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RAA welcomes the findings of a recent Parliamentary report on public transport in South Australia, which reinforces RAA’s vision for the future of public and active transport in the state.
Data from late 2022 showed patronage on SA’s public transport network – historically one of the least-used systems in the country – was still languishing 24 per cent below pre-COVID levels.
Last year, a Select Committee on Public and Active Transport was convened to investigate barriers to uptake, and how to make the system more attractive for commuters. RAA appeared before the Committee and made a submission on behalf of its almost 800,000 members.
The report’s recommendations, tabled in February, include:
RAA CEO Nick Reade said the report aligned with RAA’s vision for revitalising public and active transport in SA.
“A thriving public transport system has huge benefits for the environment and South Australia’s road network,” Mr Reade said.
“It’s great to see RAA’s priorities for improving uptake of public transport system reflected in this Parliamentary report, and confirms we’re on the right path with our advocacy and innovation activities that focus on active travel.
“For example, for several years we’ve been advocating for initiatives like tap-and-pay technology on all services, as well as the extension of on-demand bus trials to remove barriers to public transport for causal users.
“We have also called for an increased focus on both commuter safety and vehicle cleanliness, because we know those are important factors for our members when deciding whether to take public transport.”
The report comes as Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis told InDaily he was focused on simplifying Adelaide Metro’s journey-planning and timetable system, as well as adding easier payment facilities for commuters on all services.
Mr Reade said RAA was seeking to make public transport easier to use for casual commuters with its RAA Go app.
“We developed our one-stop transport app, RAA Go, because we know South Australians want an easy way to plan their trips and combine modes of transport all in one place,” Mr Reade said.
“RAA Go seeks to make it as quick and easy as possible for all commuters to plan and book their journey – whether that be on a train, tram, bus, e-bike, e-scooter or rideshare.
“The app is still in its infancy but we look forward to expanding its capability in the near future.”
To view the full Report of the Select Committee on Public and Active Transport, click here.