More bus stops in City of Wanneroo could get shelters

SEVERAL bus stops in the City of Wanneroo could get shelters this financial year following a council decision.

The council unanimously agreed to continue prioritising stops for shelters based on the Public Transport Authority’s (PTA) bus shelter grant scheme at its December 5 meeting.

The City’s annual bus shelter installation program prioritised stops in Butler, Ashby, Banksia Grove, Quinns Rocks, Landsdale, Merriwa and Mindarie, with PTA having already indicated support for five of those.

According to the report, the City has allocated $60,000 to the program this financial year and qualifying stops that had at least 15 boarding passengers a day could receive 50-50 funding from the PTA.

“The typical cost to install a new bus shelter without 50-50 funding from the bus shelter grants scheme is currently $11,000,” it said.

“Based on the City funding 100 per cent of costs, up to five new bus shelters can be installed per year.”

The report said continuing to prioritise installation at sites that met PTA requirements could allow installation of up to eight shelters each year.

In response to a 113-signature petition, councillors also supported an amendment to install another at stop 21902 on Kingsway, Madeley despite the stop not qualifying for PTA funding because it only had two boardings a day.

Installation will be subject to allocation of an extra $11,000 as part of the City’s 2017-18 midyear budget review.

The report said there were 785 bus stops within the City, and 151 had shelters.

BUS SHELTER PRIORITY LIST

Street name, suburb (stop number) – number of daily boardings

Butler Boulevard, Butler (26997) – 62 Carosa Road, Ashby (26121) – 34 Botanic Avenue, Banksia Grove (26933) – 29 Santa Barbara Parade, Quinns Rocks (18226) – 29 Alhambra Parkway, Landsdale (27545) – 25 Lukin Drive, Butler (18208) – 25 Marmion Avenue, Merriwa (25558) – 25 Rothesay Heights, Mindarie (18156) – 23