Newman Government to improve bus networks

Published Tuesday, 24 July, 2012 at 05:00 AM

Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Scott Emerson

The Newman Government will review south east Queensland’s bus network to improve service reliability, affordability and frequency.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson said the decision came after the latest data showed patronage had declined on 13 of south east Queensland’s 16 bus providers following Labor’s ongoing 15 per cent fare hikes.

“To attract people back to public transport we must improve services, so I’ve told TransLink to work with all operators and passengers for the next six months to start building a better network,” Mr Emerson said.

“The LNP will invest more than $30 million this year to improve the frequency of bus services and restore affordability, including free travel after nine journeys.

“We also need to improve the reliability of the network, particularly where there are buses that are so full they need to leave passengers behind yet other areas have buses carrying less than three passengers a trip.

“Those 10 worst performing routes cost more than $5 million a year with less than five per cent of the cost paid for through fares.

“In Brisbane there are roads with more than 25 different bus routes, yet all stop at different locations within the CBD.

“On the Gold Coast there are some bus routes that haven’t been reviewed since the 1990s.”

The network review will include:

·Eliminating service duplication

·Managing the infrastructure capacity (eg Cultural Centre busway station congestion)

·Getting more people on public transport by simplifying the network

·Getting better connectivity between services and modes

·Redirecting resources to routes where there is overcrowding

[ENDS] 24 July 2012

Media contact: Andrew Berkman 0429 128 637