midland highway partnership agreement

63March 2011 LGAT News

roads and engineering


The Midland Highway Partnership Agreement brings together the State Government and a number of councils to resolve a common issue of high priority.

Signed on 17 December 2010, the agreement focuses on improved safety along the highway between the Hobart CBD and the Launceston CBD. It also seeks to maximise the highway’s contribution to Tasmania’s economic outcomes, particularly in its important role as a freight corridor.

The then-Premier, Mr David Bartlett, said the Government is committed to working together with local councils through partnerships. “The Government is determined to take a co-operative and productive

approach, as we strive to improve opportunities and services for all Tasmanians,” Mr Bartlett said. “The State Government and Local Government have taken a joint approach because we recognise the importance of shared leadership and we have a shared desire to improve safety along the highway”.

Based on robust road-use data, the agreement prioritises road safety, improving freight efficiency, and improving travel reliability on the urban approaches. It takes a strategic approach of upgrading to a divided four-lane highway in stages, as traffic volumes increase, to provide the best return on investment. The signatory councils and the State Government will now jointly approach the Australian Government to secure funding to implement the plan.

(L-R) Pictured at the Midland Highway Partnership Agreement signing were Mayor Albert van Zetten of Launceston City Council, Adriana Taylor of Glenorchy City Council, Lord Mayor Rob Valentine,

former Premier David Bartlett, Mayor Tony Bisdee of Southern Midlands Council, Mayor Kim Polley of Northern Midlands Council and Mayor Jock Campbell of Clarence City Council

Midland Highway Partnership Agreement



Photography by Dean Parry

LGAT March 2011

Wednesday, 16 March 2011 4:19:57 PM

LGAT News March 201164




The State Government has launched a plan which sets out the strategic framework for planning and investing in Southern Tasmania’s regional transport system over the next 20 years. The plan is a collaborative initiative between the State Government, the Southern Tasmanian Councils Authority and 12 member councils.

Infrastructure Minister Lara Giddings said this is the third and final regional transport plan for Tasmania, with Northern and Cradle Coast plans already in place. “It is an excellent example of State and Local Government co-operating to improve strategic planning outcomes,” Ms Giddings said.

Key transport infrastructure priorities over the next five years include:

• DeterminingfutureupgradesfortheBrooker,Tasmanand South Arm Highways and rural roads;

• TheBrightonandKingstonbypasses;and

• Railinfrastructuremaintenanceandplanning.

The plan links to statewide initiatives such as the Tasmanian Infrastructure Strategy, the Tasmanian Urban Passenger Transport Framework, and council strategies, including Kingborough and Hobart City Council’s sustainable transport strategies. It focuses on key challenges facing

the region in moving towards a safer and more sustainable transport system, including how to:

• Betterintegratetransportandlanduseplanning;

• Facilitateagreateruseoftransportotherthancars,including public transport, walking and cycling;

• Maximisetheuseofexistinginfrastructure;and

• Achieveasafertransportsystem.

The plan will be integrated with a future Capital City Plan and the Southern regional land use strategy, both currently under development. It also identifies the need for more frequent bus services, better travel information and highlights the need for bus priority on roads to make bus travel quicker.

TheLordMayorofHobart,AldRobValentine,saidtheSouthern Integrated Transport Plan was a good start to improving the development of a better, more co-ordinated approach to planning in Southern Tasmania. “Along with the development of the Southern Tasmanian Land Use Strategy this is a good foundation for improving the transparency and clarity of planning,” he said.

The plan is supported by a five-year Action Plan to identify, prioritise and take forward specific activities. It will be updated annually and overseen by a joint State-Local Government steering committee.

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A fleet of Toyota Prius took to the road in February to promote pitt&sherry’s philosophy of sustainable thinking and to lower the consulting engineering firm’s carbon footprint.

The delivery of the first six Toyota Prius, will eventually form the foundation a fleet of at least double the size of hybrid vehicles, to be delivered over the next 12 months to pitt&sherry offices across Australia. The purchase represents yet another example of company’s commitment to environmentally responsible practices and sustainable thinking.

Pitt&sherry’s Managing Director, John Pitt, said that the company’s philosophy of seeking sustainable solutions to meet the demands of everyday business needs is a responsibility every company could address. “Pitt&sherry use motor vehicles to travel around 600,000 kilometres every year. Our aim in upgrading our vehicle fleet to the Toyota Prius vehicles is to lower our fuel bill, which in turn lowers our carbon footprint and use of fossil fuel,” Mr Pitt said. “This, in line with our commitment to be a vital link to the sustainability of future generations, and to address findings in our recent Sustainability Report that land travel at pitt&sherry contributed 32% to our total emissions. Total vehicle usage was producing around 256 tonnes of CO2 per annum. We anticipate that this will be reduced by at least 205 with the new fleet,” he added.

