May 9, 2012

Kingaroy’s new town bus service – part of the South Burnett Regional Council’s “Enhancing Passenger Transport Project” – will be officially launched next Monday (May 14) with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Glendon Street bus stop.

Council Chief Executive Officer Ken McLoughlin said today that the service, to be operated by Pursers Coaches, would be trialled to find the best routes around the town and the days people want to travel.

Initially, the bus will run on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays on three different circuits, all leaving from the Glendon Street bus stop:

  • Circuit A – 9.00am: To the Summit View area and back to Glendon Street via the Kingaroy Hospital.
     
  • Circuit B – 9:45am: To area west of the Bunya Highway including Windsor Circle, and when requested the Kingaroy Hospital, before returning to Glendon Street.
     
  • Circuit C – 10.10am: To the south–eastern area of Kingaroy, including River Road, Harris Road, Redman Road and Kingaroy-Barkers Creek Road, returning to Glendon Street by 10:40am. Requests to stop at the Kingaroy Hospital will be catered for.

The three circuits will be repeated in the same order in the afternoon, starting at noon and concluding at 1:40pm.

Mr McLoughlin said Pursers had purchased a low-floor bus for the town service, so prams and wheelchairs could be accommodated. There was also a place for a wheelchair to be securely transported.

The fares will be $2.50 per trip for adults and $1.20 for children. A trip will include carriage into more than one circuit.

A list of the streets on the route will be published on Council’s  website  before the launch and a map and a timetable will be be developed.

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A 10:00am morning minibus between Nanango and Kingaroy is also being trialled, with a return to Nanango leaving Kingaroy at 11.00am for people who need to travel the other way.

Mr McLoughlin said later return trips to Nanango could be accessed in the afternoon from Brisbane Bus Lines and Pursers regular services.

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Next Tuesday, (May 15),  the three-day a week service to Gympie from Kingaroy and Murgon will also begin.

“The Gympie service was to have started prior to May 15 but the fine-tuning of the service meant a slight delay,” Mr McLoughlin said.

“The days of operation will be Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

“The change to the days means the service now links with the trains north and south.

“Purser’s Coaches who are operating the service, have organised with Queensland Rail to collect passengers dropped off at the Gympie transit centre where transfers to other bus services also happens and to deliver rail passengers back to it.”

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The South Burnett Regional Council also announced today that Graham House at Murgon will operate a South Burnett Weekend Market Transport Service.

This will use Graham House’s vehicles across the South Burnett and will provide a (generally) door-to-door service so that residents who otherwise could not attend the markets can participate. A starting date will be announced soon.

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Information about all these services will be available by clicking on the “Get on Board” logo on Council’s website. Information is also available at all Council offices and Visitor Information Centres.