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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 5 (Hansard) 16 May) . . Page.. 1378 ..

MR MOORE (continuing):

Thank you for your representations of 2 April ... on behalf of a constituent concerning overcrowding on school bus route 43.

I was concerned to read that students are being left without transport, and I consequently had the matter investigated.

This is his 100 per cent school service. The letter goes on:

After surveying the run and checking patronage figures, ACTION has found that the service is consistently slightly overcrowded. ACTION is consequently investigating options for carrying some students on an alternative existing service.

That is, as I had pointed out to Mr De Domenico, instead of leaving this student standing on the footpath, in Mr De Domenico's 100 per cent service, while the bus driver drives by. The letter goes on:

As it will take some time for the options to be fully assessed, ACTION advised me that unfortunately no changes can be expected until term three at the earliest.

Mr Speaker, my question to Mr De Domenico is: Do you still wish to suggest to the Assembly that you have a 100 per cent service on your school services? I seek leave of the Assembly to table the letter.

Leave granted.

MR DE DOMENICO: I thank Mr Moore for his question. As I said, and as I repeat, I am advised by ACTION that school services are always given priority and ACTION operates 100 per cent of school services. Mr Moore would realise that some of those services may be slightly overcrowded from time to time. I suggest, Mr Moore, that that might be a good thing because it means that a lot more people are catching our buses. According to my advice, ACTION suggests that priority is given to school services and that ACTION operates 100 per cent of school services. Should that not be true, I will make sure that ACTION does not advise me in such a way in the future.

MR MOORE: I ask a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. My supplementary question is: Do you consider it a 100 per cent service when I have given you a specific example of a student who waited to travel from Dickson to Campbell High but the school bus simply drove by because it was overcrowded?

MR DE DOMENICO: Mr Speaker, sometimes, for safety reasons, it may be appropriate that a bus not stop and collect somebody. I will check it out again, Mr Moore, but 100 per cent school services is the advice I get from ACTION, and I have no reason to disbelieve the advice I have been given.

Mrs Carnell: I ask that all further questions be placed on the notice paper.

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