Collie-to-Bunbury bus service to ease transport woes, but Opposition believes residents deserve guarantees

A bus service linking Collie and Bunbury is set to ease public transport woes that began when a commercial operator scrapped the route in February, but the Opposition said country travelers deserved a guarantee they won’t be left stranded after the 12-month trial. On Friday, Premier Mark McGowan and the transport minister announced new Transwa trial routes between Collie, Bunbury and Manjimup, due to begin operations on October 24. Commercial provider South West Coach Lines ended its Collie-to-Bunbury 7.30am to 5.30pm return-trip service on February 1 after the route became unviable because of low patron numbers and a lack of subsidies. Since the service ceased, transport issues had become so bad in the town a school principal was forced to drive a student to Bunbury for a medical appointment on at least one occasion. The new bus trial will offer return trips from Bunbury to Collie five days a week, and a service from Bunbury to Manjimup, via Bridgetown three days a week. Tickets are expected to match the previous private fees of about $15 one way to Collie and $24 to Manjimup. Shadow transport minister Shane Love said public transport users in the region deserved to know they would be looked after beyond the 12 months was up. “The trial is good news for the residents of Collie who rely on public transport to travel in the region, however, locals deserve assurances beyond the 12-month trial,” Mr Love said. “The McGowan Labor Government is sitting on a huge $5.7 billion surplus, some of this money should be used to fund a long-term public bus service for the people of Collie.” Collie-Preston MLA Jodie Hanns welcomed the service, encouraging the community to use it to ensure its continuation. “So many people in the Collie region rely on public transport to get them to Bunbury for things such as work, education, medical appointments and visiting family and friends,” she said. In March, Collie Shire council voted unanimously to take the issue to Collie-Preston MLA Jodie Hanns and Transport Minister Rita Saffioti, requesting the State Government help to fill the gap. Shadow transport minister Shane Love kept the issue high on the agenda when he raised the issue in Parliament in May, asking if a public transport bus service would be subsidised through the State’s $1.4b metro and regional passenger services funding allocation.