Minister says relationship with operators is “improving”
AUSTRALIA One of Adelaide’s three public bus companies will be forced to pay another $70,000 because of services failing to run on time.
Transfield Services was one of three public transport providers fined a total of $218,000 by the State Government in May for failing to meet performance standards, ABC News reported.
The company received the biggest fine of $121,000, with SouthLink and Torrens Transit penalised about $50,000 each.
The latest performance review found almost half of the company’s services failed to run on time in areas directly north and south of the city in the three months from April to June. About 30% of its services in areas north-east of the city were also found to have run late.
Transport Services Minister Chloe Fox said Transfield’s performance along north-south routes was responsible for the fine.
“Transfield has two contract areas. There have been significant improvements in their other contract area,” she said.
Ms Fox says while roadworks were partly responsible for delays, Transfield’s performance cannot be excused.
“Buses, in common with cars and other forms of transport, have been affected by that and we in Government do accept that,” she said. “There are still improvements for Transfield to make in on-time running and we look forward to seeing the changes.”
She says the figures do not reflect timetable adjustments and the introduction of city bus lanes in July.
“We really need to admit, or say today in a good way, that our relationship with those companies is improving,” she said. “We have acknowledged there is congestion… we expect them to meet us half way. I have to thank the commuters sticking with us.”
About 30% of Torrens Transit’s services on eastern and western routes ran late in the three month period, while around a quarter of SouthLink’s outer southern and northern services were also found to have run late.
