CHARTER SERVICES —
OPTUS STADIUM
788. Hon JIM CHOWN to the minister representing the Minister
for Transport:
I refer to charter vehicles
operating on western derby match days during the 2018 Australian Football
League season.
(1) Why has
Transwa provided charter services from Dunsborough, Busselton and Bunbury to
Optus Stadium on western derby match days during the 2018 AFL season?
(2) Was approval
for Transwa to operate these services provided by the minister; and, if so, why
was this approval granted, given this market was already being met by private
operators who are paying the omnibus licence fees to operate this service?
(3) How many passengers travelled on
each of these Transwa trips this year?
(4) Are there
further plans for Transwa to compete with private contractors for any other
statewide contracts; and, if so, what are those proposals?
(5) How does the
government justify the service being provided by Transwa, given that small
business operators in the south west were already meeting the market demand?
Hon STEPHEN DAWSON
replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1) Transwa
provided western derby road coach services to the communities of Dunsborough,
Busselton and Bunbury to encourage travel to the stadium for the members of
those communities, including those who are entitled to a concession. The
additional road coach services were conducted in conjunction with the trial Australind
train weekend timetable changes.
(2) Yes. The
Public Transport Authority considered that the Transwa services would
complement the existing private services.
(3) On 29 April
2018, 30 passengers travelled from Dunsborough, 27 passengers returned. On 5
August 2018, 17 passengers travelled from Dunsborough, 15 passengers returned.
(4) No such proposals have been
made.
(5) The PTA considered that the
services would complement existing services.