2024-12-05
The Greens will move a motion in parliament calling for the ACT Government to commit to and lay out a plan for a genuinely turn-up-and-go bus network.
“The Greens know that for both a liveable city and for our climate, we need a great quality, affordable and frequent public transport system,” said Andrew Braddock MLA, ACT Greens spokesperson for transport.
“That’s why the Greens went to the election with a plan to make all weekday buses at least every 20 minutes, and all weekend buses at least every 30 minutes by 2026.
“We were delighted to see a broad agreement across parties about the need for more frequent buses, with Labor and the Liberals also making commitments to improve bus frequency. The ACT Greens’ commitments remain the most ambitious, to deliver a bus service so frequent that you can turn up and go.
“Now, after the election, the new Labor Government must take genuine action.
“Right now, if you turn up at a bus stop, on a weekday you could be waiting up to an hour, and on weekends it could be up to two hours. With waits like this, is it any wonder many Canberrans feel public transport isn’t a genuine option for getting around the city?
“When public transport isn’t a good enough option, people are locked into the expense of owning a car, creating a more congested and less liveable city for everyone.”
Mr Braddock says the Greens will hold the government to account to ensure improvements are actually delivered.
“As well as calling on the government to commit to increased frequency, I’m also setting down accountability measures to ensure it gets done,” said Mr Braddock.
“If the motion passes, the government will have to report back to the Assembly next year to outline the specifics of their plan, and provide further updates every 6 months.
“MyWay+ has shaken the confidence of many people in Labor’s ability to deliver public transport improvements, so we want to help them stay on track with increasing bus frequency.
“On transport and every other issue, the Greens are determined to use this term on the crossbench to hold the government to account and deliver real improvements to the way people experience life in Canberra.”