A LIBERAL Government would fund a two-hourly weekend bus service between Mandurah and Pinjarra to the tune of $220,000 per annum, says WA Treasurer Mike Nahan.
Murray MLA Murray Cowper said he had been fighting since the five-day service between the two towns started three years ago, to have the service extended to weekends.
But Murray Labor candidate Labor Robyn Clarke claimed it was well known in the community the Pinjarra 600 bus service was only extended to weekends after Murray shire councillors took the lead.
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READ NOWShe said local people were fed up with the Liberals taking credit for other people’s work.
Mr Cowper said the extra trips would not only help commuting workers, but seniors travelling for shopping and medical treatments, tourists and young people heading for Mandurah beaches, forest camps, biking trails or other attractions.
He said he would concentrate on adding new stops to the route to include North Pinjarra, aged care facilities and other growing areas of Pinjarra.
However, Ms Clarke said the Liberal Government had had more than eight years to deal with the lack of public transport in Pinjarra.
“I kicked off this campaign by meeting people in North Pinjarra and was shocked to hear about the lack of public transport in the area as well as Dwellingup, North Dandalup and Coolup,’’ she said.
She said WA Labor had allocated $100,000 for the purchase of a permanent mini bus for the service .
If the community bus service did not proceed in future, the funding would be repurposed for other projects in Murray through consultation.