Anger over plan to privatise bus trips: Its effect on the local city

BUSES in Canterbury Bankstown will not be immune to the State Government’s plan to sell inner west routes with 25 school services and 20 public routes included.

Bus drivers protest outside Parliament. Picture: John Grainger

• 1200 drivers stop work for 24 hours
• Bus drivers in western Sydney to walk off job, 50 routes affected

BUSES in Canterbury Bankstown will not be immune to the State Government’s plan to sell innerwest routes.

Bus region six, which runs 233 routes from Olympic Park to Kensington, would be put out to private tender to ensure a more reliable service, Transport Minister Andrew Constance said.

The region includes 25 school services and 20 public routes in the city of Canterbury-Bankstown.

Hundreds of bus drivers walked off the job last Thursday, including drivers from Kingsgrove depot, taking a stand against the proposed privatisation.

The Rail, Tram and Bus Union apologised for the strike but did not rule out further industrial action.

The union’s secretary Chris Preston said the privatisation “placed the future of 1200 bus drivers and depot staff in limbo”.

Commuters wait on Railway Rd, Burwood during the bus strike. Picture: John Grainger

“Minister Constance needs to understand that you cannot treat the community and public transport workers with such contempt,” Mr Preston said.

“We call on the Premier to intervene as a matter of urgency and put a stop to this attack on our public transport network.”

Mr Constance said customers “have had a gutful”, with 12,000 complaints in one year and the government was taking action in their interests.

It had launched legal action against the union over the strike.

Transport for NSW has promised that all local bus drivers will be guaranteed their jobs and will transfer under the same conditions.

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But Canterbury state Labor MP Sophie Cotsis said commuters and drivers would suffer.

“ We will be paying the profits of a private operator,” she said.

“NSW Labor opposes this latest privatisation and will join the community to strongly fight against this latest round of dismantling of public services.

“Our community must send a strong message to the Berejiklian Government: stop reducing vital services for families in Canterbury.”