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November 6, 2013
In a move sure to stun many local residents, Brisbane Bus Lines confirmed today it plans to end its Brisbane-Murgon-Brisbane bus service in the New Year.
Company director Lara-Jane Mitchell said the last bus to run from Brisbane to Murgon would be on Friday, January 31, 2014.
The last Murgon to Brisbane service will leave at 7:00am on Saturday, February 1.
Ms Mitchell said the service, which has been running for 28 years, was being discontinued because it was not economically viable.
She said the company was losing between $200 and $400 per trip and was not eligible to receive any subsidy from the State Government.
Ms Mitchell said it had not been as easy decision for the family company to make, particularly as they had links to the South Burnett area themselves and understood the importance of the service.
“I lived at Silverleaf and used to travel on the bus as a child,” Ms Mitchell said.
“It is a really sad day for us.”
Ms Mitchell is the third generation of the family involved in the company. The Murgon run was begun by her grandfather Bill and was taken over by her father Ian.
Ms Mitchell said it had been “an ongoing decision” for a couple of years but the crunch came about a month or so ago.
“We let the Department of Transport know on October 25,” she said.
“We advised the mayors last Friday and have been ringing our agents yesterday and today, and community groups that we know are going to be affected by it.”
Ms Mitchell said her understanding was that because the service was “ongoing” it could not be put out to tender by the State Government and then receive a subsidy.
She said if the State Government did decide to put the route out for tender, the Brisbane Bus Lines directors would need to “sit down and discuss” their options.
“People should lobby the State Government for a service that other rural communities get a subsidy for,” she said.
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South Burnett Mayor Wayne Kratzmann told southburnett.com.au this evening that council would be “leading the charge” to make sure the bus service remained.
“I have been in contact with Brisbane Bus Lines’ CEO and will be driving down on Friday morning to have a meeting with him at Enoggera,” Mayor Kratzmann said.
“I want to find out exactly why the decision has been made.
“We can’t let this happen. Things are tough enough. It’s too valuable a service to lose. We don’t have the luxury of other modes of public transport.”
Mayor Kratzmann said many people used the bus to reach health appointments and it also performed a valuable service as a freight carrier.
“We have to find a way to keep it going,” he said.
He said he would be looking at every opportunity – talking to local Member Deb Frecklington, the State Government and other mayors – to try to find a solution.
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A letter to passengers from Brisbane Bus Lines blames dwindling patronage, wage costs, changes to the Award, superannuation, payroll tax, penalty rates, workplace health and safety requirements and “the looming requirement for all services to be wheelchair accessible to avoid prosecution” as reasons for the decision.
“This requires a capital investment on which there will be no return. The other parts of our business cannot nor should have to bare (sic) this cost. We can appreciate that this will cause travel disruption and understand that the community deserves a service. As such we would recommend you contact your local State member.”
- Download the Letter to Passengers (331kb PDF)
