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City: No plans for CAT buses

Erienne Lette, Western Suburbs WeeklyWestern Suburbs Weekly

In a public transport review submission to the State Government, which will be voted on by council next week, the City says it is happy with its current transport system and has no desire to bring CAT buses in.

City chief executive Stephen Tindale said the community had shown an interest in getting the bus routes to the city centre.

‘What has come through is that there is a desire ” as far as the community is concerned ” for the CAT buses to extend at least to Subiaco Train Station,’ he said.

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‘The problem is that the CAT system is funded out of a parking levy on all the business in the Perth Central Business District.

‘If the CAT service were to be extended, we would then be riding on a levy charged on the City of Perth rateable properties.’

Mr Tindale said the City did not want to charge a parking levy on its businesses.

‘So the CAT system in its current form cannot come this way,’ he said. ‘It has been extended to Leederville station though we’re not sure how that has happened.’

Transperth is finalising the route the new green CAT will run between Leederville and the City, which will start operating in July.

The additional CAT service was announced last year as a part of the State Government’s $47.6 million plans to ease congestion in the CBD and expand public transport services to cater for a growing population.

The buses will transport commuters from the southwestern end of the city centre to Leederville and back.

Mr Tindale said residents had said they were very happy with the way the public transport system was going in the City.

‘Our residents in our community perception survey have got their highest level of appreciation of public transport,’ he said.

He suggested the City would start looking more closely at walking paths and bike routes as the next step to improve city roads.