Legislative Council Tuesday 9 April, 2019

Ms FORREST question to the LEADER of the GOVERNMENT in the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL Mrs HISCUTT

With regard to the recent decision by the Department of State Growth to discontinue the direct bus route from Strahan to Hobart due to low passenger numbers:

1) What are the actual passenger numbers using this service over the last 3 years reported on a weekly basis?

ANSWER:

I am advised that based on the monthly passenger claims provided by the operator for the 2016, 2017 and 2018 calendar years, an average of 22 one way passengers per week caught the service from either the West Coast to Hobart or from Hobart to the West Coast during this three year period.

With three return services per week this equates to around three to four people per trip.

Recent more detailed analysis of the 2018 patronage data shows that 51% of these passengers travelled on student/child fares, 28% travelled on adult concession fares (including University students over the age of 18) and 22% paid full adult fares.