2022-12-15
We need a public transport system that is available when and where it is needed.
“A public transport network that more people use is one that helps with cost of living, congestion and climate. Canberrans want a public transport network that gets us where we need to go, when we need to get there. We need better investment and forward planning to do that.
“I’m really worried about people who rely on our off-peak services. Those who move around the suburb or from one town centre to another, those who visit friends or have medical appointments or take late-night shifts, they all rely on this network. We need to look after everyone. We particularly need to look after vulnerable Canberrans who need the bus to access daily life.
“We all understand that traffic will necessarily be disrupted during the construction of Light Rail Stage 2a. This affects journey times for buses as well as cars.
“I was pleased when the Transport Minister established a Disruption Taskforce to manage this. Canberrans were encouraged to use active transport, public transport and flexible travel planning. It’s a real opportunity to change the way we move around our city. This matters to our daily lives, because traffic jams and the cost of petrol are a real problem for many of us. It also matters for the climate. Our latest greenhouse gas inventory shows transport emissions are still around 63% of our tracked emissions. We need to do better.
“I’m glad the new 2023 timetable will maintain good reliability and servicing for peak routes. People will be able to commute to work and get to school. There’s plenty of room on those services and they’re a really convenient option.
“But I’m disappointed we haven’t recruited enough drivers to maintain off-peak services and give us hourly weekend travel at the start of 2023. In May this year, the Assembly passed my motion to recruit enough drivers so that we can return to the regular timetable in 2022 and provide hourly weekend services in 2023. We should have seen this in our new timetables.”