Mr Pitt also said that the new fleet would offer improved economic outcomes to piit&sherry as total motor vehicle costs would be reduce by 20-30%. Indirect economic benefits will be achieved by greater penetration and awareness from branding the new fleet with appropriate logos and the sustainable thinking insignia.

In relation to safety and productivity outcomes, Mr Pitt said that the current number of pool vehicles was insufficient to meet employee demands for their clients; and that the resultant higher usage

of personal vehicles was contributing to lower efficiency, cost and safety performance. “The new Prius vehicles would ensure improved safety outcomes for employees through the Five-Star ANCAP Rating,” he said.

The Prius is available in a 1.8 Litre Petrol/Electric Hybrid Synergy Drive and Prius i-Tech 1.8 Litre Petrol/Electric Hybrid Synergy Drive. As one of the most fuel-efficient motor vehicles in the world, independent data rates the Prius as being able to travel 100km using just 3.90 litres of fuel in an urban environment, and 3.7 litres on the open road. The 1.8-litre petrol engine generates 98 hp, but with the added power of the electric motor, the combined power of both motors generates 134 hp. Using an electric power source as opposed to a purely petrol-based power source, has a distinct and lesser impact on the environment.

By reducing the number of kilometres travelled using petrol, the Prius effectively reduces the amount of chemical emissions released into the environment. The damaging chemicals produced by petrol include carbon dioxide, sulphur oxide, carbon monoxide, lead and hydrocarbons. These chemicals contribute to global warming, oxygen utilisation problems in humans, respiratory illness, acid rain, lung issues and organ damage.

Another reason that pitt&sherry selected the Prius for its vehicle fleet is its environmentally responsible construction. The Prius uses a new range of plant-derived ecological bio-plastics, made out of cellulose derived from wood or grass instead of traditional petroleum based plastics. The two principal crops used to manufacture the bio-plastic are Kenaf and Ramie. The Kenaf plant is a member of the Hibiscus family, and a relative to Cotton and Okra. Commonly known as China Grass, Ramie is one of the strongest natural fibres, with a density and absorbency comparable to flax.

Pitt&sherry Director, Andy Turner, inspects one of the new fleet of

Toyota Prius

Sustainable Thinking Takes to the Road

C M Y K C M Y K



Consulting engineer and environmental solutions company, SEMF, is to provide the engineering and project management capability for the development of a processing plant capable of producing high quality biological soil conditioner and renewable energy from abattoir waste. This will be the first time in Australia that anaerobic digester and soil conditioning technologies will be brought together to provide a state-of-the-art solution of this nature.

To be built adjacent the Longford waste water treatment plant, south west of Launceston, the state-of-the art facility is designed to lessen the burden on the plant which until now has been coping with town’s treatment and trade waste requirements as well as the 30 tonnes of organic waste produced by the local abattoir each day.

To be constructed and operated by environmental development company, IMP Environmental, the facility will comprise two separate plants connected by a process transfer pipe.

The anaerobic digester plant – designed and manufactured byKorean-based,DongmunIRS,willconvertsolidorganicwaste from the abattoir into biogas and liquid digestate. The liquid digestate will then be transferred to the soil conditioning production facility where it will be converted into high quality soil conditioner.

Fertilizer batching involves the creation of a valuable soil conditioning product by adding micro-organisms and trace minerals to liquid digestate which is handled in carefully controlled conditions. The biogas produced by the anaerobic digester will be used to generate electricity for operating the facility, with excess power

being fed back into the grid.

SEMF’s key involvement will be to integrate the anaerobic digester and soil conditioning technologies into a seamless, stand-alone process facility. In addition, it will also be responsible for providing engineering design for the soil conditioning facility and conducting local compliance checks on the anaerobic digester plant. Engineering design work on the Longford facility is already well underway.

SEMF project manager, Greg Tomamichel, said combining the technologies is what makes the plant unique. “Until now, there have been a range of processes for converting organic wastes to renewable energy but none in Australia have been integrated to create high-value soil conditioning products. This is what sets this plant apart,” he said.

Integration will require the full gamut of SEMF’s industrial engineering consulting capabilities – process, mechanical, electrical, automation, structural, civil, fire protection, project management and construction management.

Mr Tomamichel said, “While the Longford project will only manage a relatively low volume waste stream, the project will be an excellent opportunity to display what might be achievable on a larger scale with future projects.”

For more information about SEMF, go to www.semf.com.au. For details about IMP Environmental, visit www.impenvironmental.com.au.



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midland highway partnership agreement

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