2026-02-04
Yesterday in the Assembly, Labor Transport Minister Chris Steel was grilled by ACT Greens MLAs over cuts to rapid bus services in West Belconnen and the continued bungled rollout of MyWay+.
"Canberrans are left with major gaps in their public transport system thanks to substandard management from this Labor Government," said Andrew Braddock, ACT Greens spokesperson for transport.
"Service cuts are being made with outdated data, limited - if any - consultation, and a lack of regard for the current and future impact on Canberrans.
"We know that there is newer data from the MyWay+ system that the Government could and should be using to determine service changes.
"I have been asking the Transport Minister where this data is for months, but so far they have only given me excuses for why it's not ready. It's been 15 months since MyWay+ launched. I am calling on the ACT Government to show us what data they have."
The Legislative Assembly will debate on Wednesday a Greens' motion ordering the Government to produce documents on patronage data.
"Service changes have a real impact on the every day lives of Canberrans. It is essential that the Government is open with the community about on what data it is basing these decisions on," said Mr Braddock.
This comes after Transport Minister Steel faced questions from Greens MLAs about the cutting off rapid services for the people living in West Belconnen. Minister Steel said that they will have to wait another two years before they can get their rapid buses back.
"Labor is taking the people of West Belconnen for granted by cutting off public transport routes they've planned their lives around. This is not how you encourage more people to use public transport," said Jo Clay MLA, ACT Greens Member for Ginninderra.
"Canberrans need and deserve a public transport system they can rely on. There is nothing reliable about cutting all rapid services for 1 in 10 Canberrans.
"Before the election, Labor promised to increase rapid bus services to West Belconnen. Now they have cut off the only two existing ones. This is simply not good enough.
"The government failed to plan ahead for known closures to the Commonwealth Bridge and they're making every day Canberrans pay the price.
"The ACT Greens are backing the more than 1000 Canberrans calling for the R2 and R3 to be restored beyond Belconnen town centre to Spence and Fraser," said Ms Clay.