Return coach services Albany-Esperance to start soon

22/3/94

Westrail will introduce two return road coach services per week between Albany and Esperance, starting on Monday, April 11.

Transport Minister Eric Charlton said today that the Westrail service would operate for a trial period of 12 months to gauge the strength of local support.

Full service details, including the service connections available, would be publicised by Westrail in the weeks leading up to its commencement.

Mr Charlton said the decision followed the withdrawal of Australian Coachlines' once a week service between Albany and Esperance.  It was also in line with the commitment he gave to maintain and possibly improve the level of coach service in the region.

"When ACL withdrew from the route, I arranged for the Department of Transport to call for expressions of interest from operators prepared to run a commercial service between Esperance and Albany," he said.

"The department met community representatives to discuss the basis for any replacement service.

"A key outcome of those meetings was the need to mobilise community support and to promote the service locally, and it was agreed that any service would be trialled for 12 months to measure patronage."

Mr Charlton said the agreement negotiated between DOT and Westrail took account of:

·       the ability to integrate the service with the existing Westrail network, thereby providing a seamless operation through the South-West of the State;

·       a common reservation system and ticketing procedures; and -

·       the standard concession entitlements through the Westrail system.

Mr Charlton said that in the case of a private operator, it was difficult to guarantee a reasonable period of tenure, given the impending review of the competitiveness of road coach services in Western Australia and Government policy and regulation under which they operated.

"The Government is committed to the continuation of road coach services to country centres currently served by Westrail," he said.

"At the same time, it wants to ensure these services operate in the most efficient and cost-effective manner."

The Minister said the aim of the review would be to maximise freedom in transport, while ensuring all reforms worked in tandem to produce the best overall result and that regulation was used only where appropriate.

Media contact:  Dean Roberts 321 7333