TASMANIAN BUS ASSOCIATION

Draft

Media Release

3 March 2006

AGE OF TASMANIAN BUS FLEET MUST

BECOME AN ELECTION ISSUE

The age of Tasmania’s bus fleet continues to be a major concern for the industry and must be addressed by the State Government in the short-term, Bus Industry Confederation Executive Director Michael Apps said.

Mr Apps said Tasmania had the oldest large school bus fleet in Australia with an average age of 25 years.

“With an election looming, the time is right for the Tasmanian Labor Government, and other political parties, to agree to immediately improve contract rates for regional and rural bus operators so that they can invest in modern, safer vehicles,” he said.

“The Tasmanian Government needs to urgently look at funding a vehicle replacement program that not only assists regional and rural operators but also meets the mobility needs of rural Tasmania to access education, employment opportunities, health and other services, and social and recreational activities.

“This program would also need to meet the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 1995.

“This is not just about the elderly and people with disabilities.  This is about people who do not have access to a car or cannot afford to run a car, it is about children who rely on parents and friends for transport, and it’s about the unemployed.

“Under the Accessible Transport Standards, buses need to be more easily accessible to people with mobility disabilities, which includes the elderly, mothers with prams and people with disabilities.

“In addition to featuring low floors and extendable ramps for wheelchairs at their entrances, other features include allocated spaces to accommodate wheelchairs and other mobility aids.”

Mr Apps said it was important to recognise the good job that industry had done in Tasmania to maintain these older buses.

“This is reflected by the State’s good on road safety record,” he said.

“However, the reality is that new buses, like new cars, have vastly improved safety capabilities compared to vehicles manufactured 25 year ago and for this reason alone government action is required.

“A safer and environmentally friendly fleet is obviously a more attractive travel choice for school students and the general travelling public and helps to create a public transport culture for the community.

“We have to start somewhere and all levels of Government have a role.”

Mr Apps said there was a clear need for a national strategic approach for the operation and delivery of public transport services.

“It is amazing that Australia is one of the last western developed economies not to have a national strategic view about how we move people,” he said.

“This is becoming a greater priority every day in the context of an ageing population, rising fuel prices which are impacting on a person’s capacity to afford a car, air quality, congestion and the liveability of our cities. 

“Tasmania is not exempt from this.

“For example, this approach would help address traffic congestion and the isolation of the transport disadvantaged.”

“While Tasmania does not have the problems of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, traffic congestion is an emerging issue particularly in Hobart and to lesser extent in the other major cities and addressing it early is important.”

For further information contact:

Geoff Lewis Tel: 0409 287 678