House of Assembly Fifty-Third Parliament, First Session (53-1) 53 1 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Footy Express Footy Express Mr PICTON House of Assembly Kaurna Footy Express Mr PICTON (Kaurna) (14:52): My question is to the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure. Can the minister inform the house about the use of Footy Express services for AFL matches played at the new Adelaide Oval, including those matches played by the mighty Adelaide Crows? Mr Pederick interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The member for Hammond is warned for the second time. The Minister for Transport. The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN House of Assembly Lee Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Minister Assisting the Minister for Planning Minister Assisting the Minister for Housing and Urban Development The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN (Lee—Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Minister Assisting the Minister for Planning, Minister Assisting the Minister for Housing and Urban Development) (14:52): I am not sure I have an answer to the latter part of that question, but I do thank him for his interest in public transport, particularly for football games at Adelaide Oval. To coincide with the opening of the new Adelaide Oval to host AFL matches, the state government has introduced free train, tram and bus transport for ticketholders to AFL games. These are the Footy Express services which run in addition to regular scheduled services. The response from fans so far has been terrific. For the first game—a Showdown between Port Adelaide and the Adelaide Crows—more than 30,000 people took public transport. An honourable member House of Assembly An honourable member: Great result. The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN House of Assembly The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: It was a great result. In the first six matches, more than 53 per cent of those attending football at Adelaide Oval have travelled on Footy Express services. This compares to just 20 per cent who used public transport to travel to AAMI Stadium last year. It is encouraging to see that so many football fans have taken advantage of public transport going to and from matches. We are working hard to reach our target of 70 per cent of patrons travelling by public transport; however, as was outlined in our report on public transport strategies tabled in this place in October 2012, this was always going to be difficult to achieve in the first year. A lot of work has gone into ensuring we move people to and from Adelaide Oval as efficiently as possible. The public transport plan for Adelaide Oval was released to the public on 28 February 2014. The development of this public transport plan involved detailed and ongoing discussion with representatives of the SANFL, the AFL, the SACA, the Adelaide City Council and the Stadium Management Authority. Specific details regarding travel demand were gathered from previous experience with Footy Express services to AAMI Stadium, postcode information of existing members and season ticket holders, as well as feedback from a targeted survey of football patrons at AAMI Stadium during the latter part of the 2013 season. Since the first match at Adelaide Oval we have been monitoring and analysing patrons' travel patterns, attendance data, and service and staffing levels. We have made some modifications and improvements, including modifying bus services across the network to more accurately cater for patrons' travel patterns, installing additional direction signage at various key points to improve the flow of pedestrians as well as providing for clearer directions for patrons, and provided additional spaces for O-Bahn services at King William Road as these services are the highest patronised. We will continue to monitor traffic management and implement any changes necessary to improve traffic flows both for bus services and for general traffic. As the season progresses we will also continue to monitor the flow of fans through the Adelaide Railway Station and where necessary we will continue to make improvements to ensure the efficient flow of patrons. With the new Riverbank bridge and its connections to the Adelaide Railway Station, the tramline and a range of bus routes, catching public transport to the footy has never been easier.