PTA refusal slammed by Vincent Mayor John Carey

“We asked them to come along to a community meeting and they refused,” Mr Carey said.

“They are using a very dishonest approach.”

Mr Carey said the council formally adopted the position that changes to the bus route would have a negative effect on some of the City’s residents and would write to the PTA to express the council’s disappointment, request that the PTA reverse its decision and attend a community forum with affected residents.

The redesigned route from Glendalough to Perth, via Mt Hawthorn, now avoids a number of bus stops including Tasman Street.

Mr Carey said Tasman Street residents contacted him with their concerns and said they had not been adequately consulted.

Transperth spokeswoman Claire Krol said patronage on Route 15 had been stagnant for some time.

“Transperth has a responsibility to provide services which benefit the greatest portion of the community; we cannot, and will not ever be able to provide a door-to-door service for residents, particularly in the event that those services are not well-patronised,” she said.

“While we will closely monitor patronage on this service, Transperth believes re-routing Route 15 serves to benefit the greatest portion of passengers in the City of Vincent, and will ensure this service remains sustainable.”

Community action group, Seniors and Disabled Bus Action Group 15 (SANDBAG 15) recently approached the Equal Opportunity Commission regarding the changes which, they said, could disadvantage the elderly and people with disabilities.

Group member and bus rider Tad Krysiak said the group had taken action to mount a case against the PTA.

Perth MLA Eleni Evangel said by the time the issue of the route change was brought to her attention, the changes were under way.

Ms Evangel campaigned for a trial of bus route 14, which will follow the same route of the 15 for six-months.