Page 4233 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 23 October 2019
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After thousands of weekend service failures, we have a shocking interim timetable, mocked up by the minister for weekend services, with two-hour gaps between suburban bus services. Two hours between buses is supposedly a state-of-the-art, seven-day network. Thanks to a $400,000 campaign blitz from the ACT Labor-Greens government, Canberrans have been told over the past six months that their city is now better connected. Perhaps that $400,000 would have been better spent hiring drivers willing to work weekends instead of selling Canberrans a lemon of a revised bus network.
If we look over the border to our colleagues in New South Wales we can see the success of a demand-responsive public transport network in action. Just last Wednesday the fantastic Berejiklian Liberal government announced that due to high demand on the T5 Cumberland line an extra morning peak service is to be added. Forgive me for stating the obvious but, generally when there is higher demand for a service or route you want to put more services on that route, not take them away. It appears, however, that this is something neither the current nor previous transport minister understands.
The transport minister’s action plan includes stand-by drivers on weekends and rostering improvements and, yet again, another recruitment list to try to get drivers volunteering for these shifts. But the core issue remains: the weekend network will still rely on drivers volunteering for weekend shifts with no penalties paid. Minister Steel’s so-called action plan has very little action in it, not to the surprise of many Canberrans. I, like many other Canberrans, remember his response in this chamber when asked when he would fix weekend bus service, that is, “Whenever I get around to it.”
The Canberra Liberals value public transport. We understand that public transport plays two very important roles: getting commuters to work and school quickly and safely while reducing congestion on our roads; and providing an easy, reliable and accessible way for people to get around our city, particularly our most vulnerable Canberrans who would otherwise be isolated.
The Canberra Liberals accept and acknowledge that public transport will not be for everyone. For many reasons public transport will not always work for every Canberran. But we do not believe in penalising those who must continue to use their cars. The Canberra Liberals want a public transport network that is easy to use, reliable and safe, a public transport network that gets you where you need to go, when you need to be there. We want a public transport network that works for Canberrans, a public transport network that is your first choice rather than your last option.
There is a real need and demand for dedicated school bus services in the ACT. Thousands of parents have contacted our offices and signed petitions calling for the reinstatement of dedicated school bus routes. It is not a novelty or a privilege to expect your government to adequately provide reliable and safe transport options for young kids in our city. That is why I was proud last week to announce that a Canberra Liberals government will bring back dedicated school buses developed for schools and students in consultation with schools and students and families. Restoring
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