Page 2849 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 11 October 2022
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MR STEEL: I thank Mr Braddock for his question in relation to updates to the network and timetable for term 1, 2023. Each year the ACT government, Transport Canberra, consults with the community, particularly school communities, around changes that are required to school bus services, dedicated services and also the route bus network, to take into account a range of different things, including changes to bell times. As we update the network and timetable, which usually takes place on an annual basis, we try and take into account that feedback. A number of changes will be made from term 1 next year, including those school service refinements based on community feedback, as Mr Braddock has noted, including adjustments to Gungahlin routes to service schools and providing better access to Amaroo shops. We will be announcing the timetable and the updates to the network before the end of term 4; very clearly communicating to the broader community and also those school communities that are affected, what those exact changes are. I am looking forward to making that announcement later on this term, and I believe term 4 started this week.
MR BRADDOCK: Thank you, Minister. What would be the benefits of the new services or the new timetable?
MR STEEL: There are a range of different changes that have been made responding to community feedback. In particular, a number of bus termini will be downgraded as per our community commitments at Fraser West and also in Denman Prospect. That means there will be less buses idling in the lay-over at those locations, while we still maintain a good level of frequency for people to access the bus services in those areas, including through loop routes. As I mentioned, we are providing adjustment to Gungahlin routes to service schools and better provide access to Amaroo shops as a major point of interest in Gungahlin. We are also providing access to Lawson. It was serviced by other existing bus routes but will now go into the suburb of Lawson utilising a new roundabout that has been established on Stockman Avenue for buses to get in and out of that suburb from term 1 next year.
These changes will be accompanied by adjustments to the timetable that account for the time delays we expect through the network as a result of construction work on major infrastructure projects. Those accommodations will be made in the timetable and they will be fully utilising the full number of buses we have in the Transport Canberra fleet and the full number of staff, including extra staff we have onboarded as a result of recruitment processes to make sure we can deliver a full timetable for Canberrans. It will be a different network and timetable than people have experienced before, but it will be one that reflects the situation and environment that we are in next year and responds to that good community feedback that we get.
MS CLAY: Minister what feedback did Transport Canberra get specifically that led to these changes.
MR STEEL: We have had feedback that there were some improvements to school services, minor re-routing and timing changes that would benefit all the schools in and around Amaroo and Amaroo shops. So we have made those changes and they will be fully outlined through map and timetable adjustment, which will be published before the end of term 4 so the school community can get their head around those before the new school year and the start of term 1.
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