Groundswell of support for regional rideshare service in Victor Harbor and Strathalbyn

There’s an urgent need for rideshare services like Uber to be expanded to address a chronic shortage of transport in the regions, locals say.

Rideshare services must expand to Strathalbyn and Victor Harbor to address a serious transport shortage, boost tourism and stop residents getting stranded, locals say.

Victor Harbor Council is lobbying the state government for an expansion of rideshare services into the region, which has very little public transport.

Mayor Moira Jenkins said with very few taxis based on the south coast, getting around was challenging – especially for young people who did not drive and older adults.

“For things like getting from Goolwa to Victor Harbor for young people and getting to doctors’ appointments, unless they link up with the (council’s) Medi Ride service it’s really difficult and people can be waiting for ages,” she said. “There’s also so few disability taxis that often people with disabilities aren’t able to get transport.”

Uber will expand its services to the Adelaide Hills and Mount Barker. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Sarah Matray

Dr Jenkins said she was particularly concerned about the coming festive season when more South Australians flocked to the south coast.

From December, the operating boundary for metropolitan-based taxis, chauffeur and rideshare vehicles will extend to the Adelaide Hills and Mount Barker areas in a move Transport Minister Corey Wingard said would boost tourism and create jobs.

Operators will only be able to service areas outside this zone, including Victor Harbor and Strathalbyn, if the journey starts within the metropolitan operating boundary.

Mr Wingard said rideshare operators could set up outside Adelaide if they wanted – but companies and drivers must seek separate accreditation.

“The state government will continue to review the arrangements,” he said.

Victor Harbor Council residents have raised worries about difficulty accessing transport. Picture: Leedwell

In Strathalbyn, Maurice Behan, who has about 400 signatures on a petition seeking changes to help rideshare services set up in the area, says hospitality businesses are missing out on customers.

The owner of Hammer ‘N’ Tongs eatery says there are no local taxis, and those coming from Mount Barker to pick up customers charge fares of about $75, even if the local journey in Strathalbyn is only a few kilometres. A lack of transport increased the risk of locals drink driving, he said.

“I just don’t see the sense of why they’re putting a boundary on (rideshare services) in the first place,” Mr Behan said.

“They’re trying to encourage people to go out and support businesses, but they’re not going to go if they can’t get home.”

An Uber spokeswoman said the company welcomed the expansion into the Hills.

“We would be delighted to see the expansion of the metropolitan point-to-point transport border to include other areas in South Australia, including Strathalbyn and Victor Harbor,” she said.