Bus stop strangled in red tape

Mr Maguire catches the bus into Perth city five days a week and said he had been waiting for almost a decade.

‘Over nine-and-a-half years ago, I requested a bus shelter at the corner of Flinders Street and Karabil Way in Nollamara,’ he said.

City of Stirling infrastructure director Geoff Eves said the City had its hands tied on the issue while it waited for the Public Transport Authority (PTA) and WA Local Government Association (WALGA) to resolve issues on local government infrastructure along PTA routes.

‘The City is sure that we are not the only local government where PTA customers and residents are stuck in the middle of what is almost an avoidance to formally remedy the lines of responsibility,’ he said.

Mr Eves said the City had resolved not to add any further structures along PTA routes until the authority had a formal agreement or contract through WALGA.

‘WALGA has been trying to negotiate some sort of agreement or contract on behalf of all local governments with the PTA,’ he said.

WALGA president Troy Pickard said although there had been a history of co-operative funding arrangements between the PTA and local governments, there was no current formal funding or maintenance agreements.

‘The majority of local governments have indicated that they would prefer to establish a formal partnership agreement with the PTA,’ he said.

PTA media manager Claire Krol said bus stops were placed on land owned by the council and it was up to Stirling to build the shelters.

‘The PTA supports councils to provide bus shelters through the Bus Shelter Grants Scheme in which the PTA funds about half the cost of installing shelters,’ she said.

“The City of Stirling has resolved not to procure bus shelters on behalf of its residents.’

Mr Maguire said he had been passed around by departments and wanted to see action taken on the issue.