Action for Public Transport (N.S.W.) Inc.

Allan Miles, Secretary of Action for Public Transport (APT), said that while the services are gradually being improved, they are still patchy and less than ideal.

“Amazing things could be done with more money”, Mr Miles said, “but the miserly and indifferent attitude of State Treasury towards public transport stifles improvements”.

Mr Miles said that, for example, a shortage of funds has impeded changes to the Region 6 Contract Area to be implemented in the inner south and west suburbs later this month.

"The bus operators have had to juggle services on a zero cost change basis,” he said. “To provide more buses to a growing area,” Mr Miles said, “operators have to reduce services in existing areas.”

“A government which puts priority on achieving a mode shift from cars to public transport must be willing to make the necessary funds available,” Mr Miles said.

“APT agrees with the Auditor's comments on the management of the bus contracts,” Mr Miles said. “The operators are allowed too much loose rein in their reporting of service levels, and the whip held by the Minister has never been used.”

Mr Miles said that if operators knew they were in danger of penalties or even loss of the contract for poor performance, they might stir themselves to better effort.

Mr Miles conceded that one area of inequity between government and private bus services will be removed in April when the MyZone tickets will be valid on all bus routes.

According to Mr Miles, another goal that would be welcomed by the public is the marketing of all bus services, indeed all public transport services, under a common name. “Most other cities in Australia and overseas have a catchy and well-known name for their transit services,” Mr Miles said. “In Sydney, a traveller wanting information on how to get from A to B, has to first find out the name of the bus company in that district.”

Contact:	Allan Miles	9516-1906
	Kevin Eadie	9819-6052
	Jim Donovan	0428-609-208