The South Australian bus rides that are costing taxpayers $100 a head
TAXPAYERS are paying at least $100 a passenger on about 10 South Australian bus services as the State Government prepares to cut its least patronised routes.
TAXPAYERS are paying at least $100 a passenger on about 10 South Australian bus services as the State Government prepares to cut its least patronised routes.
Almost 100 services cost more than $50 a passenger to operate, with the Government only recouping 20-25 per cent of its bus expenditure in fare revenue across all services.
The Government will not reveal exactly which routes are the most expensive until it determines which ones it will discontinue, while specific costs have been deemed commercial in confidence because of a tender for bus services going out next year.
The figures follow The Advertiser’sanalysis of Transport Department data pinpointing 19 bus routes with few passengers, the majority of which run in the Adelaide Hills.
Transport Minister Stephan Knoll said the figures highlighted the “financial mess” left by the former Labor government that he had been left to clean up.
“We’re seeking to protect South Australian taxpayers given some services operate at a significant cost to the taxpayer,” Mr Knoll said.
The Government will aim to save $1.1 million this financial year by cutting some routes and adjusting others, with that savings target to swell to $14.8 million per year from 2019-20.
The bus route review will be completed by the yet to be established South Australian Public Transport Authority, which Mr Knoll has said is crucial to providing a “more modern and innovative public transport network”.
Mr Knoll said the efficiencies would be accompanied by investments in public transport where there was the “greatest need” for more or better services.
“We will invest more in areas where more capacity is needed as we’ve already done through the Gawler line electrification project and Flinders Link,” he said.
“We’re also delivering public transport fare reductions, the introduction of maximum 30 minute train frequency on all lines, as well as a host of local infrastructure upgrades.”
Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas said earlier this month that the public transport cuts would “hurt everyday South Australians”.
“These cuts will be a blow to the many South Australians who rely on public transport to get to work, medical appointments, school, university and to visit family and friends,” he said.
“These cuts will have a massive impact to commuters across metropolitan Adelaide — from the shift worker who relies on his late-night buses to get home from work, to the nurse who relies on public transport to get her to a hospital for her early morning shift.”