Answers to Questions

PUBLIC TRANSPORT PATRONAGE

148 Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (31 July 2007).

1. How will the target for total passenger patronage be met when the cost of fares has increased by 8 per cent in 2007-08 and 10 per cent in the 2006-07 budget?

2. How will lack of public transport passenger patronage meet with the Minister's Transport Plan and the State Strategic Plan targets?

3. What initiatives does the department intend to introduce to improve public transport patronage?

4. Will public transport services to hills and rural areas be increased in 2007-08?

The Hon. P.F. CONLON (Elder—Minister for Transport, Minister for Infrastructure, Minister for Energy): I provide the following information:

The Rann Labor Government will invest more than half a billion dollars in transport infrastructure over the next four years including a major commitment to revitalise the State's public transport system.

Our vision for public transport will deliver $115 million over the next four years to revitalise our rail network.

This massive project will involve concrete re-sleepering 64.5 kilometers of rail track on the Belair and Noarlunga lines to deliver faster and more comfortable services which in turn will allow greater frequency of services.

The Budget also provides $30 million in 2010-11 for the purchase of 36 new buses.

Further infrastructure initiatives, which will improve public transport patronage include:

OAKLANDS PARK

The $7 million transport interchange at Oaklands Park was announced as part of the State Infrastructure Plan. The project will result in the delivery of a modern, efficient interchange with facilities that are fully accessible for people with disabilities, the mobility impaired, and families with prams.

MAWSON TRANSPORT HUB

The Mawson Public Transport Interchange project was a State Government funded transport initiative completed in March 2006. It provides integrated bus and passenger train interconnection and services. It also provides a drop off area and car park with direct access for vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists from Elder Smith Road, Mawson Lakes Town Centre, the University of South Australia and Technology Park.

TRAMLINE EXTENSION PROJECT

Construction of the $31 million tramline extension from Victoria Square to the University of South Australia City West Campus as the first stage of the State Government's vision to integrate light rail services as an important part of Adelaide's public transport network.

PURCHASE OF NEW FLEXITY CLASS TRAMS AND GLENELG TRAM INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADE

The investment in the tramline extension project comes on top of the State Government's $83.9 million investment to supply eleven new trams and upgrade the light rail infrastructure.

The Government invests approximately $270 million annually in providing public transport within metropolitan Adelaide.

To over come public transport's decade of decline under the previous government, the Rann Labor Government has committed $10 million over the 2006-07 to 2009-2010 to boost public transport capacity around peak periods and to address the overcrowding on some services.

In addition to investment in new services, the government's ongoing commitment to the provision of an affordable and effective public transport system also involves the continual review and redesign of these services to ensure they meet the continually changing needs of the majority of the community. This enables the best use to be made of available buses and drivers to provide the commuters and taxpayers, who fund the public transport network, with the most cost effective and efficient service available for the dollars invested.

The effects of this dual approach of investment and review are well illustrated by the February changes to services in the Adelaide Hills. A review of these services highlighted several poorly patronised services and many overcrowded services in the Hills area. Many services were adjusted and the Government invested an additional $520,000 per annum recurrent to provide for more services and ensure the needs of the majority of the community continued to be met in this rapidly expanding region.

In the five months since the commencement of these changes patronage has grown 5.3 per cent as compared with the same time in June 2006.

In the five years since the Rann Labor Government came to office, public transport patronage has grown by 8.2 per cent or just under 5 million additional trips.