PUBLIC TRANSPORT

In reply to the Hon. K.L. VINCENT (20 September 2012).

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation): The Minister for Transport Services has received this advice:

1. Following the incident, the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI) investigated the matter with Torrens Transit, the operator of the B10 service.

Torrens Transit advises that the bus in question was a Mercedes Benz 2 diesel vehicle built in July 2002 and purchased interstate by Torrens Transit. The bus is a low-floor accessible vehicle with a manually operated wheelchair ramp at the entrance, which can accommodate up to two wheelchairs.

All buses in service are required to hold a current inspection certificate indicating the vehicle has met safety standards and is subject to ongoing service and maintenance requirements. All buses in service are also subject to mandatory safety inspections.

While the Torrens Transit workshop was unable to identify a problem with the accelerator or the brakes on this particular bus, they did consider that the driver may have had the 'retarder' switched on which may have been why the braking felt harsh. The retarder should only be used when descending hills and the driver has been counselled regarding its use.

It also is acknowledged that driving techniques and ability differ between drivers. However, no driver would deliberately drive in a dangerous and unsafe manner with the intention of causing injury. All bus drivers are regularly reminded of their responsibility in relation to observing the road rules and driving in a courteous manner, including when arriving and departing bus stops. While drivers must endeavour to remain on schedule wherever possible, I must stress that the safety and comfort of customers overrides all else.

All reports of unsafe driving practices are taken very seriously and any claims against drivers are investigated and appropriate action taken should it be found that a driver displayed unsafe or inappropriate driving practices.

2. I appreciate your concern regarding passenger safety and advise that it is a very important consideration in the provision of public transport services, and bus travel in Australia has a very good safety record when compared with many other forms of transport.

DPTI has only purchased accessible buses since 1995, with bus operators introducing some of their own buses over the past 10 years. These buses have all passed the regulatory inspection by DPTI's vehicle standards unit.

The average age of the bus fleet has fallen to approximately nine years. With the Labor Government's commitment to replacing older buses with brand new fully accessible buses, it is expected that the entire fleet will be fully accessible by 2020.

3. A significant investment in the bus fleet has been undertaken in recent years for both new and replacement buses which has seen the level of accessibility rise significantly from 31 per cent ten years ago to over 80 per cent. It is expected that the entire fleet will be fully accessible by 2020, two years ahead of the schedule required under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA), which requires 100 per cent accessibility by 31 December, 2022.

Further, all tram and train services across the Adelaide Metro network are accessible.

4. As part of major works to deliver Adelaide's first electric rail services, significant rail closures, including closure of the Adelaide Railway Station was required in January 2013, taking advantage of the quietest time of the year to minimise disruption to commuters and avoid the need for repeated disruption.

As with previous closures, tailored substitute bus services were provided and matched, as closely as practical, the train timetables they replaced. Substitute bus timetables are available on the Adelaide Metro website (www.adelaidemetro.com.au). Due to the number of the rail substitute bus services required, these buses were not all wheelchair accessible.

However, the substitute buses used on the Belair and Outer Harbor lines operated by Torrens Transit are wheelchair accessible.

For travel on the Gawler and Noarlunga lines (including Tonsley), it is recommended that customers requiring an accessible bus service forgo rail substitute services, and utilise the regular Adelaide Metro bus service wherever possible.

Where it is not possible to use the Adelaide Metro bus service, customers are encouraged to contact the rail substitute bus provider to request that an accessible bus be provided for their rail substitute service. It is preferable that the substitute bus operator be notified one day prior to travel. If an accessible bus cannot be provided upon request, an Access Taxi was provided at no cost to the customer.