Gallop Government extends bus shelter grants scheme

18/8/04

More than $451,000 is being provided to 25 local government authorities across the State under the Gallop Government's Bus Shelter Grants Scheme 2004-05 allocation.

Announcing the fourth annual round of grants today, Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan said 38 grants for 105 bus shelters had been approved.

Ms MacTiernan also extended the scheme for a further year.

"The scheme provides funds to local governments throughout the State on a 50/50 basis to either buy or upgrade bus shelters," she said.

"We developed this program in Opposition, as we could see that this was an important component of providing good public transport.

"The previous government had stopped funding shelters in 1994."

Since 2001, more than $1.5million has been spent on 344 shelters across the State.

Local councils are invited to apply and the State Government - through the PTA - matches the contribution of successful applicants on a dollar-for-dollar basis up to $5,000 per shelter and $25,000 per application.

The Minister said the scheme's main aim was to encourage the use of public transport through the provision of quality facilities for bus patrons.

During the past three years, communities as far afield as Esperance, Broome, Kalgoorlie-Boulder and Busselton had been provided with shelters under the scheme.

Ms MacTiernan said the scheme would be extended to 2005-06.

"When Labor reinstated the scheme in 2001-02, we said $500,000 would be made available each year for four years," she explained.

"Given that almost $485,000 is still left from the original $2million provision, I am pleased to be able to extend the scheme into 2005-06."

All applications were reviewed and endorsed by Transperth.