Select Committee Report on Public and Active Transport February 2023

Council Submission to DIT Adelaide Hills and Mount Barker Transport Study December 2022

Vision for Public Transport in the Region

The vision to significantly improve public transport services and infrastructure for the Adelaide Hills - Fleurieu Peninsula region was developed under three key themes with objectives as follows:

Regional Equity

• Make the region's public transport as good as, or better than, other comparable regions
• Meet the community needs for transport access to enable healthy and productive lifestyles
• Ensure seamless and integrated fares and ticketing for more equitable pricing and easier usage

Smart Investment

• Future proof public transport for changing travel demand and demographics
• Improve return on investment through customer-focused public transport
• Defer road upgrades by reducing traffic congestion Economic Growth
• Enable access to jobs, apprenticeships, schools, shopping and medical services regionally and in Adelaide
• Attract more tourists and visitors to the region with easy public transport access
• Support the region's population growth, businesses and rural communities

Strategic Rationale for Improving Public Transport

Public transport services to the Adelaide Hills - Fleurieu Peninsula region are inadequate based on the stakeholder and community feedback survey and submissions and from a review of similar regional areas in Australia with the following common themes:

• Except for during the peak periods to and from Adelaide CBD, the frequency of bus services is generally very low or not available, and consequently most bus services are poorly patronised.
• Network coverage is only good in the Adelaide to Mount Barker corridor, but elsewhere throughout the region, in the towns and between towns, it is very poor.
• Park n Ride capacity is significantly exceeded in the Adelaide Hills and Mount Barker.
• Issues with fare inequity with different metro and regional fares throughout the region and with ticketing systems that are not integrated.
• Poor integration between service providers, even though Keolis Downer is the operator of LinkSA and South Link bus services. SeaLink is mostly providing services for the Kangaroo Island travellers through Yankalilla. Most Councils provide their own community transport services for those who have mobility issues, but this is not a service available for all residents.
• Public transport information on the websites, signage, visitor information centres and in tourist information is incomplete, poor quality and not integrated.

To view the full study click on the following PDF link: Regional Public Transport Study - May 2019