Tasmanian Council Elections 2026

Local councillor numbers are being cut this election

Tasmanian Council Elections 2026

Council elections this year are critical for keeping safer places to ride your bike on the agenda, with reduced councillor numbers across the state

Making it easier to ride in your community

Some of the ways councils can make it easier for you to ride your bike include:

Build and maintain paths and separated cycleways that link to jobs, schools, services and local shops and can be ridden by people of all ages and abilities.
Develop bike plans/strategies for the council area.
Seal and widen shoulders on popular road riding routes.
Provide recreational trails and paths.
Lower speeds (30km/h) on local streets where people want to ride, scoot and walk.
Provide and mandate end-of-trip facilities and bike parking.

Are you a local candidate up for election?

Don’t wait to be contacted. If you want to make it easier for more people to ride more often, send us your responses to the questions listed and we’ll publish them on this webpage.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

Reach out to your council’s candidates and ask them how they plan to make your streets and open spaces more bike friendly, and let them know their response will be published on our website.

Questions you can ask your candidates:

If elected, which projects will you prioritise to make it easier for more people to ride more often?
Would you support bike lanes if it meant moving and/or reducing some on-street car parking?
Do you support your council’s bike plan?

If you get a response to these or your own bike-related questions, send it to us at tasoffice@bicyclenetwork.com.au and we’ll publish them on this web page.

Councillor voting record

The following shows how councillors have voted on significant cycling projects over the past 5 years where there has been a contested decision or where voting patterns are unusual. Most cycling projects in most councils are implemented without a vote. If there is a vote we have missed, please email us at tasoffice@bicyclenetwork.com.au.

Hobart City Council

27 November 2023: Adoption of the northern suburbs local area mobility plan which recommended several separated cycleway projects. Councillors Zucco, Bloomfield, Kelly and Coats all voted for this plan. Councillor Elliot was on Leave of Absence for this meeting.

22 July 2024: Adoption of the Hobart Transport Strategy which has clear goals to improve cycling infrastructure and specifically names cycleways on Collins Street and Augusta Road. Lord Mayor Reynolds was an apology for this meeting.
Voted for: Deputy Lord Mayor Sherlock; Harvey; Dutta; Posselt; Lohberger; Kitsos.
Voted against: Zucco; Kelly; Elliot; Bloomfield; Coats

16 September 2024: Collins Street transformation trial that includes 30km speeds, separated cycling infrastructure, more pedestrian crossings and outdoor dining and seating.
Voted for: Lord Mayor Reynolds; Deputy Lord Mayor Sherlock; Harvey; Dutta; Posselt; Lohberger; Kitsos.
Voted against: Zucco; Kelly; Elliot; Bloomfield; Coats.

14 October 2024: Increase council funding for the Collins Street trial by $170,000 following Minister Abetz’s decision to override a state government grant process to withdraw already announced funding. Alderman Zucco was on a Leave of Absence for this meeting.
Voted for: Lord Mayor Reynolds; Deputy Lord Mayor Sherlock; Harvey; Dutta; Posselt; Lohberger; Kitsos.
Voted against: Kelly; Elliot; Bloomfield; Coats.

31 March 2025: Design for the final half block of the Collins Street trial that had been paused in November 2024, that included a bus board platform and separated cycleway on one side.
Voted for: Deputy Lord Mayor Sherlock; Harvey; Dutta; Posselt; Lohberger; Kitsos.
Voted against: Zucco; Kelly; Elliot; Bloomfield; Coats

26 May 2025: Adoption of the North Hobart Neighbourhood plan which recommended investigating separated cycleways along Argyle, Burnett, Elizabeth and Federal streets.
Voted for: Lord Mayor Reynolds; Deputy Lord Mayor Sherlock; Zucco; Harvey; Dutta; Kelly; Bloomfield; Posselt; Lohberger; Kitsos.
Voted against: Elliot; Coats

25 May 2026: Adoption of Hobart Bike Plan which brought together previous decisions of the council in one place. Councillor Elliot was suspended from the council by a code of conduct determination.
Voted for: Lord Mayor Reynolds; Deputy Lord Mayor Sherlock; Harvey; Dutta; Posselt; Lohberger; Kitsos
Voted against: Zucco; Kelly; Bloomfield; Coats.

