City and regional public transport divide fails Mount Gambier residents

Underfunded, inadequate and straight out of the 60s or 70s are just a few ways Mount Gambier’s public transport system can be described, according to a city councillor.

Mount Gambier's bus service has been described as "inadequate", "underfunded" and "designed in the 60s or 70s" according to a Mount Gambier councillor. Picture: City Of Mount Gambier

Mount Gambier’s outdated, underfunded and inadequate public transport service has come under fire at a local council meeting.

A council review has highlighted the pitfalls of the crucial community asset ahead of what Mayor Lynette Martin said was a “long overdue” Department of Infrastructure and Transport review of regional South Australia.

With continuous calls for improvement during five years of community consultation, she said the system, which had not been assessed since 2005, must reflect the future needs of the city.

“Significant gaps in the current public bus service have been identified and while council does not directly provide transport services, it remains a key player, as an advocate, provider of infrastructure and holistic strategic planning,” Mayor Martin said.

Mount Gambier Mayor Lynette Martin. Picture: Louise Agnew Photography

Mount Gambier councillor Frank Morello. Picture: Louise Agnew Photography

Business groups have indicated Mount Gambier’s public transport deterred skilled workers from moving to the region.

Cr Frank Morello said there was a clear inequitably between state government funded country and metropolitan services, saying a new approach and greater injection of funds was essential.

“It was $234 per capita spent in metro Adelaide compared $11 in regional South Australia,” Cr Morello said.

“A large cross section of our community does rely on public transport and services are currently not meeting their needs.

“It’s about inclusivity, it’s about connections, its about giving all residents an opportunity to participate in community life – that means the ability to get to work, to go to uni, to go to TAFE, attend medical appointments, go shopping, to job interviews.”

Cr Steven Perryman said simply advocating for change was not enough, instead amending the motion to include the preparation of a draft submission for the department so council could advocate for the community’s needs.

“We should be saying to the government: “Not good enough, never been good enough,” Cr Perryman said.

“We essentially have a school bus service.

Supplied Editorial City of Mount Gambier Council. Picture: Louise Agnew Photography.

“Outside of those peak periods we have inefficient buses and not environmentally friendly buses chugging around with very few passengers.

“That sort of passenger service subsidies the rest of the service but it is woefully inadequate and inefficient.”

Cr Perryman said the service had historically been and remained underfunded with the lack of inter-town services compounding the inadequacy.

He said it was no new problem and had presented a significant issue throughout regional SA in the early 2000s when the council withdrew as a direct funding partner putting the cost of public transport back in the hands of the state government.

“Mount Gambier led the charge in terms of having the regional cities of South Australia withdraw from funding agreements which were inequitable compared to our metropolitan cousins,” he said.

“(The state government) did increase their funding at that point in time to fill the gap as local government withdrew but it didn’t change the mode and we’re still using a mass passenger transport service that was really designed in the 60s or 70s.”

A report at that time recommended a “dial a ride” service where mini buses were booked in advance and Cr Perryman believed this model could present a better economic option.

Elected members voted in favour of the amendment with the draft submission to be presented to council at a later date.