MORE NEW BUSES FOR CANBERRA 

The ACT community will benefit from an additional 11 new Compressed Natural Gas buses with the ACT Government providing $4.84 million to ACTION, Planning Minister Simon Corbell announced today.
 
“The purchase of the new CNG buses is central to the Government’s Sustainable Transport Plan, which aims to have up to 30 per cent of non-car trips to work by the year 2026,” he said. “This demonstrates the Government’s commitment to sustainability for the ACT.”

 “The 11 new CNG buses will be wheelchair accessible with ultra-low floors and air-conditioned for passenger comfort. 

“CNG has the lowest emissions level of particulate matter compared to all other fuels and the engines in these CNG buses meet the required greenhouse gas reduction standards, as well as reducing noise pollution.

“Another feature of the new buses is that they will all be fitted with security cameras providing safety for passengers and drivers.’’

“Since being elected in 2001 the Labor Government will have purchased 73 buses, of which are the new ultra-low floor buses, for the Canberra community. The contribution to date is a total of $28.640 million to improving the travel and comfort of ACTION's customers.

“ACTION will be able to meet the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 accessibility targets of 25 per cent of the ACTION fleet by 2007 and increasing to 100 per cent by 2022,” he said.

“The new buses are able to carry two wheelchairs at any one time. As more of the new buses are added to ACTION's fleet, more routes will be able to be covered exclusively by accessible buses providing people with disabilities public transport options.

“The new buses will be on all of ACTION’s 300 series intertown routes with the start of the new network which started on 26 April this year.”
Statement ends