
ACT Greens have criticised the Labor government over cuts to rapid bus services in West Belconnen and delays in the rollout of MyWay+.
Greens transport spokesperson Andrew Braddock said Canberrans were facing service cuts that were being made using outdated data, with limited consultation and little regard for their impact on residents.
Mr Braddock said newer patronage data from the MyWay+ system should be used to inform service changes and claimed the government had failed to produce it, despite MyWay+ launching 15 months ago. He said he had repeatedly asked Transport Minister Chris Steel for the data, but had only received explanations about why it was not ready.
The Legislative Assembly is set to debate a Greens motion on Wednesday ordering the government to produce documents relating to patronage data. Mr Braddock said service changes had real impacts on the everyday lives of Canberrans and the Government needed to be open about the data behind its decisions.
The comments follow questions to Minister Steel about the removal of rapid bus services in West Belconnen. Mr Braddock said the minister told the Assembly residents would need to wait another two years before rapid services were restored.
ACT Greens Member for Ginninderra Jo Clay said cutting all rapid services for one in 10 Canberrans undermined confidence in public transport.
Ms Clay said Labor had promised before the election to increase rapid bus services to West Belconnen but had instead removed the only two existing routes. She also said the Government had failed to plan ahead for known closures to the Commonwealth Bridge.
The Greens said they were backing more than 1000 Canberrans calling for the R2 and R3 rapid bus services to be restored beyond Belconnen town centre to Spence and Fraser.
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