SETON CATHOLIC COLLEGE — SPECIAL BUS
SERVICE
70. Hon LYNN MacLAREN to the minister representing the
Minister for Transport:
(1) Is it the
policy of Transperth that school special buses may be discontinued even if they
are well patronised?
(2) If yes to (1) —
(a) is this policy documented, and,
if so, where; and
(b) is it likely,
therefore, that any school might have a fully patronised school special bus
removed at any time?
(3) If no to (1),
can the minister explain why the well-patronised morning bus service from
Coogee–Munster to Seton Catholic College was discontinued at the end of
2011 without notice or consultation?
(4) Will the
minister direct Transperth to find a solution to the public transport problems
suffered by students of Seton Catholic College and their parents since the
beginning of the first term in 2012?
Hon
SIMON O'BRIEN replied:
I thank the member for some notice of this question. The
Minister for Transport advises —
(1) No.
(2) Not applicable.
(3) Transperth's
approach over the past 15 years has been to review school special services and,
when sensible, to replace them with fully integrated network services that
provide a benefit to the community as a whole, not just to students, in both
reduced emissions from under-utilised buses and more frequent services for
passengers. This may be as simple as renumbering the service to bring it into
the timetabled network. Care is taken to ensure that students who previously
travelled to school by bus are still able to do so, acknowledging that journey
times may change and, on occasions, transfers may be required.
(4) Students
who previously travelled to school by bus are still able to do so using the
current network services. Transperth is able to provide travel solutions for
students who attend Seton Catholic College.