Fresh calls for ‘unreliable’ free city bus service hours to be extended
Lobbyists want more free city connector buses on weekends and late into the evening as demand grows, with the council keen to investigate.
People for Public Transport chairperson Dominic Mugavin told Adelaide City Council last night, that the council needed to increase the frequency, weekend and late-night services of free city connector buses, claiming the current system was “unreliable”.
“Like many [city] residents, I use the city connector bus as part of my everyday life to get to work meetings, to get to dinner on Hutt St and a movie on Rundle St,” Mugavin said.
“But too often it doesn’t work as it should… the long wait times and early finish times make it hard to rely on the service for everyday life.”
The free city connector bus services are jointly funded by the Adelaide City Council and the Department for Infrastructure and Transport, which costs both parties $1.2 million per year.
Currently the service runs on two loops, with the inner-city loop operating only on weekdays and the extended loop around North Adelaide operating seven days a week. All buses terminate at 7:15pm.
Mugavin called for an increase in bus operation to every 10 minutes, seven days a week until 11:30pm to meet the growing needs of the city and North Adelaide.
The council said it would investigate increasing the frequency and span of city connector buses, in a move from Adelaide City Councillor Patrick Maher which was backed unanimously.
The council said a long-term city loop public transport service was needed to connect different parts of the city and account for the city’s continued population growth, which the council hopes will hit 50,000 by 2036.
Councillor Phillip Martin supported the motion but raised concerns over skyrocketing costs for the council.
“If you were to increase the hours, as the proposal suggests, by 10, 15 or 20 per cent the cost to the City of Adelaide will be quite substantial,” he said.
Inadequate late-night public transit options also hurt live music venues and the night-time economy, venue operators have previously told parliament.
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A parliamentary inquiry into music venues was told last year that a lack of transport options and travel costs keep young people away from the scene, and calls have been sparked for better options since then.
Councillor Henry Davis proposed an amendment to write to transport minister Emily Bourke and request consideration on making longer operating hours an election pledge, which was not passed by the council.
“If there ever was a time to squeeze government for money or pledges, now is the time,” Davis said.
The Department of Transport and Infrastructure was contacted for comment.
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