New analysis shows the electorates that could be hardest hit from bus stop cull

As analysis shows bus cuts could hurt polling in senior Liberals’ electorates, the government’s most vulnerable MP has taken the step of appealing to her constituents before casting her lot.

Liberal MP Paula Luethen says she’ll consider feedback from her electorate before deciding whether to support the scrapping of hundreds of bus stops. Picture: AAP Image/Matt Loxton

• Mapped: Bus stops set to go in more than 100 suburbs
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The State Government’s most “vulnerable” MP has written to every household in her electorate asking for their thoughts on controversial bus changes.

Paula Luethen, who holds her northeastern suburb’s seat of King by just 0.7 per cent, told The Advertiser she was unsure if the changes were beneficial to her electorate.

“I take community consultation incredibly seriously and so I have sent something out to all of my electorate asking them to consider the proposal that has been put forward and to take the time to provide me with their specific thoughts on whether it is beneficial for them,” Ms Luethen said.

SA Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Stephan Knoll insists the cuts will improve services and drive up bus use. Picture: AAP Image/David Mariuz

“When I get that feedback I will be advocating one way or the other on their behalf.”

Quizzed on whether the policy “had been sold as well as it could” she replied: “I am confident in what I have control of doing and that is going out to every household in my electorate and asking people to have their say on this as a proposal.”

Ms Luethen concerns come as new analysis reveals that large parts of her electorate will lose bus stops.

A map, created by The Advertiser, shows a number of Liberal MPs could face angry voters who are losing bus stops in their electorates – including Deputy Premier Vickie Chapman, Environment Minister David Speirs and Police Minister Corey Wingard.

Concerns have already been raised by Liberal backbenchers, including Davenport MP Steve Murray. Transport Minister Stephan Knoll has not released a list of bus stops to be axed – and counter a list put together by the State Opposition.

But Mr Knoll has consistently argued the public transport changes will provide a better service for commuters and drive up patronage.

After dodging questions on Labor’s analysis on Tuesday and refusing to release a list of bus stops to be lost for more than a week, Mr Knoll said on Wednesday that more than 900 general-use bus stops would be scrapped.

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Mr Knoll confirmed that on top of the 500 slated to go, another 450 stops would only be available for school students.

When announcing the policy almost two weeks ago, Mr Knoll said statistics showed more than eight in 10 (82 per cent) of stops to be culled were used by 10 people or less each day, while 46 per cent were used by just one person.

He said the new network would give about 700,000 South Australians close access to faster, and more frequent, Go Zone bus services.

Opposition transport spokesman Tom Koutsantonis said Premier Steven Marshall’s own MPs want him to backflip on the public transport policy.

“But if he does backflip, he has to reverse the lot, not just the cuts in Liberal marginal seats,” Mr Koutsantonis said.

Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas was again today raising concerns about the bus cuts including the impact on older South Australians.