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Governing the City State - Chief Minister and Treasury Directorate ...

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Queanbeyan. Similarly, Transborder school buses delivering regional children to ACTschools are not permitted to pick up passengers in <strong>the</strong> ACT.These sorts of restrictions limit choice <strong>and</strong> access for passengers <strong>and</strong> make public transportmore difficult to use. The Review notes Deane’s are already able to pick up <strong>and</strong> set downpassengers on some routes in <strong>the</strong> ACT, demonstrating that this sort of agreement can bereached.During <strong>the</strong> course of <strong>the</strong> Review, <strong>the</strong> contract to operate <strong>the</strong> Nightrider bus service wasawarded to Deanes. The Review notes that in announcing <strong>the</strong> new service <strong>the</strong> <strong>Chief</strong> <strong>Minister</strong>indicated it would be evaluated in 2011 to determine its success <strong>and</strong> possible extension.Weekend ACTION services could also be undertaken using contracted drivers. At present,<strong>the</strong> rigidity of <strong>the</strong> industrial agreements at ACTION prevent it from implementing a sevenday roster, meaning <strong>the</strong> availability of services on weekends is dependent on driversvolunteering for duty (at penalty rates). In <strong>the</strong> event agreement could not be reached toovercome this rigid work practice, <strong>the</strong> operation of weekend services could be subjected tocompetition for <strong>the</strong> provision of suitably qualified contract drivers or o<strong>the</strong>r commercialoperators.School BusesJust as <strong>the</strong> Nightrider Service was recently subjected to a tender process, <strong>the</strong>re is no reasonwhy school bus services must be delivered by ACTION. They could be delivered under aNSW style contracted system where student passenger travel is free <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> Governmentcontracts with providers to deliver services. Such an approach could form part of a deliberatedecision by Government to focus ACTION on core public transport service provision.ACT students have two options in catching public transport to school: regular passengerservices <strong>and</strong> designated school buses (which account for 50% of school student travel). Inpart this figure is driven by driver <strong>and</strong> bus availability, <strong>and</strong> this results in relatively poorservices to students, as well as <strong>the</strong> occupation of seats on regular services by students. Bysubjecting school services to competition, in addition to efficiencies, additional seats wouldbecome available on regular passenger services for new bus patrons.Hypo<strong>the</strong>cation of RevenueA number of contributors suggested transport related revenue be hypo<strong>the</strong>cated to transportinfrastructure investments, or to public transport. The Review notes Mr Ted Quinlan hasbeen commissioned to review <strong>the</strong> overall efficacy of <strong>the</strong> ACT tax system, current revenuestreams, <strong>and</strong> sustainability of <strong>the</strong> tax base. This issue might be considered in <strong>the</strong> context ofthat review.Suggestions:The Government may wish to investigate, or continue to pursue, consider a range of timetable,technological <strong>and</strong> industrial options for enhancing ACTION services, such as:Sustainability, Housing Affordability <strong>and</strong> Transport: 317

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