A plan for the West Hobart community aimed at creating a safer, more enjoyable environment in which people can walk, ride, travel to school and access local shops and transport is now open for public comment.
The West Hobart Local Area Mobility Plan also aims to make it easier to exercise and socialise within the neighbourhood.
The draft plan was developed through community workshops and pop-up information sessions and is now open for public feedback through the Your Say Hobart website.
Consultation on the draft plan closes Sunday 27 October.
As part of the initial engagement process participants were asked to use an interactive map to tell us:
- Places where crossing feels unsafe.
- Places where moving along the street feels unsafe.
- Places we like to walk and/or ride.
Creating a safer community
One third of the community's comments of concern mentioned speed, cars moving too fast or a need to slow and calm traffic so that they can feel safer in their neighbourhood.
To transform West Hobart into an area where walking and riding are safe, easy and appealing the plan prioritises:
- improved local access to schools
- safer vehicle speeds on quieter streets
- direct, connected and comfortable places to walk and ride.
This can be done through intersection upgrades, calming streets, creating continuous footpaths and safer crossings.
Community voices
Over the years the West Hobart community has provided valuable input about movement through its neighbourhood, including through a 2022 active transport survey for Goulburn Street Primary School, a 2023 community petition calling for slower streets and through engagement for the Hobart Transport Strategy 2024.
Goulburn Street Primary School’s active travel survey in 2022 found around 65 per cent of respondents walk or cycle to or from school, indicating a need for increased safe ways to cross and travel along streets.
This is particularly true when children are travelling alone, and important for strengthening young people’s independence in getting to and from their daily activities.
With nearly one in five West Hobart residents aged under 18, it is important to design our streets for young people and children to safely and easily get around.
The draft plan is now open for public comment on the Your Say Hobart website.
The Your Say Hobart consultation on the draft plan closes Sunday 27 October.
A wombat crossing would improve safety for people visiting the Train Park.