Commenting on the opinion piece: Ringing the bell on Adelaide’s latest bus shake-up

Reducing the number of bus stops would result in increasing the distance between the bus stops. I am an elderly person and I do not drive. I rely entirely on public transport.

I worry about how much time I would need to walk to a bus stop if the distance between the bus stops increase. And in bad weather when there is a strong wind and rain, how I would cope? I believe this will be a big problem for many people like me.

So what is the point of having public transport with buses running more frequently, when fewer people will be able to ride?

How will this affect the health of the elderly people if being forced to stay more at home because of the inconvenience to walk a greater distance? – Ana Grozev

Back when I was the architect in Housing SA, my colleagues in Planning SA were encouraging the development of walkable neighbourhoods. 

To create these communities, the international rule of thumb was a maximum of 400 metres distance to the nearest transit stop.

It would seem that the current State Government proposals ignore the urban ideal of a walkable community where public transport must be an integral player. – Rodney Barrington

There is much to be angered by in Tom Wilson’s report on the proposed bus system changes.

Particularly devastating is the datapoint that the Liberal government thinks it’s acceptable for people to be 800m from bus stops, double the old rules. Four hundred as a maximum would really make the bus service a well functioning system – but perhaps that isn’t the point.

Noting how excited the RAA is by the proposed changes, it’s obvious that these changes must be anti-bus users. Was this the point? To make the roads better for cars and therefore worse for pedestrians, for cyclists and for public transport users?

It is unconscionable in a climate which is far harsher now than in the 1950s, people have to walk twice as far to get to public transport. To make the system work we need stops to be closer together, not further apart. 

But there are other issues that Tom Wilson did not address. The removal of the Metro’s timetable software so that people are forced to use for-profit.

Of the three options given, one was not available for android, one was ‘free’ for three stops and then the user is forced to pay. And lastly, one which did not give the simple information I want: when does the next bus go from my stop. Further, if you have an old Android, you will likely find, as I did, that you can’t download these apps. 

It’s particularly sad because we have the makings in Adelaide of a wonderful bus service.

If we simply extended the Go Zone and decreased distance between stops, it would be best-in-world. – Cathy Chua

We live in an area in the hills where we have to drive 20 minutes to get to a semi-reliable bus. 

My daughter took the bus and train to be with her friends quite a lot pre-Covid and the Metro Mate app was amazing.  Now the app is dead, she can’t plan her journey easily. 

It is a matter of safety to plan the quickest route because of Covid and because of violence. If you have to hop off a bus and move quickly, Metro Mate was good in helping people find the next best bus. 

Google maps doesn’t show where the buses are. It would be good to see some commenting on this, because the lack of journey advice is going to effect how much the metro system is used. – Kathe James

The South Australian Public Transit Association supports Tom Wilson.

Our association believes that the more people have to walk to access a bus stop, the more chances of them not catching a bus and using either alternative modes such as taxis, Uber or simply become recluses.

The reality is that many bus routes have been withdrawn with only a Go-Zone available to them, which is between 900 metres to 1.4 kilometres away.

Based on SAPTA’s own research, the existing W90 will terminate at Marden but east of Marden to Paradise Interchange there will simply be no service available to the general public. 

he nearest bus stop from Langman Grove Felixstow to Payneham Road is 1.1 kilometres on a road that goes up and downhill. This is not the 800 metres rule that the Minister is spruiking. 

Langman Grove and nearby Briar Road have many people living in Housing Trust houses and or retirement villages. The transport planners have literally been ill-informed that between Klemzig Station to Paradise Interchange along the O-Bahn there are no stops between these two locations.

The reality is also the consultation with these services has been woeful, and for a city this size surely the Minister is aware that not everyone has access to the Internet or knows how to use it, thereby booklets should have been printed according to contract area and letterboxed to all households that were affected.

But this was not done, because the Government will claim it has no money to do so. Interestingly this booklet concept in letterboxes started off in South East Queensland (Translink) and flowed onto New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia.

People have told us about the way their service is being affected, and whilst SAPTA will take a look at the big picture it’s hard sometimes to fathom that if one bus route gets cut entirely why are people who have no other alternative forced to walk more than 800 metres to their only available public transport service if they are not fit and healthy as they used to be?

We hope the Minister is reading emails, articles and also local MPs (who we have heard are taking a lot of complaints, one MP has apparently received 350 complaints about the re-routing of one particular service).

Or are we going the same path as when the trams were replaced with buses in the late 1950s in Adelaide, that the government is saying we have made up our mind – don’t confuse us with the facts? –David Beres

Commenting on the story: The other, other LeCornu site to be sold

I hope this property is registered somewhere so it can be protected. It is a beautiful landmark property, the likes of which are very rare nowadays.

I am sick of seeing ticky-tacky boxes and dog kennels with little or no character replacing these grand homes.

City Of Holdfast – please save the house and allow someone to develop appropriately on the surrounding land. – Carol Douglas

Commenting on the story: Parliament to consider official recognition for SA’s Aboriginal languages

In preparation so that Pitjantjatjara is soon to be recognised to become an official language in SA, could we have funds provided to educators to develop new reading materials for children starting school in Pitjantjatjara-speaking communities. – Angela Vaughan

Commenting on the story: Uni shake-up to hugely increase fees for humanities

Although I don’t agree with regulating university fees by “demand and supply”, shouldn’t the government be focusing more on increasing job vacancies for all of these future graduates?

From my experience, there are already thousands of graduates each year entering an already oversaturated job market. – Aleksandra Stawiarz

Commenting on the story: The Tomatoes of Wrath

Can you thank Stephen Orr for his terrific piece about SA and his parents and the tomatoes?  

It was bloody brilliant.

Thank you for your news, it’s great to have an alternative to News Corp. – Sheree Goldsworthy

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