A Newcastle Bus Forum is being held by the state government later this month, giving the opportunity for residents to air their grievances about local services.
It comes off the back of the Bus Industry Taskforce which was established by the new government, after a parliamentary inquiry found the quality of the Newcastle bus network has declined following its privatisation.
The forum will be looking into frequency of services, bus stop infrastructure, information dissemination and cancellations and will be chaired by Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Dr Marjorie O’Neill, who says it’s about making sure commuters are a part of the decision making process.
To be able to deliver a service that works for the community we need to be talking directly to bus passengers, which is exactly what we will be doing through these Forums.
“Commuters across the Newcastle and the Hunter region have been dealing with these service issues for too long and it is time passengers had their say.
“This is not a one size fits all fix, the Hunter is a diverse region and we need to hear from the passengers on what will work best for them.
“Bus Industry Taskforce is looking at all options for how we can improve the current service offering.
“Your feedback will be considered, from frustrations over cancelled services to discussions on bus stop placement, I want to hear it all,” Dr O’Neill said.
The forum will be held at the NEX Club on Friday June 23 between 10am and 12pm.
Image: Dr Marjorie O’Neill on the far right with Transport Minister Jo Haylen.