HillsBus crisis: MP David Elliott denies ‘lying’ to commuters
A northwest Sydney MP has denied “lying” about bus cuts a day ahead of the State Election.
Hills Shire
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Baulkham Hills state Liberal MP David Elliott has been left red faced for “lying” to constituents that bus services would not be axed when the Metro northwest started but has vehemently denied he misled commuters.
A day before the March 23 election, Mr Elliott wrote: “Baulkham Hills residents can rest assured that there is no secret plan to reduce bus services along the M2.
“Residents who commute from the south side of the new Metro will still require this service.”
On February 4 he wrote: “There is no secret plan to stop bus services to the city after the Norwest Rail is operating.
“Why would a private bus company surrender a service that is in demand.”
In another embarrassing blunder, an August 8 email from one of Mr Elliott’s staff accidentally sent to a constituent said the public was upset about the broken promise but “if it
comes to it though, we can spin this”.
On July 29, HillsBus services including 650, 650X, 653, 610, 607X and 617X were chopped or cut, throwing commuters’ journeys into chaos.
More than 13,000 people have now signed petitions at change.org demanding buses be reinstated.
The revelations come as the Metro has broken down for the fifth time in two weeks — leaving commuters angry they have no HillsBus service as a back up.
NSW Opposition leader Jodi McKay demanded Mr Elliott apologise to the community and that premier Gladys Berejiklian and Transport Minister Andrew Constance fix the crisis.
“David Elliott should say sorry to his community for blatantly lying to them when he must have known that HillsBus services to the city were facing the axe,’’ she said.
“Everyone from CBD office workers to university students to senior citizens to young mums with kids are being forced to find their way to the Metro station and change services at Chatswood — taking three modes of transport instead of the single city-bound HillsBus.”
But Mr Elliott refused to apologise.
“Apologise for what?’’ he said.
He insisted he always said the annual bus review would “probably amend routes and timetables according to demand”.
“When I said there was no secret plan that was because Labor had said that we had a secret plan to cut timetables by one third. This was not and never was the case,” he said.
Mr Elliott added: “It wasn’t a lie. They misrepresented me. I was talking about the specific claim that M2 services would be cut by a third.”
In a letter from Transport Minister Andrew Constance dated January 22, Mr Elliott was informed the government was preparing “a bus network plan for implementation when the Sydney Metro Northwest opens in 2019”.
“The local bus network will be redesigned to provide customers with the option to access Sydney Metro stations in the area. Transport for NSW will provide further details closer to the opening of the Sydney Metro Northwest.”
Mr Elliott said of the 30,000 signatures on the petitions, he had made representations for 30 who fell under his constituency because those most affected lived in the Riverstone electorate held by MP Kevin Conolly.
“If you look at 13,000 they come from Kellyville and Rouse Hill and they’re not in my electorate,’’ he said.
“Everyone who’s come to me, I’ve made representations of their behalf.
“I know this sounds harsh but my responsibility is for the people of Baulkham Hills.”
