New long distance prison transport vans trialled

It comes after repeated calls from the state's police union for new vehicles to take prisoners between courts across the state.

The union had pushed for safer pods to be fitted on the departments three divisional vans since 2017, after a prisoner died in a "substandard" Justice Department vehicle.

Wynyard man Troy Colin Monson died on June 22, 2015, as he was being transferred from the Launceston Reception Centre to Risdon Prison.

The 42-year-old's death was followed by two more in the Hobart prison in the space of a month.

The deaths prompted a coronial inquest, and as part of the overall findings the Tasmanian Prison System was urged to upgrade its vehicles.

"From the correctional systems' point of view, the death of Mr Monson is without question the most troubling," Coroner Simon Cooper said.

"But for the multiple systems failures on the part of the TPS, Mr Monson's death was eminently avoidable."

He recommended that "an appropriate vehicle be purchased by the TPS to allow for special escorts to be carried out safely".

While the Justice Department changed its vehicles, police union president Colin Riley said officers continued to transport prisoners in vans not fit for long distances, and urged the police department to learn from the tragedy.

The department listened, and a potential new van has now been trialled in Burnie, Devonport and Queenstown, and is expected to be trialled in the Northern District. Mr Riley said it was welcome news.

"We welcome the completion of a successful trial, and then the resolution with the placement of three fit-for-purpose vehicles for long distance transport in the three regions," he said.

"It has been a long journey from 2017 and we look forward to having these vehicles hopefully in the three locations by July 1 this year.

"It has been just one of a number of strategies that we've been pursuing to improve the health and safety of our members in the workplace and also that of the public."

Tasmania Police Assistant Commissioner Adrian Bodnar said "at the conclusion of the trial, evaluation reports will be reviewed and recommendations considered".