Sydney will get 300 extra buses: govt |
The NSW governments promise to deliver 300 extra buses from next year is on track following assurances from manufacturers, Transport Minister David Campbell says.
The states only bus manufacturer, Custom Coaches, says no orders have been placed for the buses, 100 of which were planned for north-west Sydney.
But Mr Campbell said the government had already received assurances from several providers who could meet the governments target.
Last Friday, Mr Campbell announced the $150 million purchase of 300 new buses over three years.
"The ministry of transport has been contacted by several suppliers who were saying they can supply chassis into NSW to meet the sort of commitment thats been given,"Mr Campbell told AAP.
"The expectation is the private sector will start delivering those vehicles towards the end of next year.
"All of the advice I had before that, all of the advice and all the indications from suppliers today is that they can meet that sort of time frame."
He said State Transit buses might go to tender while private sector operators would go through their own procurement process.
A Rail, Tram and Bus Union spokesman said the governments decision to order the buses for Sydneys north-west would lead to delivery delays for other parts of the city.
It follows the scrapping last week of the $12 billion north-west metro system.
But Mr Campbell said the government would not redirect buses ordered for other parts of Sydney.
He was also unable to say when all 300 buses would be delivered.
Victorian-based bus manufacturer Volgren Australia has submitted a tender to produce 150 articulated buses for NSW.
"If we were successful we would build a new factory in NSW,"Volgren managing director Peter Dale said.
He said his company was the largest manufacturer of passenger buses in Australia and could start to supply "a large quantity"of buses from its Victorian plant from next year, and deliver buses from a Wollongong or Newcastle plant by early 2010.
The governments "ambitious plan"for getting new buses on Sydney roads starting next year is "eminently deliverable", he said.
"Building these new buses will keep the industry busy, but delivering them in the timeline outlined by the minister is well within reason,"he said.
NSW opposition transport spokeswoman Gladys Berejiklian said it was unacceptable that the government had failed to place an order for the promised 300 buses after Mr Campbells announcement last week.
"North-west Sydney has already been let down with the axing of the rail link and the fact that the promised buses have not even been ordered adds insult to injury,"Ms Berejiklian said in a statement.
The lack of action this week confirmed the government had scrapped the rail link without any plans in place, she said.
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