NightRider to bring Freo patrons home

3/9/06

A new, late night bus service from Fremantle will ease queues in the popular nightspot and complement taxi services.

Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan said the Government had increased the number of taxi plates to deal with the issue, but it also wanted to see if a public transport service would help solve the problem.

Ms MacTiernan said a six-month trial of Transperth NightRider services would begin in October, the start of the party season.

The buses would operate from 12.30am on Sunday from a location opposite the Fremantle Taxi Rank, with the last bus leaving Fremantle at 4.30am.

"We will provide hourly $5 services which will take patrons on three routes based on Canning and Leach Highways, South Street and Stock Road," the Minister said.

"Revellers at the end of the taxi queue may decide that a 10-minute walk home is a better bet than an hour-long wait.

"The service will use specially decorated Transperth buses, each with their route clearly marked on them.

"Security guards will be on board these buses in recognition that many patrons may still be in a party mood and others even 'tired and emotional'.

"The trial will let us see how the services impact both on Fremantle patrons and on the areas where they are dropped off.

"If it is successful, we will look at extending the NightRider concept to Northbridge and possibly to Friday nights."

Ms MacTiernan also encouraged hotels and other nightspots, which experienced late night and closing time crowd problems to consider seeking charter bus licences to enable them to provide a similar service to their patrons.