Improvements to the Northern bus network are intentionally designed to achieve faster, more frequent and more direct services so that more people want to catch the bus.
That’s what most people said during the extensive consultation process that ran during 2018 and 2019.
I completely understand it’s not possible to please everyone, but the Department of State Growth and Metro Tasmania have been working to that high goal.
Early indications show Tasmanians are voting with their Greencards, with early patronage data from the first month of the new network’s operation in 2020 showing an increase of 674 adult passengers – 15,448 compared to 14,774 during the same dates last year.
A result of the first major review of the public transport network in a decade, the changes ensure bus services more accurately reflect the needs of local communities now and into the future.
State Growth and Metro are continuing to review feedback to the changes, while recognising the need to balance the needs of communities against the specific needs of individuals when making decisions about applying taxpayer resources to public bus services.
As a Government, we are now working with the Department and Metro to see where any possible fine-tuning to services may be possible, and to roll out such improvements as soon as practical.
Launceston bus services review
