Liberal-National Government announces major bus procurement program

West Australian commuters will have access to new buses after the State Government today announced it would replace half of the Public Transport Authority’s (PTA) Transperth bus fleet.

Premier Colin Barnett and Transport Minister Simon O’Brien said the Government’s plan to purchase a minimum of 650 buses during the next decade represented a significant commitment to the future of the State’s public transport network.
 
“The bus fleet is the true workhorse of our public transport system. This replacement program will result in the oldest models on our roads being retired and new models, complete with the latest safety features, being introduced,” Mr Barnett said.

The Premier said that in 2009 alone, there were more than 73.9 million individual bus trips made on Transperth buses.

“What we know is that commuters expect a high level of safety and comfort.  The new models will deliver this by ensuring Transperth stays at the forefront of the Australian industry in terms of disability access and environmental friendliness,” he said.

“The Government will consider cleaner and greener solutions such as the latest Euro5 diesel systems, more compressed natural gas vehicles and hybrid technology when it is proven.”

Transport Minister Simon O’Brien said the Liberal-National Government’s plan to acquire a minimum of 650 new buses would have positive flow-on effects to the local economy.

“The existing bus procurement program resulted in hundreds of job being created in WA,”  Mr O’Brien said.

“It provided the basis for the establishment of a manufacturing plant at Malaga employing more than 90 locally based full-time staff and indirectly supporting many more  jobs through their engagement of more than 55 local suppliers.

“I fully expect the successful tenderer for this contract to show the same level of commitment to engaging local staff and suppliers.

“During the current economic climate, this investment in local jobs represents an invaluable long term boost to the State’s economy.”

Mr O’Brien said the PTA would issue the tender online http://www.tenders.wa.gov.au tomorrow and it would be advertised on Wednesday.