From the Group CEO

ABOUT YOUR RACT PRESIDENT Kathryn Westwood VICE PRESIDENT Peter Dixon BOARD Peter Joyce Josephine Archer Phil Jones Jude Franks Jenny Richardson Sue Smith Risden Knightley Pieter Kolkert Alison Flakemore Ralph Doedens GROUP CEO Mark Mugnaioni HEAD OFFICE/HOBART BRANCH 179-191 Murray Street, Hobart Ph: (03) 6232 6300 Fax: (03) 6234 8784 OTHER BRANCHES Cruise Travel Centre, Hobart, 1/110 Collins Street (03) 6222 9222 Launceston, Cnr York & George Streets (03) 6335 5633 Devonport, 68 Rooke Street Mall (03) 6421 1933 Ulverstone (Travel only), 38 Reibey Street (03) 6490 8350 Burnie, 24 North Terrace (03) 6434 2933 Rosny Park, 2 Bayfield Street (03) 6212 6755 Glenorchy, Cnr Main Road & Terry Street (03) 6212 9588 Kingston, Shop 60 Channel Court (03) 6242 3200 AUTOSERVE 136 Harrington St, Hobart 85 Cimitiere St, Launceston EDITORIAL Paula Sward, Editor Zoe Cooney, Assistant Editor GPO Box 1292, Hobart 7001 Email: journeys@ract.com.au Ph: (03) 6236 4350 ADVERTISING Tasmania: Gil Sellars, 0448 901 371 Travel: Ben Dean, (03) 6236 4324 PUBLISHED BI-MONTHLY BY The Royal Automobile Club of Tasmania Limited ABN 62 009 475 861 Every effort is made to ensure the authenticity of advertisements including product testing where practicable. However, publication of an advertisement does not imply that the product or service carries the recommendation of RACT. If you wish to stop receiving Journeys, please contact the RACT on 6236 4350 or email journeys@ract.com.au. *Competition terms and conditions: ract.com.au/membership/journeys No part of Journeys may be reproduced without permission. Copyright 2020 RACT DESIGN & PRODUCTION: Digital Ink PRINTING: Ovato MAILHOUSE: D&D Mailing Services DISTRIBUTION: Australia Post ISSN 0818-5549 190710

Mark Mugnaioni

Anew year tends to spark thoughts of new beginnings – resetting goals, building on success and seeking new opportunities.

We have certainly seen some of this in recent months with the demonstration of our driverless electric bus. We had more than 300 people experience this emerging technology over three days. The overwhelming message from all of them – be they members, politicians, community groups or schoolchildren – was that the demonstration provided a fascinating window into the future of mobility.

For us, it was a chance to explore the challenges that Tasmanians would face in bringing this technology to the state. We were provided with a lot of feedback, including concerns about safety, effects on congestion, and the risk of people losing their jobs to technology.

We have collated all of this and have reviewed it with a view to ensuring everyone’s voices are heard in mapping our mobility future.

What we also discovered through setting up the demonstration is that we still have a long way to go before these buses are ready to hit our streets.

To that end, in our State Budget submission we have called for the government to invest in mobility projects that set Tasmania up for a more sustainable future. This should include a public trial of autonomous vehicle technology to test uptake by members of the public, and integration into our current and future mobility networks. Examples of the type of trial we are calling for include an autonomous bus or trackless tram trial on the vacant rail network in Hobart; and a trial of Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems on vehicles that allow for smart signalling and traffic light timing at intersections.

We are also calling for increased investment in safe, separated infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians; better land use planning across municipal boundaries; and subsidised public transport.

Large infrastructure and public transit corridors need to be planned to meet population growth, urbanisation and changing mobility needs across wider community areas than current municipal boundaries.

Our submission calls for: • Development of a state settlement strategy. • A planning decision framework that incorporates a strong focus on the short- and long-term traffic and mobility impacts. We are also asking the government to incentivise public transport to provide costeffective choices; and a full review of public transport options to enable a seamless, accessible service for all.

Transport affordability continues to be one of the main concerns for Tasmanians, as evidenced by our recent fuel petition that reached 5000 signatures in a matter of hours, and is currently sitting at about 9300. With Tasmanians having the highest cost of fuel in the country, we’re calling on the State Government to fund and implement real-time fuel pricing similar to the FuelCheck system in New South Wales that makes it compulsory for retailers to report their prices at the bowser.

We are currently in discussions with the State Government around this and will continue to push for its introduction as soon as practical.

As we welcome Peter Gutwein as the state’s 47th Premier, we are ready to work with him and his government to ensure progress is made on these vital programs to ensure a better lifestyle for all Tasmanians.