Where's Our Bus?

Following news that the State Government has delayed establishing new bus routes and extending existing bus services, State Member for Morayfield, Mark Ryan, this week launched a community-led public transport campaign entitled ‘Where’s Our Bus?’.

Aimed at supporting residents in their efforts to convince the State Government to add more, desperately needed bus routes to our local area, the Where’s Our Bus? campaign intends to highlight to the State Government the overwhelming local need for more local bus services.

“Walk down any suburban street in Morayfield, Burpengary or Caboolture and you’ll find support for the ‘Where’s Our Bus?’ campaign,” said Mr Ryan.

“Bus services in many parts of our region are non-existent, and in other parts are completely inadequate.

“By delaying progress on establishing new bus routes and extending existing bus services, the State Government has turned a deaf ear to the cries of local people, begging for a bus service close to home. Instead, they’re left to walk kilometres to the nearest bus stop, or to drive to a train station where the carpark is already overflowing.

“In support of all those locals who are advocating for better public transport, I’ve launched the “Where’s Our Bus?” campaign to demand action from the State Government.”

Mr Ryan said scores of residents had approached him over recent times, with personal stories of being stranded in their homes, without a car and without a transport option.

“An elderly bloke by the name of Arthur, who lives down off Peterson Road has told me he would have to walk more than a kilometre to his nearest bus stop to catch a bus to Morayfield Shopping Centre,” said Mr Ryan. “Arthur is 89.”

“I need a bus stop closer to my place because I had to give up my driver’s licence,” explained Arthur.

“I would be happy to walk a couple of hundred yards to a bus stop, but I can’t walk half a mile up hill to Morayfield Road. I ended up having to buy a mobility scooter.”

Residents at Plantation Retirement Resort on Weier Road know exactly how Arthur feels. They’d love to catch a bus to the shops, the train station and the health hub but they appear to live in a bus no-go zone.

“There’s a bus that runs just down the road from here, on Market Drive,” explained Plantation resident June.

“But instead of continuing up Weier Road to us, it reaches a roundabout and turns around. It just makes no sense.”

And then there are the folks who live off Oakey Flat Road. There are new houses being built at an incredible rate, but not a bus in sight. Young professional Amelia is just one of many from the Oakey Flat Road area to contact my office.

“I catch the train to work,” said Amelia, “but with no bus stop nearby I have to take a taxi or uber to the train station.

“Then on days when there are no Ubers or taxis available, I have to walk 45 minutes to the station. I’ve missed my train thanks to this incredibly long walk.

“With a Coles complex and other housing going in along Oakey Flat Road, I just don’t understand why a bus stop can’t be included.”

To join the calls from these frustrated locals and to add your voice to the “Where’s Our Bus?” campaign, sign up here: www.markryan.com.au/buses