Page 899 - Week 03 - Thursday, 10 March 2005
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Patronage continues to grow. In 2003–04 adult patronage increased by an additional two per cent, an area that ACTION has deliberately targeted throughout the year, carrying an additional 264,000 of these passengers compared to the base year of 2001–02 when the government first came to office. Based on the relationship of the 2001-02 modal split and adult peak period passengers, ACTION has progressed to a modal split of 7.36 per cent of all journeys at the end of 2003–04. This is a very positive sign. It shows that the huge increase in patronage that occurred in 2003 is being maintained and is increasing at a steady pace. I can confidently say that ACTION is now well on track to achieve the nine per cent modal split in adult journeys to work by 2011 set as a target by the government in the sustainable transport plan.
ACTION is also improving services for non-work-based trips. In January this year, ACTION introduced a trial “on demand and flexible” transport evening service in the Weston Creek area. Patronage on this service has increased by approximately 50 per cent, highlighting the demand for area services in Canberra. One of the many advantages for ACTION customers is the added safety of being dropped off closer to their homes. After 7.30 pm, people travelling by bus in the suburbs of Weston Creek call the ACTION customer service centre and a bus is sent out to their nearest bus stop. This really is demand-responsive transport.
From Woden interchange customers inform the driver of their destination and the driver plans the optimum route to get everyone close to their homes. For travel departing from any point other than Woden interchange, customers book their pick-up at the closest bus stop by phoning ACTION’s customer service centre. ACTION takes the customer’s location details, forwards them to the bus driver and the passenger then arrives at the arranged bus stop to be picked up at the arranged time. We have received very positive feedback from customers using this service. This is another example of the Labor government and ACTION’s commitment to improve bus services and travel flexibility.
Lastly, I would like to mention as part of our ongoing commitment to public transport a trial using SMS as an information tool for ACTION customers. This will shortly be introduced. SMS will provide ACTION bus timetable information to customers. Before leaving home to catch a bus, while sitting at work or out shopping, ACTION customers will be able send a text message to find out when their bus is scheduled to arrive and what bus number they need to catch. The trial is proposed at no cost to the government apart from some promotional advertising.
SMS is also a medium that will assist people with a disability. ACTION has received support from the ACT Deafness Resource Centre, saying that for 83,600 deaf and hard-of-hearing people in the ACT and surrounding districts this will be a major breakthrough in providing even more access to ACTION’s timetable. They fully support ACTION’s initiative—another example of the government’s strategy to increase patronage and provide ACTION customers with better services.
I would like now to turn to the provision of real-time information systems for public transport. Linked with the busways and system improvement outlined already is the introduction of a real-time information system. Real-time information is identified within the sustainable transport plan as an important initiative that can improve the effectiveness of the public transport system as well as the perception by patrons of the
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