AFL Gather Round reignites Uber call for move into Barossa Valley

Gather Round is Barossa bound in 2025 and the rideshare giant says that’s all the reason the government needs to let it move into the region. Have your say.

A rideshare operator is keen to help ease transport congestion on the Barossa Valley including for the bumper Gather Round 2025 weekend, but the state’s dual licence system means it is unlikely.

Thousands are expected to flock to the Barossa Valley for at least one game locked into the AFL schedule.

Under rules introduced in 2017, rideshare companies are only allowed beyond the metropolitan area if drivers buy an additional licence to allow them to accept ride requests from the regions.

The boundary that applies to metropolitan rideshare and taxi operators was expanded in 2021 to include a large area of the Adelaide Hills including Lobethal, Oakbank, Hahndorf and Mount Barker, and extends from Gawler in the north to McLaren Vale in the south.

A spokeswoman for Uber said South Australia was the only state where the service was restricted by a border.

“We know access to transport is an important factor in social mobility and ridesharing can go a long way to solving many issues for regional cities,” she said.

“There are several ways to ease the restrictions as part of the current review of the Passenger Transport Act, which regulates South Australia’s point-to-point transport industry.

“They include expanding the restricted area, allowing drivers to hold licences for both metropolitan and regional areas or removing the boundary altogether.

“Requiring drivers to undertake the cost and burden of two accreditation processes within the one state is also not a feasible, long-term solution that would see the convenience, safety and reliability of rideshare made available for more South Australians.”

The spokeswoman said Uber would expand if there was a revision to the regulatory requirement.

“We look forward to continued consultation with the South Australian Government to bring rideshare to the regions of South Australia.”

Uber launched in Adelaide 10 years ago, and has recorded more than 40 million trips in the city.

The majority of international users are from the US, the UK and New Zealand.

A government spokesman said the Department for Infrastructure and Transport was working closely with the South Australian Tourism Commission and the Barossa Council on public transport options for Gather Round 2025.

“This will follow a similar template to the games in Mount Barker during this year’s event, which included increased services across the Adelaide Metro network, dedicated bus shuttles and a park’n’ride loop service, to transport footy fans between the city and the Adelaide Hills,” he said.

Premier Peter Malinauskas and AFL Chief Executive Andrew Dillon at the announcement of the dates for 2025 AFL Gather Round. Picture: Dean Martin

New development is under way at the Lyndoch Recreation Park ahead of the next AFL Gather Round. Picture: Tom Huntley

“Metropolitan taxis and small passenger vehicles – including rideshare – can transport people to and from Gather Round from Adelaide and surrounds under current arrangements.

“Rideshare services including Uber have been able to operate anywhere in South Australia since early 2020.

“The only requirement is for them to seek an exemption to operate outside the metropolitan boundary.”

However, no applications had been made.

The spokesman said the government was finalising a review of all point to point transport services in the state.

“The review has naturally considered the current arrangements for metropolitan operators to operate in regional South Australia, and the results of this process will be made public soon,” he said.