Hobart City Council is considering a plan to remove 16 parking spaces from Montpelier Retreat and make a major section one-way as part of a redesign near Salamanca.
The proposal would add wider footpaths and trees, but at the cost of parking and vehicle access in one of Hobart’s busiest precincts.
Montpelier Retreat is an important access route for Salamanca, local businesses, car parks, deliveries, residents, tourists and the market.
Council seems increasingly focused on solving problems that do not exist, while many residents simply want the basics done well, including existing road maintenance.
The report appears to treat vehicles as the problem, despite acknowledging around 400 vehicle movements during peak periods.
I am also surprised council officers are reporting “uniformly positive” feedback before broader community consultation has even begun.
Hobart needs the Council to focus on the basics, not invent new ways to make the city harder to access.
Edwin Johnstone
Chair, Business Greater Hobart
