❓ The Minister for Transport provides an update on changes to public transport due to COVID-19, including sanitation, reduced services, and support for regional aviation and the taxi/ridesharing industry. The Minister also thanks frontline workers.
AnsweredQoN 224Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS —
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
224. Mr S.A. MILLMAN to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the government's
response to the impact of COVID-19 on transport services across the state. Can
the minister update the house on what
changes have been made to public transport in response to COVID-19 and advise the house what measures have been taken to support and provide relief to
businesses who provide other transport services during this difficult time?
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
224. Mr S.A. MILLMAN to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the government's
response to the impact of COVID-19 on transport services across the state. Can
the minister update the house on what
changes have been made to public transport in response to COVID-19 and advise the house what measures have been taken to support and provide relief to
businesses who provide other transport services during this difficult time?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Mount Lawley
for the question. First, I thank all the frontline workers and the workers
across my portfolio for the job that they are doing in the community, such as
playing a supporting role at the checkpoints across Western Australia. I thank
the bus and train drivers and the transit guards supporting our public transport
system. I thank the bus drivers involved in the transfer of cruise ship and
other overseas passengers from the airport and Fremantle to their hotels. I thank
those in our licensing centres who continue to serve the community and, of
course, all those driving taxis and ridesharing vehicles. I thank everyone
across my portfolio for their support in a very, very difficult time. Across
our portfolio, we have we have been assisting and also reacting to the COVID-19
pandemic.
The Public Transport Authority acted
early to implement an enhanced sanitation regime across the fleet of buses,
ferries, trains, road coaches as well as stations. Transperth trains
transitioned from getting a basic clean each night to a full-day sanitation, including having all touchpoints wiped down
with sanitising agent. Transwa railway and bus services have all
received an enhanced cleaning regime. We have also worked quickly to assist to
protect drivers across the system. The installation of sneeze guards, designed
initially to protect drivers from spitting, has been rolled out across the fleet. Cash boxes have been installed on all
Transperth buses to allow passengers to deposit c ash fares with a ''no
change given'' policy applying. We are protecting bus drivers by not
having anyone allowed to sit in the front seat.
With people working from home and
other issues associated with COVID-19, we have seen a dramatic fall in
patronage across our system. Similar to the situation in other states, we are
experiencing between an 80 and 85 per cent fall in our numbers across the
metropolitan Transperth network. As a result, we have decided to reduce the
frequency of our buses and trains from this weekend to 27 April. It is a balance
of ensuring that all workers can get to their destination and minimising the
number of empty buses and trains on our network. The new timetable will start
this weekend and continue until the end of the school holiday period. We will
continue to monitor and seek feedback on the longer term. We are ensuring that
all suburbs continue to have a minimum level of service and that social
distancing on public transport is maintained.
In respect of regional aviation,
members would be aware that the state government acted early to ensure that Regional Express operations can continue at a reduced
service. That occurred last Friday. We are also in negotiations with
other airlines to make sure that as a result of many of the changes that are
underway, we can continue a minimum level of service to ensure that essential
workers can get to their town across the upcoming period. I thank the airports
that have already acted to reduce and eliminate landing fees across WA. I thank
in particular the owners of Albany, Esperance and Monkey Mia airports for
waiving those landing fees, and yesterday we received confirmation from
Carnarvon that it, too, will waive its landing fees.
Yesterday, we announced a package
of assistance for the ridesharing and taxi industry. Again, this is aimed at
helping sustain this industry over a very, very difficult time. I once again
put on record a thankyou to everyone in the community who is helping Western Australia
get through this crisis. It amazes me to see the people in the shops cleaning
the shelves because they want to serve the community. To everyone out there
working hard for Western Australia, thank you very much.
for the question. First, I thank all the frontline workers and the workers
across my portfolio for the job that they are doing in the community, such as
playing a supporting role at the checkpoints across Western Australia. I thank
the bus and train drivers and the transit guards supporting our public transport
system. I thank the bus drivers involved in the transfer of cruise ship and
other overseas passengers from the airport and Fremantle to their hotels. I thank
those in our licensing centres who continue to serve the community and, of
course, all those driving taxis and ridesharing vehicles. I thank everyone
across my portfolio for their support in a very, very difficult time. Across
our portfolio, we have we have been assisting and also reacting to the COVID-19
pandemic.
The Public Transport Authority acted
early to implement an enhanced sanitation regime across the fleet of buses,
ferries, trains, road coaches as well as stations. Transperth trains
transitioned from getting a basic clean each night to a full-day sanitation, including having all touchpoints wiped down
with sanitising agent. Transwa railway and bus services have all
received an enhanced cleaning regime. We have also worked quickly to assist to
protect drivers across the system. The installation of sneeze guards, designed
initially to protect drivers from spitting, has been rolled out across the fleet. Cash boxes have been installed on all
Transperth buses to allow passengers to deposit c ash fares with a ''no
change given'' policy applying. We are protecting bus drivers by not
having anyone allowed to sit in the front seat.
With people working from home and
other issues associated with COVID-19, we have seen a dramatic fall in
patronage across our system. Similar to the situation in other states, we are
experiencing between an 80 and 85 per cent fall in our numbers across the
metropolitan Transperth network. As a result, we have decided to reduce the
frequency of our buses and trains from this weekend to 27 April. It is a balance
of ensuring that all workers can get to their destination and minimising the
number of empty buses and trains on our network. The new timetable will start
this weekend and continue until the end of the school holiday period. We will
continue to monitor and seek feedback on the longer term. We are ensuring that
all suburbs continue to have a minimum level of service and that social
distancing on public transport is maintained.
In respect of regional aviation,
members would be aware that the state government acted early to ensure that Regional Express operations can continue at a reduced
service. That occurred last Friday. We are also in negotiations with
other airlines to make sure that as a result of many of the changes that are
underway, we can continue a minimum level of service to ensure that essential
workers can get to their town across the upcoming period. I thank the airports
that have already acted to reduce and eliminate landing fees across WA. I thank
in particular the owners of Albany, Esperance and Monkey Mia airports for
waiving those landing fees, and yesterday we received confirmation from
Carnarvon that it, too, will waive its landing fees.
Yesterday, we announced a package
of assistance for the ridesharing and taxi industry. Again, this is aimed at
helping sustain this industry over a very, very difficult time. I once again
put on record a thankyou to everyone in the community who is helping Western Australia
get through this crisis. It amazes me to see the people in the shops cleaning
the shelves because they want to serve the community. To everyone out there
working hard for Western Australia, thank you very much.
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