Minister for Territory and Municipal Services Shane Rattenbury welcomed the budget, saying “It is essential that we continue to make Canberra’s public transport more attractive and accessible for the community. As well as progressing the Government’s light rail project, the Budget funds important initiatives to help ACTION attract and retain commuters”.

Investment includes:

• $2,600,000 for MyWay system management.
• $2,500,000 for the design of a new Woden Interchange to improve safety and transport infrastructure, as well as support urban development opportunities in the town centre, similar to the recent improvements in Belconnen.
• $2,000,000 for bus stop upgrades to improve accessibility.
• $620,000 over four years to reduce the qualifying age for Seniors Gold Cards from 75 to 70 to provide free bus travel for an additional 9,000 members of the community.
• $475,000 to continue ACTION’s program of reconditioning and replacing major bus components (engines, transmissions, differentials)
• $410,000 to continue the free Centenary Bus Loop (Route 100) until the end of 2013.
• $300,000 to upgrade the Belconnen Depot workshop area
• $275,000 to upgrade CCTV systems at all bus stations
• $275,000 to trial fare discounts and extended off-peak period to encourage new patronage and ease peak hour congestion.
• $250,000 for refurbishments at Belconnen Bus Depot
• $250,000 for ACTION’s bus seat refurbishment program
• $250,000 for refurbishments at Tuggeranong Bus Depot
• $190,000 (in addition to $2.8m over four years in recurrent funding) for the design and installation of real-time information digital displays at major bus stations and bus stops, with the first of these operational by the end of 2013.
• $120,000 for the development of design studies for ‘bike and ride’ and ‘park and ride’ facilities at Erindale, Wanniassa and Gungahlin.

Discuss this topic at our forum

Bus 356 at Tuggeranong Bus Station, one minute before “lights out”. Photo by ‘Bus 400′

Bus 164 (PMC Adelaide body) at Tuggeranong Depot

Between August and December 2001, ACTION leased 17 Hino RG197K buses from NSW State Transit. These vehicles had bodies from Custom Coaches, Motorcoach Australia and Pressed Metal Corporation (Adelaide).

The buses were added to ACTION’s fleet due to the School Student Transport scheme which ran from 3 September to 21 December 2001.

They were intended to be used on School Services only, but were occasionally used on regular route services.

More details:

• School Student Transport Scheme
• Hino RG197K details on ACT Bus Fleetwiki
• Hino RG197K photos on ACT Bus Gallery

Whilst not all questions were answered during the one hour session this evening, any that were missed are generally responded to in the days that follow, with a full list of questions and answers published on the Time To Talk website.

For your convenience, we’ve collated the following questions and answers from tonight’s cabinet. Answers are in bold and all answers were from @ShaneRattenbury, unless otherwise specified.

As tweets are character limited, we have expanded some of the questions and answers to be grammatically correct.

• Woden and Tuggeranong provide a personal timetable service. City and Belconnen will need to once MyWay centres close. Displays not sufficient. Local timetables will be available at recharge agents. RTPS [sic] coming at the end of the year.
• Should we expect an announcement regarding MyWay add value machines in the forthcoming budget? More recharge agents have been announced last week.
• Any plans to ban smoking in bus stations? Regularly see people smoking under ‘no smoking’ signs in Woden. Soon to release next steps on tobacco control will outline detail. (Response from @KatyGMLA)
  
• There hasn’t been an articulated bus withdrawn from service since Feb. Will some Renaults remain once all 33 Scanias have entered service? One for one replacement is the intention.
• Do we know who will supply the 77 new buses? It will go to tender
• Did the last tender for the 77 new buses that closed in March fall through? No, still in progress.
• Does the ACT Government have plans to improve public transport further considering paid parking in the Parliamentary Triangle? Disappointed revenue won’t stay in ACT. We are just starting review of ACTION network, will definitely take this in to account.
• Any chance of the Adelaide Av/Yarra Glen bus lane reverting to buses only? Or else T3? Lane getting congested- defeats its purpose. Hasn’t been raised before but can certainly look at a survey usage of the lane.
• Can we please have more DIRECT bus routes especially during peak times. Covering more areas does not make a service better! Thanks, working on new network now. Would love your comments when it goes out for consultation.
• ACTION buses wouldn’t provide any information when services will start. (In Molonglo).  Plenty of houses but no way of getting anywhere. We are looking at Molonglo suburbs as part of new network. Recognise the need.
• Any plans to expand the Xpresso Network? Sorely needed for Gungahlin suburbs, and a direct, no stops Tuggeranong-City peak express! New network being developed now, will be out for public consultation soon. New Xpresso services definitely part of the thinking.
• Election promise: an additional 20 buses (in addition to 77 replacements on order). Still happening? Probably not this financial year. Awaiting for review outcomes.
• Is there going to be something beneficial from budget for buses? The hourly services to Gungahlin suburbs during day MUST end. Key changes to buses are coming as part of new network, scheduled to start in early 2014.
• When will the next ACTION network be released for public comment? Please don’t say “soon” – can you give a definite date? Afraid the answer is ‘soon’ – don’t have definitive date yet, but work is progressing.
• Government support of sporting events with free buses is a good idea – but needs better planning. Recent AusvNZ RL Test. Bus charter is undertaken by the venue hirer – will raise your concerns with the NRL.
• Is the Woden Interchange still going ahead? Any idea on a timeline? Yes – in discussions with Westfield. Timeframe is still to be finalised.

You can browse all tweets that feature the ACT Virtual Community Cabinet hashtag (#actvcc) below:

Tweets about “#actvcc”

Renault PR100.2 Mk1 Bus 808 operating Route 2 on Madigan Street, Hackett. Photo by ’743′

Bus 734 at Tuggeranong Depot

Bus 734 was a MAN SL202 Evaluator Bus, with body by Ansair.

Operating for ACTION for evaluation purposes during 1991, it was housed at Tuggeranong Depot. Initially it was to have a sister unit that operated on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). The order for that vehicle, which was to be registered as Bus 735, was cancelled.

It also carried a trial livery, which retained the orange and blue of ACTION’s fleet at the time, however white was the dominating colour of the theme.

Since leaving ACTION, it has been known to operate for Parramatta-Ryde Bus Service (3567), Baxter’s Buslines (50), Transit First (72) and Veolia (693).

It also operated for the Olympic Road Transport Authority in Sydney during the 2000 Olympics.

Want more?

• Bus 734 information at ACT Bus Wiki
• Bus 734 Photographs at ACT Bus Gallery

During the last update on 31 March 2013 a total of 8600 student MyWay cards were incorrectly reverted to standard cards.

“Unfortunately there has been an error in this recent verification process which caused an incorrect adult status being applied to cards,” Director, Public Transport, James Roncon said today.

“We are currently working with the supplier of the MyWay system to revert the impacted cards back to their correct student status. It is expected that this change will be completed over the weekend and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.

“Work is also taking place with the supplier to automatically apply refunds to the impacted cards as soon as possible. It is hoped this will happen early next week.”

If people have concerns they should contact the MyWay Administration Office during business hours on 6207 7711 or by email at myway@act.gov.au

Schools and educational institutions are being informed of the issue.

Bus 518 laying over at City Bus Station on Platform 6 in February 2013. Photo by ‘Bidgee’.