Northern beaches buses to be privatised — and ageing fleet to be replaced by electric buses
All Government buses on the northern beaches will be privatised and the ageing fleet will be replaced by new electric buses. Now it has been revealed who will be guaranteed jobs.
Manly
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The majority of staff working for the State Transit buses on the northern beaches will be guaranteed their jobs for two years following the privatisation of the service, it has been revealed.
State Transport Minister Andrew Constance said there would be jobs for the majority of staff with the new operator, including all bus drivers and maintenance staff, whose jobs will be guaranteed for two years.
He said staff would also transfer with all their accrued entitlements such as annual leave, sick leave, long service leave, superannuation and their three-year travel pass.
“We expect more jobs for bus drivers to be created due to the extra services that will be provided,” he said.
However, David Babineau from the Tram and Bus Union NSW, said bus drivers in other areas where the service had been privatised had suffered significant impacts on pay and conditions.
“We know privatisation doesn’t work,” he said.
“Recent bus privatisation in the inner-west and Newcastle has failed dismally.
“On-time running is down, routes have been cut, stops have closed, and workers’ conditions have plummeted.”
Tenders are expected to open early next year and the move said to be finalised in a year and a half.
As part of the announcement the Government said the ageing fleet on the northern beaches will be replaced by new electric buses.
Liberal State Member for Manly James Griffin said it was good news for commuters who would get new electric buses and expanded services.
He said the Government would continue to own the buses and other assets such as the depot at Brookvale, but the service would be put out to tender.
He said in addition the northern beaches would also get an on-demand bus service, which has already been trialled, and the successful B-Line would be expanded.
“These changes present an opportunity to improve routes and increase services,” Mr Griffin said.
“One of the most exciting elements of this announcement is switching the entire ageing bus fleet across to new electric buses.
“I am sure it will be welcomed by commuters and residents to reduce emissions and noise.”
It was not clear whether the new B-Line buses would also be replaced with electric vehicles.
But Mr Griffin said the B-Line, a model service, would “continue to grow as a result of these reforms”.
He added that for certainty, similar to the ferry service, the Government would continue to regulate timetables, routes, bus stops, and strict safety and service standards.
Bus fares would be set by the Government, just as they are today.
Passengers would also continue to use their Opal cards as they currently do and concessions would be protected.
Warringah’s Federal Independent MP Zali Steggall said while she welcomed electric buses she said the privatisation of the bus service was a surprise, as it wasn’t foreshadowed prior to the NSW state election.
“I would want guarantees that privatisation will not impact frequency, reliability and cost to commuters,” she said.
“A good public transport system is vital to reducing congestion and emissions from transport.”
However, Unions NSW secretary Mark Morey warned that jobs and bus services could suffer.
He said private operators would struggle to provide the same service on less funding, and end up cutting bus stops along the routes.
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He said the move would add to more traffic congestion.
“Job security has just been shredded for drivers while support staff in finance and administration face an even more uncertain future,” Mr Morey said.
“Under privatisation, costs must be cut to create a profit margin for the new operator.
“That means jobs and services suffer.
“Privatisation does not serve the public interest, it only serves the profit margins of the new owners.”
Labor Shadow Transport Minister Chris Minns said today’s announcement that Transport Minister Andrew Constance would be privatising the final three bus regions in Sydney – 7, 8 and 9, covering Parramatta, Ryde, Epping, the North Shore, Northern Beaches, the Eastern Suburbs and the City, was a betrayal by Premier Gladys Berejiklian.
“Andrew Constance is intent on privatising Sydney’s public transport piece by piece; ferries, metros and now buses,” he said.
“The Liberals knew that if they went to an election privatising our buses they would have lost.”
He said today’s announcement on the bus sell off will put 3400 drivers, maintenance and network operational jobs on the line.
However, Federal Liberal Member for Mackellar Jason Falinski said it was good news for the beaches.
“Franchising, which is not privatisation, has always resulted in better services, higher satisfaction among drivers, depot staff and customers,” he said.
“Not to mention higher patronage, not lower.”
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