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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 5 Hansard (9 May) . . Page.. 1424 ..

MR CORBELL: No, I will not, because they are not terms of reference. They are administrative detail related to the conduct of the tender. They are not relevant to the terms of reference. The Assembly requested that I provide the terms of reference, and that is what I have done.

Bus services

MS GALLAGHER: My question is to the Minister for Planning, Mr Corbell. Can the minister outline the enhancements to the ACTION bus network due to commence on Monday, 13 May?

MR CORBELL: Thank you, Ms Gallagher, for the question. Yes, I am very happy to provide members with some information about changes to the ACTION bus network. There are a range of planned changes.

Most significantly, Mr Speaker, there are a range of proposed changes which will greatly assist Gungahlin residents. There will be, overall, a 15 per cent increase in Gungahlin services. That means an extra 205 services every week to residents of Gungahlin. I think that, on its own, is a very clear indicator of this government's commitment to providing additional public transport to that very important, growing area of the city.

As well, Mr Speaker, we are focusing on ensuring that there are more frequent services. Some trips will be shorter due to a decision to use the newly opened Flemington Road extension. Buses will be able to use that road directly to get to Northbourne Avenue and then to Civic and places beyond, rather than using the other existing arterial road links.

For Amaroo and Palmerston residents, routes will also be more direct. This clearly provides further savings in travel time. Travel time has to be one of the key determinants in encouraging people onto public transport.

For employees at Russell and Campbell Park, a variety of measures will be introduced to improve the level of service. There will be three new return services for lunchtime travellers between Campbell Park and Civic. If members aren't aware, Campbell Park is a very large defence establishment and is quite isolated and, without a car, it is pretty difficult to get anywhere else during the day. We have made a commitment to provide lunchtime services for that facility to and from Civic-again, another incentive to use public transport for those short journeys.

There will also be a new service in the morning and one in the evening for commuters travelling directly between Belconnen interchange and Campbell Park, without having to go through the city interchange. These enhancements are the result of ACTION's very close consultation with Campbell Park workers.

I can also inform members, Mr Speaker, that the next round of timetabling adjustments will incorporate some increased services for south Canberra residents. That will happen at a later time.

MS GALLAGHER: Can the minister advise the Assembly what mechanisms ACTION has implemented to communicate the new and changed services?

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