❓ Mr Alban asks about the rollout of easy access buses in his electorate and Perth. The Minister details the history of bus procurement, highlighting a shift from CNG to diesel buses to address infrastructure limitations and ensure equitable distribution.
AnsweredQoN 452Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
EASY
ACCESS BUSES
452. Mr F.A. ALBAN to the
Minister for Transport:
I thank the minister for visiting my electorate last week to
discuss various issues, including improvements to Toodyay Road as well as
safety on Great Northern Highway. During his visit the increased availability
of easy access buses was also discussed. Can the minister update the house on
the rollout of these buses in my electorate and across Perth?
ACCESS BUSES
452. Mr F.A. ALBAN to the
Minister for Transport:
I thank the minister for visiting my electorate last week to
discuss various issues, including improvements to Toodyay Road as well as
safety on Great Northern Highway. During his visit the increased availability
of easy access buses was also discussed. Can the minister update the house on
the rollout of these buses in my electorate and across Perth?
AnswerView source ↗
There is significant history to this issue and I will attempt to summarise briefly.
The SPEAKER :
Before you start—very brief summary, minister.
Mr D.C. NALDER : I
will be brief if members do not interject.
In 1998, the coalition government developed a contract for
easy access diesel fuel buses. In 2002, contrary to advice from the department
of transport, the then Labor government switched to compressed natural gas
buses. That required a huge amount of infrastructure spread across the region
to ensure that these buses could be gas-powered. Unfortunately, the
infrastructure in the eastern suburbs could not support the gas pressure
required to fuel those buses, so for a number of years the eastern suburbs were
neglected in the delivery of new buses. In 2009 when the coalition government
came in, it made sure that the remainder of the buses would use diesel fuel so
that we could start to supply those suburbs that were left with old stock. We
went on to sign a 10-year 650-bus supply contract in 2009–10, which we
then increased by a further 158 buses in 2011–12. We will now start to
see a lot of new diesel easy access buses out there, which I think is a fantastic
result. I am also pleased to report that there has been a great deal of
catch-up right across the metropolitan area. In the coming financial year,
approximately another $80 million will be spent on the supply of a further 123 buses
and in our forward estimates a further $300 million will be spent on the
replacement and growth of the Transperth and regional towns' bus
service fleets.
The SPEAKER :
Before you start—very brief summary, minister.
Mr D.C. NALDER : I
will be brief if members do not interject.
In 1998, the coalition government developed a contract for
easy access diesel fuel buses. In 2002, contrary to advice from the department
of transport, the then Labor government switched to compressed natural gas
buses. That required a huge amount of infrastructure spread across the region
to ensure that these buses could be gas-powered. Unfortunately, the
infrastructure in the eastern suburbs could not support the gas pressure
required to fuel those buses, so for a number of years the eastern suburbs were
neglected in the delivery of new buses. In 2009 when the coalition government
came in, it made sure that the remainder of the buses would use diesel fuel so
that we could start to supply those suburbs that were left with old stock. We
went on to sign a 10-year 650-bus supply contract in 2009–10, which we
then increased by a further 158 buses in 2011–12. We will now start to
see a lot of new diesel easy access buses out there, which I think is a fantastic
result. I am also pleased to report that there has been a great deal of
catch-up right across the metropolitan area. In the coming financial year,
approximately another $80 million will be spent on the supply of a further 123 buses
and in our forward estimates a further $300 million will be spent on the
replacement and growth of the Transperth and regional towns' bus
service fleets.
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