9 December 2011
NCOSS has welcomed the determination made by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) to reduce maximum fares for rural bus services, bringing rural bus fares in line with those for country town services from 1 January 2012.

Maximum fares for rural bus services will fall by an average of 8%, making bus fares more affordable for people travelling on contracted services outside country towns, in villages and between villages and towns.

NCOSS Director, Alison Peters, said, "The lack of affordable and accessible transport services is a huge concern for many people living in country NSW. This determination is a small but positive step towards making the transport system fairer for people outside metropolitan areas."

The need to address transport disadvantage is consistently identified as a priority by rural and regional communities, with the lack of transport seen as a barrier to accessing jobs, education, healthcare and other services, and as a major contributor to social exclusion.

Alison Peters said, "In rural and regional areas, bus services are often the only viable transport option for people who, for whatever reason, are unable to access a private vehicle. It’s important, therefore, that this option remains affordable".

NCOSS will continue to advocate for other improvements to transport services in rural and regional areas, including the lack of services, inequities in concessions, and accessibility.  

Media Contact: Alison Peters, Director 0425 231 814 (mob); (02) 9211 2599 (wk)