The Tasmanian Liberal Government is investing at record levels to build inter-generational infrastructure and the $576 million Bridgewater Bridge will be the single largest public infrastructure project in Tasmania’s history.
Including unnecessary rail on the new bridge is outside the scope of this project, which was settled well before 2012, and is not possible within the available funding.
Rail has not run over the Bridgewater Bridge since the then Labor-Green Government moved rail operations from Hobart to Brighton.
The design for a replacement bridge operating exclusively for road transport has been established for many years and ought to be be well understood by Labor, despite the dishonest posturing of Ms Butler.
The former Government’s concept design in 2012 was for a four-lane road bridge that did not contain provision for rail because it was made redundant.
Rail was also not included in the replacement bridge design that was the subject of a submission from the former Labor-Green Government to Infrastructure Australia.
Of course, Labor did not build the bridge, or even start it.
Hypocritically, Franklin Labor MP Dean Winter criticised the cost of the replacement bridge and questioned its need in 2019 when he was Kingborough Mayor. So did then Glenorchy Mayor Kristie Johnston.
The Government’s reference design for the new bridge preserves the existing rail corridor on the causeway and a potential future rail connection. If an economic case emerges to reinstate rail, consideration can be given as to how to fund and build it at that time.
Building expensive unused rail on the new bridge is not a simple matter of attaching an additional structure for railway tracks. Trains require an alignment with shallower slopes, longer approaches, wider curves and different load capacities than roads built for cars and trucks.
I am calling out Labor’s deceit. It’s dishonest given their own decisions, so obvious you can drive a train through it.
More Media Releases from Michael Ferguson
More Media Releases from the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport