The free shuttle bus servicing the Penrith CBD has turned out to be a failed experiment, with the State Government announcing the service will soon be axed.
Transport Minister, Gladys Berejiklian said that patronage on the service has been low and therefore the service will be removed and the buses allocated to other existing routes.
“There is so much to do in transport, we can’t afford to be wasting millions of dollars a year on ghost services that are not used,” Ms Berejiklian said.
Ms Berejiklian said that provision of free shuttles in regional centres is costing the State Government $7 million per year.
Prior to the State Government elections in 2011, Penrith Council lobbied hard for a free service to move locals and visitors around the CBD with ease.
Then Premier, Kristina Keneally, gave in to pressure for the service but implemented the shuttle without consulting Penrith City Council on the optimal route.
The route was changed at the end of 2011 to hopefully increase patronage after it was reported by the Weekender on May 13, 2011 that it was not being utilised.
Despite a Council feasibility study suggesting the revised shuttle route could attract up to 1,500 commuters per day, this has not been the case.
“The shuttle only had a patronage rate of 0.7 people per kilometre. With not even one person using the bus per kilometre it is hardly a good use of taxpayers funds,” said MP for Penrith, Stuart Ayres.
“I would rather see the subsidy of the shuttle bus be redirected to improving bus routes in Penrith that bring people to CBD rather than have an empty bus do laps of Henry Street and Riley Street.”
However, the Kogarah route with the same low level of patronage will be retained on a six month trial as a paid service.
Penrith Council remains supportive of the free shuttle bus and a spokesperson said that Council has not been officially advised of its cancellation.
“Council has been, and will continue to be, a strong advocate for improved public transport services for our City and for our residents. The Free Shuttle Bus was seen as an important element in a bus network that provided people with a choice to car travel. While we acknowledge that patronage levels were low, stopping the Free Shuttle Bus service would be regrettable,” the spokesperson said.
“The potential patronage numbers were based on several factors including frequency, hours of operation, compact and direct route, visibility and the growth of the City. The service, introduced in March 2011 and reviewed in December 2011, was a modified service that did not meet all of the “success factors” identified by Council’s feasibility study.”
