Public Transport

Mr WINGARD (Mitchell) (14:57): My question is to the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure. Will the minister confirm that there will be no cuts to bus services from the beginning of the 2015 school year?

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) (14:57): We have for some period under the current bus contracts moved services throughout metropolitan Adelaide. We have introduced new services, particularly in the growing areas of Adelaide. In some cases they have been taken up enthusiastically by patrons, and in some cases they haven't been taken up very much at all. I am sure all members would be alarmed to know that there are many hundreds of bus services which are running during the day, at night and over the weekend where there are no, or one or two, passengers on board.

Over the period of the contracts we have repeatedly and consistently moved bus services from areas of low demand to high demand. If those decisions are taken in the future, that may well impact on the area that the member raises, but I can't comment on that at this stage.