Improvements may be on the horizon for Mount Gambier’s ‘woefully inadequate’ bus service

Changes are looming for “woefully inadequate” bus services in a major regional centre following the city’s inclusion in an upcoming transport review.

Changes are set to be made to the Mount Gambier bus system.

Changes may soon be coming to bus services in Mount Gambier following the city’s inclusion in an upcoming regional transport review.

Mount Gambier councillor Max Bruins asked Mayor Lynette Martin at the December meeting for an update about how council is improving the Mount’s public bus services.

Ms Martin said she and council officers had met with Keolis Downer, who run the LinkSA buses in the state’s regions, and said they are “very aware of the shortcomings of the current bus service”.

She said Keolis Downer was working towards some tweaks to the current routes, within the parameters of the current contract.

“They are starting to get good patronage data to enable them to do internal reviews of the service within the current scope,” Ms Martin said.

Mount Gambier Council chief executive Sarah Philpott and Mayor Lynette Martin are pushing for improved public transport. Picture: Supplied

She and council chief executive Sarah Philpott were set to meet with Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis in December but the meeting had been rescheduled to March.

“We have written to Minister Koutsantonis requesting that Mount Gambier be included in the upcoming regional transport review which is being conducted early (this) year,” Ms Martin said.

“We are seeking confirmation that Mount Gambier is included in the proposed regional review.”

Mount Gambier City Council had been pushing for improvements to the city’s bus service for several years now, it said.

In October 2023, the state government awarded a new bus tender contract with potential to operate until 2035 without any changes being made to the current services.

Ms Martin said she was “incredibly disappointed” the new bus service was offered without change, despite the council’s ongoing efforts to highlight the “significant inadequacies in the existing model”.

She said the new service had failed to address a comprehensive review of the local bus service undertaken by council in late 2020.

SA Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis. Picture: Dean Martin

“The current level of service and bus routes are woefully inadequate and have not been reviewed for 30 years,” Ms Martin said.

“The comparative expenditure allocated to the local service is more appropriate to a community of around 3000 to 6000 people, rather than a regional capital of around 28,000.

“We need a bus system that actually takes into account where people need to travel in order to ascertain the services they require.”

The current service has restricted hours of operation – including only running on weekdays and not weekends – does not service the Mount Gambier Hospital, Foodbank, the newly developed Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre or senior lifestyle villages of Woodlands and Hallmont.

It also has lengthy wait times for servicing stops along each route and is lacking routes to residential growth areas.

At the meeting with Keolis Downer, council representatives asked for adjustments to the routes within the current contract.

LinkSA’s general manager of SA bus services, Brett Andruszkiewicz, said the company had plans to introduce new buses and work with the community on improving services.

“Under this contract we will introduce six brand new buses, aiming to be on the road by 2025, and we will work with council and community groups to continue to advocate for the services as required by the people of Mount Gambier,” he said.

Ms Martin said she was impressed by LinkSA’s willingness to work with the council to make improvements to the service within the scope of their contract.

“It is important to note that service issues we have identified have nothing to do with the providers of the bus service,” Ms Martin said, thanking the former bus service provider Mount Gambier Buslines.

“Council is highlighting a serious state government funding issue that needs to be addressed.”

A state government spokesperson said “the 2023-24 State Budget included provision for funding of regional bus service contracts to ensure the delivery of viable and sustainable transport services in regional and remote South Australia for the long term”.

“A new bus contract for Mount Gambier, operated by LinkSA, commenced on October 1, 2023, and this new contract will ensure existing routes and frequencies are maintained.

“This is crucial for residents who depend on public transport to access appointments, essential support and services, and to connect with family and their local community.

“The Mount Gambier bus contract consists of three town loops Monday to Friday, along with school services both in the morning and afternoon.

“The City of Mount Gambier has also provided its own report which included recommendations for alternative and additional services, while the recent tender process also gave an opportunity for bidders to provide their ideas and proposals for alternative service designs.”

They said a wider review of regional public transport services would start early this year too, which would consider these proposals and the council’s report.