City, PTA reach accord on building, maintenance of bus stops

Councillors unanimously endorsed a bus stop infrastructure agreement between the PTA and WALGA at the council meeting last Tuesday.

Under the terms of the agreement, the PTA will undertake all the works to install the bus shelters on the basis that the local government contributes 50 per cent contribution to the cost and accepts ownership and ongoing maintenance responsibility.

In 2008, the City stopped installing bus shelters and concluded that bus shelter infrastructure was the sole responsibility of the PTA.

In the past, the PTA had not accepted responsibility for the maintenance of the general areas surrounding bus stops, or associated areas such as shelters, seats or bins.

After lengthy negotiations with WALGA, the PTA has now agreed to take responsibility for the bus stop area and will consult with local governments before undertaking the work, including costs that otherwise would have been borne by councils.

The City allocated $100,000 in the 2015/16 Capital Works Budget and has already received $62,500 in State Government funding last financial year under the newly developed Bus Shelter Maintenance Assistance Scheme.

Councillor David Michael, who put forward the motion, said the City must consider the importance of the bus shelter design and replace old, pre-cast concrete shelters with improved standards.

"Given shelters last many decades, they need to be long lasting and cost-efficient. I don't think that they need to cost more to look contemporary, and this agreement is a perfect opportunity to look at this," he said.

Cr Michael said it was particularly important for school students and the elderly who already rely heavily on public transport.