WA has bucked the eastern state’s trend of putting bus growth on hold by placing public transport high on the 2011 budget spend
May 20, 2011
The Western Australian Government will fund the biggest ever increase in bus service kilometres in more than a decade.
Transport Minister Troy Buswell says the WA Government’s strategy would meet the current and future transport needs of Perth and regional centres.
“This Government’s transport strategy is designed to get WA moving and provides a balanced transport plan which caters for people who travel by car as well as those who use public transport,” Buswell says.
“We cannot look at public transport or road improvement issues in isolation while working to give West Australians the transport network they deserve.
“The State Government is investing in new buses and trains as well as improving the road network across WA and addressing the projects ignored by the previous Labor government.”
Buswell says the WA coalition government acted responsibly at a critical time by planning for the next generation of transport in Perth.
“This Government is solving immediate problems as well as looking ahead for the next 20 years.”
Key public transport initiatives include $134million to fund an increase in bus service kilometres by 3.3 million in 2011-12, and by 2015-16 onward bus service kilometres will have increased by 15.2 million per annum.
There will be $40million allocated for an extra 78 buses to the existing fleet, on top of the existing bus replacement order.
Major infrastructure projects include the completion of a new underground bus station in 2015-16 at an estimated cost of $249million.
A substantial upgrade to Mirrabooka Bus Station is due for completion in 2010-11 at cost of $5.5million.
Buswell says the acquisition of bus depot facilities in Bunbury, Busselton and Dunsborough – which has become a ‘hot topic’ with WA operators in recent months – will enable improved operation of regional town bus services.