Saffin welcomes focus on regional bus transport

Lismore MP Janelle Saffin joined her Parliamentary colleague, NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Transport and Coogee MP Marjorie O'Neill for bus passenger forums in Murwillumbah and Lismore.

MEMBER for Lismore Janelle Saffin has welcomed the Government’s Bus Industry Taskforce to the Northern Rivers this week to hear from locals about what we want in our bus services.

“I’m delighted that the Parliamentary Secretary for Transport, Marjorie O’Neill MP has been here to chair the forums in Murwillumbah and Lismore and heard about our local bus issues first hand.

“The Minns Labor Government established the Bus Taskforce in May last year to come up with plans to deliver better, reliable bus services and improve equity across the state.

“Bus services carry 40 per cent of all public transport passengers but receive only 2 percent of capital expenditure in transport.

“The Taskforce today released its second report outlining plans to fix the deterioration of bus services including:

  • addressing more than a decade of neglect of investment in school and local bus services
  • a plan for the rollout of zero emission buses
  • modern, fit for purpose bus contracts in the regions.

“The report recognises that bus services in rural and regional areas have not been given the same degree of attention as services in Sydney.

The full report is available here.

“This week’s public forums in the Northern Rivers have provided valuable information and insights into our transport needs. This will inform the Taskforce’s final report which is due to be presented to the Government in May.

Anyone who missed the forums can also email the taskforce directly with their input: bustaskforce@transport.nsw.gov.au

BUS SERVICES: NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Marjorie O’Neill and Lismore MP Janelle Saffin at the Lismore forum this week.