Transport Minister Backs Blacktown Free Bus Shuttles - Blacktown City Sun

here is the story from the Blacktown City Sun regarding the new NSW Transport Ministers, Gladys Berejiklian, backing of the Free Bus Shuttles -  please read this story and if you think that there is a need for Free Bus Shuttle  in your shopping hub area contact us,

Minister backs the shuttle bus

02 Aug, 2011 12:00 AM

THE NSW government has pledged to continue to fund the former Labor government's free shuttle bus service in Blacktown, even though some say that too few people use it.

Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian said the government was committed to public transport.

Ms Berejeklian said the government would continue to fund free shuttle bus services for as long as people used them.

She was responding to residents who are concerned with what they say is an under-used bus service that the then transport minister, John Robertson, introduced just before the state election.

Blacktown Healthwise Seniors Centre president Raya Wilkinson welcomed the news that the bus service would stay. Ms Wilkinson said members of the centre were using the bus to go to the hospital, station, Centrelink and shopping centre.

A spokeswoman for NSW Transport said the Blacktown free shuttle bus was carrying about 1400 passengers a week.

She said the total annual funding for the Blacktown, Campbelltown, Liverpool, Cabramatta, Bankstown, Penrith, Gosford, Kogarah, Newcastle and Parramatta shuttles was $3.6 million.

"Individual figures for Blacktown cannot be provided for commercial reasons," she said.

But resident Mary Jones, who wants the service abolished, said she couldn't believe that 1400 people were using the bus every week.

"I often see the buses empty when they pass where I work," she said. "The money saved could be used for better things."

Have a look at a blog that shows you some patronage figures from  Blacktown Free Shuttle Bus - it is available to the public - it is not a big secret as I found out!



Click here:http://mountdruittcommuters.blogspot.com/2011/07/shhhhhhh-we-know-about-blacktown-free.html