Minutes (Open Portion)

The Hobart Workshop Committee Meeting

Page 1

19/1/2026

Minutes (Open Portion)

The Hobart Workshop Committee Meeting

Page 1

19/01/2026

Bloomfield

The minutes of the Open Portion of the Hobart Workshop Committee meeting held on Monday, 8 December 2025, be confirmed as an accurate record.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

Committee Resolution:

The minutes were signed.

6.1      Place and Wellbeing Committee

Harvey

That the recommendation contained within the officer report, marked as item 6.1 of the Open Hobart Workshop Committee Agenda of 19 January 2026, be adopted.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

Committee Resolution:

That the Hobart Workshop Committee receive and note the minutes of the Place and Wellbeing Committee of 25 November 2025, marked as Attachment A to item 6.1 of the Open Hobart Workshop Committee Agenda of 19 January 2026.

6.2      Climate, Sustainability and Biodiversity Committee

Harvey

That the recommendation contained within the officer report, marked as item 6.2 of the Open Hobart Workshop Committee Agenda of 19 January 2026, be adopted.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

Committee Resolution:

That the Hobart Workshop Committee receive and note the minutes of the Climate, Sustainability and Biodiversity Committee of 11 November 2025, marked as Attachment A to item 6.2 of the Open Hobart Workshop Committee Agenda of 19 January 2026.

7.1      2025-26 Annual Plan Progress Report for the period ending 31 December 2025

Posselt

That the recommendation contained within the officer report, marked as item 7.1 of the Open Hobart Workshop Committee Agenda of 19 January 2026, be adopted.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

Committee Resolution:

That the Committee receive and note the City of Hobart 2025-26 Annual Plan Progress Report for the period ending 31 December 2025 and endorse its release for publication on the City of Hobart website.

8.1      Augusta Road / Elizabeth Street - Pedestrian, Bicycle, Public Transport and Urban Enhancement Planning Project

Karen Abey Director Strategic and Regulatory Services and Daniel Verdouw Manager City Transport, provided a presentation on this item.

Elected members were invited to provide feedback to inform the development of this project. 

The following feedback was provided:

·         Data collection techniques were discussed and if advertising ‘super Tuesday bike count’ may inflate the number of people using the bike lanes.  It was noted that viva units (which are camera / AI based technology) have been installed to count vehicle usage 24/7, 7 day a week.  This will provide independent evidence of traffic usage to support any changes being recommended. 

·         The need to ensure that proper engagement takes place with small business, business owners, property owners and tenants. A request was made for a list to be provided to the Council of people and businesses consulted.

·         The funding strategy was discussed – It was noted that there are some grant funding opportunities (through the Federal Government). The Manager City Transport will continue to look at grants and other possible funding opportunities for this project.

·         Members discussed the need to ensure that new bike lanes installed are safe and that they are located where the community is likely to use them.

·         Work is required on the road surface of Augusta Road.

·         Work is required around the Calvery Hospital – particularly in relation to pedestrian crossing and parking. 

·         Work is required in the area where traffic move from Augusta Road to the Main Road New Town (near the turn off to Hill Street Grocery).

Attachments

a    Augusta Road and Elizabeth Street Pedestrian, Bus and Bike Improvements   

8.2      Twelve Month Review - Argyle and Campbell St Bike Lanes

Karen Abey Director Strategic and Regulatory Services, and Daniel Verdouw Manager City Transport, provided a presentation on this item.

Elected members were asked to provide feedback on the high-level review of the Argyle Street and Campbell Street bicycle lane project.  The following feedback was provided:

·         It was noted that the installation of the Bike lanes was undertaken initially as a trial and it was fully funded by the State Government.

·         It was also noted that there is an issue with appointing a tow truck operator.  The Manager City Transport advised that the City does not have a towing truck available in its current fleet able to provide the service.  To date, the City has been unable to secure a contract for towing and has had discussions with the State Government about the possibility of using the State Government’s towing service provider Stornoway. 

·         The Manager City Transport took Elected Members through the graphs that were uploaded onto the Hub.  There was a lot of discussion on what the graphs were showing.  Elected Members noted that there were more people driving into the City in 2025 than in 2023, which is the likely cause of traffic congestion. 

·         Elected Members also noted letter a from Department of State Growth (DSG). That letter stated that DSG observed that the bike trial facilities are working as expected.  It was further noted that the installation of bike lanes have not significantly increased congestion in the City, there has been a slight increase in time delay in a couple of sections (but the increase has only been in seconds) and that the number of crashes have decreased.

·         Elected Members discussed the need to look at hotspots (in the existing arrangements) so that work can be undertaken in the next phase of the project to improve the bike lanes.  The following was shared:

o   surfacing on the bike lanes needs to be replaced;

o   arrows be painted on the bike lanes so people don’t go the wrong way;

o   act on blind spots (specifically where the bike lane joins to Campbell Street); and

o   look at how to make it safer when vehicles are coming out of the hospital and back onto Campbell Street.

·         It was noted that some car parking meters in Macquarie Street and Davey Street have been ‘hooded’ for quite some time, with discussion on the ongoing need to remain hooded.

Attachments

a    Argyle and Campbell Street bike lane 12 month review   

8.3      Stormwater and Waterways Briefing

David Reeve Director Infrastructure and Assets, and Anna Wilson Manager Stormwater and Waterways, provided a presentation on the existing stormwater systems.

Elected members shared the following:

·         That climate change predictions indicate that the weather will become more variable.  Hobart is exposed to flooding, particularly flash floods.  Climate change predictions indicate that there will be more floods, they will be larger and faster.

·         There is a need to look at: mitigation options, building planning controls and regulations and better controls over subdivisions particularly in relation to stormwater / sewerage pipes. 

·         Current risks include ageing infrastructure, underserviced land and the Hobart rivulet structure.

·         The need to talk to insurers to understand when and why they will not offer insurance cover and any information they can provide on climate risks / interventions that should be considered.

·         The possibility of buying back land close to rivulets to allow a more natural path for water flow, if anything can be done to clear space along the headlands to manage flood water flows and using existing areas (e.g. Haldane Reserve is there an opportunity for a wetland).

·         Elected members noted that the Flood Code is currently under review.  They were happy with the work that has been undertaken to date, are very keen to hear more about interventions that can be put in place and suggested that these issues should be factored into Neighbourhood Plans.

Attachments

a    Improve understanding of stormwater systems   

Harvey

That the following response to questions without notice, marked as item 9.1 of the Open Hobart Workshop Committee Agenda of 19 January 2026, be received and noted.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

Committee Resolution:

That the following response to questions without notice, marked as item 9.1 of the Open Hobart Workshop Committee Agenda of 19 January 2026, be received and noted.