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Pinjarra public transport anger

Jill BurgessMandurah Coastal Times

Mr Templeman said Transport Minister Dean Nalder had rejected a request from himself and the Shire of Murray that the existing Route 500 bus service be expanded.

"I can't believe how short-sighted this decision is,�" he said.

�The bus service between Mandurah and Pinjarra services the Barragup/Furnissdale communities, North and South Yunderup and Ravenswood.

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�The service only allows a limited public transport connection for people in the Shire of Murray to Mandurah and also allows people living in Mandurah a public transport connection to Pinjarra.

"Route 600 is too infrequent and does not service these communities after 6pm or on weekends. This is unacceptable for such a fast-growing part of the Peel region."

Mr Templeman said growth areas between Mandurah and Pinjarra should be serviced appropriately and that failure to provide the much needed link was a huge blow to the growing number of people living in these areas.

But Transperth spokesman David Hynes said Transperth had a finite budget and a responsibility to administer taxpayer funds in a way that benefited the greatest number in the community.

"Transperth operates Route 600 and a number of school services in Barragup, Furnissdale, Ravenswood and North and South Yunderup,�" he said.

�These areas are on the urban fringe and low-density, with relatively long distances between the catchments.

"This limits the number of passengers in the area and makes running a viable bus service difficult."

Mr Hynes said patronage on Route 600 weekday services between Mandurah and Pinjarra was low: about eight passengers each trip.

"It is one of the poorer-performing routes in the Transperth network and makes it difficult to justify extending services.�"

He said Transperth would continue to monitor demand.