Change in bus routes to benefit majority of passengers, according to Metro
Tasmania’s Metro is planning a major change in bus services in the northern suburbs of Hobart to speed up services and help traffic flow.
Metro’s Chief Executive Officer Heather Haselgrove says the proposed changes follow an extensive study of routes and services in the northern suburbs of Hobart.
“Many of the current bus schedules and routes have become outdated and do not adequately meet people’s needs due to demographic changes and modern traffic trends,” she says.
“We are proposing to simplify the many different routes and make better use of existing resources in Hobart’s northern suburbs.
“The proposed changes are a direct response to passenger requests to have a simpler, faster and more frequent bus service on routes with greatest demand. “
Haselgrove says while some people may lament the loss of some services such as the current express and poorly patronised doorstopper services, the proposed changes would benefit the vast majority of people living north of Hobart.
“The current express services will be replaced by faster and more direct express services from areas in the northern suburbs to Hobart via the Brooker Highway and most people who use the doorstopper service will have alternative routes and stops nearby.”
The changes will not come into effect until November and Metro will commence a public engagement program from today to inform people about the changes and get feedback.
The changes will affect people in areas north of Hobart CBD, Glenorchy to Granton, Brighton and the northern part of Clarence will also be affected.
The public engagement period runs to July 11, 2014.