Minister orders U-turn to retrieve lost Adelaide train, tram and bus passengers

The State Government wants to revive Adelaide’s public transport system after a staggering loss of passengers.

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More than a million passenger trips disappeared from Adelaide’s public transport system in only three years, prompting plans for a revival.

Transport Minister Stephan Knoll has ordered the new South Australian Public Transport Authority (SAPTA) to “leave no stone unturned” to get Adelaide people back onto buses, trains and trams.

The State Government wants to revive Adelaide’s public transport system after a huge loss of passengers in only three years.

Mr Knoll was commenting on the release of the latest official patronage figures showing in the last three years of the Labor government to the end of the 2017-18 financial year, patronage slumped from 66.3 million trips to 65.2 million.

And despite population increase over 10 years, the figure was 1.3 million trips lost.

The overall drop happened despite increases in tram passengers when the North Tce extension came online and O-Bahn bus numbers when the new tunnel was finished.

“It’s unbelievable more people caught public transport in 2009-10 than any of the last three years — we need to turn this around,” Mr Knoll said.

“The former Labor government were spinning their wheels on public transport patronage for the last decade. We will leave no stone unturned.”

But Opposition transport spokesman Tom Koutsantonis accused Mr Knoll of a policy backflip and broken promise by weakening SAPTA, the body Mr Knoll now hopes will come up with solutions.

In an organisational structure leaked to the Opposition, SAPTA is shown answering to the CEO of the Transport Department, not Mr Knoll as previously promised.

Morning peak hour tram commuters arrive at Pirie Street tram stop on King William Street. Image AAP/Mark Brake.

“It appears the SA Liberals have broken another promise and will no longer be setting up a stand alone agency as per their election commitment,’’ Mr Koutsantonis said. Mr Knoll said several key initiatives would be behind the revival in numbers, including:

BUS providers being able to use different vehicle sizes for the first time

TRIAL of on-demand bus services

FLEXIBILITY in new bus service contracts for companies to come up with innovative improvements to service

ELECTRIFYING the Gawler line

BUILDING more Park ’n’ Rides

AUTONOMOUS buses to take passengers from the final stop to their actual destination.