Page 4670 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 27 November 2019
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services on an interim basis. However, there has been no change to the frequency of rapid services, which account for 70 per cent of boardings on the network.
I am very pleased that weekend reliability has dramatically increased as a result of the timetable change, with Transport Canberra recording an average reliability rate of 99.91 per cent for weekend bus services so far in November 2019, which equates to just nine bus services not delivered out of more than 10,200 timetable services.
In October I tabled the first quarterly update on the action plan, noting that work has commenced on nine of the 10 actions, with two actions already complete. These are to implement an interim weekend timetable to improve reliability, which has been achieved, and increase the use of standby drivers. The government recognises that an interim weekend timetable is not a long-term solution. Our goal is to deliver not just reliable weekend services but also more frequent services right across our city. No single action alone is likely to deliver frequent and reliable bus services for Canberrans, and this is why we have identified a whole range of actions that we are taking.
I note that the motion moved by Miss C Burch in relation to weekend buses points out that the priority of the ACT government was on bus driver recruitment and drivers opting to work weekends. However, once again we see Miss C Burch making incorrect claims that the ACT government has not done anything to incentivise an uptake in weekend shifts. I will again set the record straight for the opposition.
Transport Canberra has made real progress in ensuring continuous recruitment of drivers and we will incrementally increase weekend services once enough drivers have been recruited. During a recent recruitment round, from 11 July to 27 September, Transport Canberra received 458 applications, with assessments taking place twice a month and up to 45 interviews being held each week with potential drivers.
I am advised that a further recruitment round commenced on 28 October. Transport Canberra is prioritising applicants interested in weekend work, fast-tracking candidates who meet several eligibility requirements, and has partnered with the Australian government’s veterans employment program to attract candidates with suitable experience and qualifications, such as heavy vehicle licences.
While our preference is to have services enabled as soon as possible, we must also follow appropriate recruitment processes to enable staff selection processes and training so that the services that we do provide are sustainable, safe and efficient. The ACT government will continue to focus on taking targeted and immediate action towards driver recruitment and increasing weekend bus services, which I will continue to report to this Assembly on quarterly as we progress the work under the action plan.
The Canberra Liberals have no plans for our public transport network. While our government has delivered a bus network that provides more services and more public transport options for Canberrans, they have no plan. More Canberrans are using the public transport network compared to the old network. There are 5.28 per cent more
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