Page 2284 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 5 June 2013
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the moment—is inviting public consultation on that so that people might give us feedback on improvements they would like to see in the network so that it will make it more suitable for them.
Certainly in the community meetings that I have been to, people have expressed to me a number of areas where they would like to see improvements in the service that would make it more suitable for them, things like more frequent Xpresso services, more Xpresso services from areas where they do not currently exist. These are the sorts of improvements. Certainly the Calwell park and ride is an area where I have had significant positive community feedback about what a difference that is going to make. People see that as a real opportunity that would make it more possible for them to use the ACTION network.
So I think the question is looking at why people are not using the buses at the moment and seeking to address some of those concerns. I think also, to be honest, there is a reputational issue. I think that many Canberrans have in their mind a sense that the bus network does not work for them, because there are naysayers around who spend their time saying the bus service is no good. But if you actually talk to people—and I meet people who do not own a car—they say they get around town quite well. The service does work well for very many people. So I think there are a range of reasons behind the question you have asked.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Coe.
MR COE: Minister, why does ACTION continue to fail to increase patronage? Will network 13, like every network beforehand, promise to solve all of ACTION’s problems?
MR RATTENBURY: I believe the new network will address a range of issues. As I have just outlined in my previous answer, it is inviting community feedback. Feedback over the last couple of years has been taken into account. ACTION gets feedback all of the time. So there is a strong endeavour to have the new network address some of the concerns that people have. Will the network solve all the problems in ACTION or all the reasons why people do not catch the bus? No, I do not think so. There is not a silver bullet. It is about constant improvement. I think that the staff of ACTION are looking for areas of improvement, and the public are providing us with areas that they believe will provide improvement as well, and that will make the service more attractive to them.
MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Mr Wall.
MR WALL: Minister, what are the worst performing areas of ACTION?
MR RATTENBURY: I am not going to speculate. By what benchmark, Mr Wall? Are you talking in the opinion of the Liberal Party, in the opinion of certain parts of town? I do not think there is any benchmark for that and I am not going to provide an answer to the question.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Dr Bourke.
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