, less peak-hour congestion, a better Tasman Bridge and a more reliable and cheaper bus service are what Hobart commuters want to make getting into the city for work a less frustrating experience.

An online survey by the Mercury shows 65.2 per cent of the 773 people who took part in the survey still take their car to work each day.

Another 13 per cent cycle to work or catch public transport. Slightly more than 8 per cent walk.

Cyclists who completed the survey said more bike lanes and higher levels of safety would encourage more people to start riding rather than pay up to $60 a week to drive and park in the city.

The Red Bean Cafe's Jonathan Stagg says he enjoys his 25-minute ride in from Taroona each day.

"I save a lot of money, and riding in provides me with my only chance to clock up some exercise," Mr Stagg said yesterday.

But other cyclists cited frustration with dangerous roads, aggressive motorists and a lack of bike lanes.

Motorists said congestion in Davey and Macquarie streets and at the Elwick Showground roundabout stressed them out on their way into and out of the city.

One driver claimed the commute time from Lewisham to Sandy Bay had doubled over the past 15 years.

Commuters said buses were late, overcrowded and too expensive, although some respondents said they enjoyed being able to sit back and take in the scenery at the start and end of the working day.

Others are eagerly waiting for the proposed northern suburbs passenger train service, while another respondent said: "We have a waterway, let's use it."

[#Metro]

I think that any new rapid transit system must be built to have high average speed like Perth. 90km/hour minimum between stations. It needs speed. It makes no sense to build a system (whatever mode) and have it go at 35 km/hour when the road next to it is going at 80 km/hour.

Hobart has the worst bus system I have ever experienced. They need to fix it.