Liberals committed to safe, reliable and efficient public transport
Feb 02, 2012
Vickie Chapman MP
Shadow Minister for Transport & Infrastructure
Hon John Dawkins MLC
Joint Liberal Party Secretary, Shadow Cabinet Secretary
Liberals committed to safe, reliable and efficient public transport
Shadow Transport Minister Vickie Chapman and Gawler-based Liberal MLC John Dawkins have refuted claims by Labor MP Tony Piccolo about the Liberal Party’s position on the Gawler Metro Bus Service.
“Mr Piccolo’s claims in his Lights On newsletter (Barossa Herald 1/2/2012) are absolutely bizarre,” Ms Chapman said.
“The Liberal Party totally supports Gawler having a bus service – in fact we want a service which is better than the one Mr Piccolo is defending.
“Empty buses demonstrate the service is not running as it should and we need to look at how we can change that.
“That is why we are calling on Mr Piccolo to listen to people using the service, speak to the Minister for Transport Services and get this sorted out.
“He said he would deliver a service for people living in Gawler and at the moment that service just does not stack up.”
Mr Dawkins, a regular public transport user, said he had never attacked or undermined transport services.
“It has always been a high priority for me to highlight concerns and suggested improvements of regular commuters and others who use public transport,” Mr Dawkins said.
“Just before the 2010 election, Mr Piccolo promised the residents of Gawler an integrated bus service, but all that has evolved is a situation where unsuitable out-dated buses are motoring through numerous roundabouts and narrow streets with few people aboard, while large-scale confusion about eligibility for the Gawler Dial-A-Ride service remains.
“The Labor Government also demonstrated its total disregard for Gawler rail line commuters this week when it announced a delay to the reopening of the line between Mawson Lakes and Salisbury, instead giving preference to the Adelaide rail yards.”