Launceston City Council

12 December 2024: The council provide in-principle support to Dorset Council for the extension of the north-east rail trail from Scottsdale to Lilydale Falls and council officers prepare a report outlining costs and consequences of the trail for Launceston.
Voted for: Mayor Garwood: Deputy Mayor McKenzie; Gibson; Dawkins; Harris; Razay; Palmer; Britton.
Voted against: Walker; Pentridge; Cai.

Kingborough Council

4 April 2022: Build separated cycleways in the main street of Kingston as part of the Transforming Kingston project. Councillors Grace and Wass were apologies for this meeting.
Voted for: Cordover; Fox; Midgley.
Voted against: Mayor Wriedt; Deputy Mayor Westwood; Glade-Wright; Bastone; Street.

Council election candidate responses

If you are a candidate in the elections and would like to let people know your position on better cycling facilities, let us know. We will also detail voting decisions and public comments about cycling support of sitting councillors up for election.

If your council is not listed, don’t worry, we’ll add it when you send your statement.

Hobart City Council

The following candidate responses have been received:

Coming

Glenorchy City Council

Responses received:

Coming

Clarence City Council

The following candidate responses have been received:

Coming

Kingborough Council

The following responses have been received so far:

Coming

Devonport City Council

Coming

Burnie City Council

Responses received:

Coming

Launceston City Council

The following responses have been received

Coming

Our election priorities

1. BUILD PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO RIDE

Main street makeovers – Make Sydney Road a best practice example of main street recovery and show the way for future transformations.
Strategic Cycling Corridors – Accelerate the roll out of Strategic Cycling Corridors with prioritised planning, design and delivery program.
Metropolitan Trails – A Metropolitan Trails Network program to deliver on the potential of Melbourne future network of recreational trails
Low speed local neighbourhoods – Introduce a state-wide program whereby communities can apply for funding packages for liveable neighbourhood.
Regional trails and tourism – In this term, complete the Daylesford to Macedon, and Yarra Ranges trails. And proceed with the 12 Apostles Trail.
Health circuits in Rural Victoria – Introduce a health circuits program to boost physical activity in rural and peri-urban areas.

MIND. BODY. PEDAL Fitzroy High School 2017

2. NORMALISING BIKE RIDING

Support Ride2School – Fund Bicycle Network’s flagship behaviour change program Ride2School over the next four years.
Station access and bike parking – Every station needs a local bike network and secure bike parking (Parkiteer cages).
End of trip facilities review – Review planning provisions for end of trip facilities.

3. SUPPORT AND PROTECT PEOPLE WHO RIDE

Introduce policies that make it easier and safer to ride –Introduce minimum passing distance law and allow footpath riding in Victoria.

4. STRATEGIC DIRECTION

Active Transport Victoria (ATV) – Renew, refresh and empower ATV to obtain greater contribution from across government towards active transport.
Boost Safe System Investment for bike riders – TAC and VicRoads launch a separate Safe System program to address bike safety.
Standards and guidance review – Produce new Victorian Guidelines for bike infrastructure that meet contemporary international standards

Bike policy should not be hard or complicated.

Governments of all political ideologies can make real change for people who ride.

Download our full policy paper

Key DATES

Saturday 5 September – election notice published

Monday 7 September – candidate nominations open

Tuesday 22 September – candidates announced

Monday 5 October – polling period starts

Wednesday 14 October – National Ride2Work Day

Tuesday 27 October – polling period closes

Page authorised by Alison Hetherington, 210 Collins Street, Hobart TAS 7000