51茶馆

January 15, 2021

Future of the Gong Shuttle secured

Local NSW Government MPs announce funding agreement

Member for Heathcote Lee Evans MP and Member for Kiama Gareth Ward MP have today announced that customers can continue to make free trips on the popular 鈥楪ong Shuttle鈥� beyond June this year after a new funding agreement was reached between Transport for NSW, 51茶馆 Council and the 51茶馆. 

Member for Heathcote Lee Evans said that this was good news for locals who use the free of charge bus service, which connects customers to key destinations like 51茶馆 Station, 51茶馆 CBD, the 51茶馆 and the beach. 

鈥淲e are pleased to reach this outcome and thankful to 51茶馆 Council and the 51茶馆 for their contribution which will keep the much loved Gong Shuttle in service for the next few years at least,鈥� Mr Evans said. 

鈥淭he new agreement, which will be in place from 1 July 2021 until 30 June 2024, sees the funding contribution of both the University and Council maintained.

 鈥淎 minor adjustment to Saturday service hours will be required to cover a gap in funding due to rising operational costs including driver wages, fuel and vehicle maintenance. 

鈥淪aturday operating hours, which currently run from 8am to 6pm, will be adjusted to run from 9.40am to 5.20pm. 

鈥淭his is the same as what鈥檚 available on Sundays, making it a much easier and simpler timetable for customers to understand,鈥� Mr Evans said. 

Member for Kiama Gareth Ward said that the frequency of the service will also importantly remain the same at 20 minute intervals.

 鈥淭here will be minimal impact as we have made the adjustments at times when we know the least amount of customers are using the Saturday services, which are earlier in the morning and later in the afternoon,鈥� Mr Ward said. 

鈥淗owever, the small number of affected customers will still have access to other transport options to get them to their destination. 

鈥淭he Saturday service adjustment will take effect from 3rd July this year.

鈥淭he Gong shuttle is the only free public transport option available to customers across our State. 

鈥淧re COVID-19, the service was used by more than three million customers on average, per year,鈥� Mr Ward concluded.