SHUTTLE SERVICE STATS BOLSTER CITY’S PUSH FOR CAT SERVICE

Funded by the City of Mandurah, the Foreshore Express ferried more than a quarter of a million passengers between Mandurah Train Station and the eastern foreshore since it began operating in December 2007.

Mandurah Mayor Paddi Creevey said the figures proved the popularity of the service and gave a valuable boost to the City’s push for the State Government to take over funding responsibilities by introducing a Central Area Transit (CAT) service.

“We first lobbied the previous State Government in 2004-2005 to introduce a CAT bus service, but the project was postponed at the time due to high costs,” Mayor Creevey said.

“As a temporary measure, the City then introduced the Mandurah Foreshore Express to run in tandem with the introduction of the new train service in late 2007.”

Mayor Creevey said that while the Foreshore Express service had proven its popularity by carrying 251, 950 passengers since it was introduced, the service was expensive to operate.

“Our ratepayers should not have to continue underwriting the rising costs of a service that should be provided by State Government,” she said.

“Unfortunately, at this stage the City is not able to fund the two-thirds contribution to costs required by the Public Transport Authority to operate a CAT service of two buses.

“However, we will be seeking a 50 per cent contribution from the new State Government to operate a CAT service.

Mayor Creevey said that CAT buses now run on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), which was a far more environmentally-friendly option than the diesel fuel used by the current Foreshore Express buses.

RELEASE ENDS

11 November 2008