Transport inquiry 'essential'

AdelaideNow... Transport inquiry 'essential':

"Opposition transport spokesman Martin Hamilton-Smith has moved for a select committee to hold the inquiry because 'there are so many problems' with bus, rail and tram services.

'There is a clear public call for improvement,' Mr Hamilton-Smith said."

There are things that need to be ironed out, but whether it's broken and requires fixing is debatable. In some respects we are teetering on the brink of plunging into a total upgrade of a new and modern approach to public transport because we seem to need it but we are not sure if people would use it and thereby justify the cost. Timing of buses seems to be the current and ongoing issue. Buses arrive and depart at times not listed and run late and then people arrive late but there is a gap of maybe an hour for the bus before. That kind of thing is untenable if you have to get to work or courses on time. It would be good to have modern trains. It would be good to get train lines extended given our housing has boomed north and south. It's not something which is a fault issue at teh moment. it's a planning issue which needs to be addressed based on figures to do with public transport use and then projected population figures. I normally drive a car. When I go to other cities I can get around on public transport or by foot far more easily than here, even when the cities are smaller. one thing we don't make enough use of is smaller buses and Adelaide is uphill and down dale in many areas so walking can be out of the question for routine activities and yet it's a good city to walk for fitness as many people do.