JODIE HARRISON CONDEMNS THE GOVERNMENT ON ITS FAILURE TO DELIVER AN EFFECTIVE PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM

In Parliament today, Member for Charlestown, Jodie Harrison moved a notice of motion condemning the Berejiklian Government for making it even more difficult for people with disabilities, the elderly and shift workers from the Charlestown electorate to use public transport.

Ms Harrison said that the Newcastle Buses private operator, with the support of the NSW Government, are again planning to cut local bus services in the Charlestown electorate.

From 30 June 2019, all off-peak weekday and weekend 41, 43 and 48 bus services will be cut from the current 1 hourly service to a 2 hourly service, she said.

My office is again being inundated with calls from constituents regarding the impact these new changes to timetables will have on some of the most vulnerable members of the community.

One of my constituents from Redhead, who has an intellectual disability and works at House With No Steps, came to my office last week and told me he will now have to make four connections and travel 3 hours and 6 minutes each day to get to work only 18kms away from his home.

I am again calling on the Minister for Transport to demand that Keolis Downer fix this unreliable, inadequate Newcastle Bus network.

Ms Harrison is currently collecting signatures on a petition highlighting that further changes to the network which will see service routes 41, 43 and 48 reduced will have a significant impact on the residents of Redhead, Whitebridge, Dudley, Gateshead, Windale, Warners Bay, Charlestown, Mount Hutton, Tingira Heights and Eleebana.