Latest round takes bus shelter grants to $2.9million

08/04/2008

More than $570,000 is being provided to 23 local governments across Western Australia under the State Government’s Bus Shelter Grants Scheme 2007-08 allocations.

Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan said that 30 grants totalling $573,008 had been approved in the seventh annual round, covering 82 bus shelters.

“The scheme provides funds to local governments throughout the State on a 50/50 basis to buy, build or upgrade bus shelters and as a result, we are seeing more attractive shelters on our streets,” Ms MacTiernan said.

Under the scheme, councils and schools are invited to apply.  The Government, through the Public Transport Authority, matches the contribution of successful applicants on a dollar-for-dollar basis up to $5,000 per shelter and $25,000 per application.  If more than $25,000 is needed, another application can be lodged.

Applicants must address criteria relating to disability access and community consultation and designs must reflect community requirements and the surrounding streetscape.

All applications were lodged early last year and reviewed and endorsed by Transperth and Transwa.  The work is expected to be completed in the first half of this year.

In the latest round, 16 metro-area and seven regional councils applied, with four lodging multiple applications.

The Minister said the grants would result in 46 new and 20 replacement shelters in the metropolitan area and 16 new shelters in the country.

“The Liberals dropped the full burden for bus shelters on local government in 1994, so Labor developed this grant program when we were still in Opposition because we could see it was an important part of a good public transport mix,” she said.

“We still think it’s important as it encourages the greater use of public transport by providing quality facilities for bus patrons, which is why we extended the scheme to 2009-10.

“Since we reinstated the scheme in 2001-02, more than $2.3million has been spent on 524 shelters, with the latest round taking the respective totals to $2.905million and 586.”