Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 9 Hansard (7 September) . . Page.. 2959 ..

MR SMYTH (continuing):

other jurisdictions. A modest fee regime will cover the cost of safety and procedure audits required to monitor these standards. These fees will be reasonable.

The proposed contents of the standards and regulations were made available to the public as a discussion paper. Primarily aimed at the safe operation of buses on the roads, they also include such matters as requiring operators to take reasonable steps to ensure that drivers comply with driving hour restrictions and to make available timetables and brochures setting out the terms of their service.

The standards also require, as a minimum, that the operators maintain a telephone service between the hours of 9 am and 5 pm on weekdays in order to answer any customer complaints, timetable inquires and lost property inquiries.

Regulation will deal with matters that ensure passenger safety and revenue protection for the operators. For example, it will be an offence for a person to engage in offensive or threatening behaviour on a bus or to participate in fare evasion.

Mr Speaker, under the provisions of the bill, it will be at the discretion of the Road Transport Authority to audit operators at any time to determine compliance with the accreditation requirements and to maintain a service quality and public safety. If the operator does not comply with accreditation standards, the authority has the power to suspend, cancel or vary the accreditation.

The bill allows the government to enter into contracts to provide regular public passenger bus services in the ACT. These contracts will be for route services that pick up and set down passengers in the ACT, services such as those currently provided by ACTION and Deane's Bus Lines. Services such as charter and tourist services will not be required to sign a contract with the government but will still be subject to accreditation standards and the regulations. Bus operators on ACT government contracts will be required to meet minimum service levels. The issued contracts will also cover matters such as service characteristics, processes and vehicles the operators would employ, the timeliness of the services, special fares and insurance requirements. The contract will allow these matters to be balanced in the interests of the consumer.

Public transport bus services provided by ACTION within the ACT were declared a regulated industry under the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Commission Act 1997. The proposed regulation maintains the power of the minister to determine fares within the price direction provided by the Independent Competition and Regulatory Commissioner. Fare concessions will, of course, continue to be provided for eligible persons.

The Road Transport (Public Passenger Services) Bill contains the most significant changes to passenger transport services for many years and provides the framework for safer and more reliable passenger services and a more efficient public transport industry.

Debate (on motion by Mr Hargreaves ) adjourned.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .