Tasmania

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Funding
Passenger services
Freight services
Licensing and registration

In Tasmania there are approximately 3,650 kilometres of roads and more than 1,280 bridges and other significant structures which are managed and owned by the State Government. Local councils, Hydro Tasmania, forestry companies and other private businesses own and manage the remaining roads and structures.

The Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources has responsibility for the provision, management and maintenance of State classified roads. Each local council has the same responsibility for classified local highways in their municiipality.

State roads are classified under the Road Hierarchy categories as either:

• Category 1 Trunk Roads - the most important roads interconnecting Tasmania
• Category 2 Regional Freight Roads - Tasmania's major regional roads for carrying heavy freight
• Category 3 Regional Access Roads - the main access roads to Tasmania's regions, but carry less heavy freight traffic than Regional Freight Roads
• Category 4 Feeder Roads - allow safe travel between towns, major tourist destinations and industrial areas
• Category 5 Other Roads - the remainder of the State roads.

Funding

The Australian Government is investing $26.7 billion on road and rail infrastructure through the Nation Building Program over the six year period from 2008-09 to 2013-14.

In the 2009-10 Federal Budget the Government is investing $156 million in Tasmania's road and rail infrastructure. $42.7 million will be provided to maintain and upgrade local roads in Tasmania.

The Australian Government's Black Spot Program, aimed at reducing crashes on Australian roads, was allocated an additional $60 million in 2009-10. This is in addition to Black Spot funding announced for 2008-09 of $110 m illion. Tasmanian Black Spot Projects [PDF 47 KB] were announced in March and April 2009.

Passenger services

Passenger bus services are provided Statewide:

• Metro provides services in Launceston, Burnie and Hobart
• Merseylink services Devonport
• Hobart Coaches service Kingston and other southern suburbs of Hobart
• Redline and Tassielink Coaches provide regional bus services.

Major taxi companies include:

• Central Cabs (Launceston) / City Cabs (Hobart) - 131008
• Taxi Combined Services - 132227
• Yellow Cab Co - 131924.

Freight services

Major freight services are provided by a variety of companies offering a range of transport solutions.

Licensing and registration

Driver licence and registration fees are levied by the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources. There are 8 classes of motor vehicle licence which relate to:

• differeing sizes and carrying capacities of vehicles
• special skills and experience required to handle the different types of vehicles.
• under the system of registration, vehicles are defined into the following categories:

Registration fees include:

• a standard registration administrative charge
• motor tax
• third party insurance
• vehicle inspection fees.

Other charges for new vehicles or transferred vehicles include registration plate fees and duty based on the market value of a vehicle.

Detailed registration and licence information is available from the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources.