The NSW Government has raised the price tag on what it would take to keep Wollongong’s green shuttle free, creating a “very strong risk” that fares will be brought in on July 1.
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That’s the fear of Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery, who said negotiations over the free bus had “gone backwards not forwards” after a meeting with Transport NSW officials.
At the meeting, held on Wednesday, the University of Wollongong and the council were told it would cost both parties $394,000 – or $788,000 in total – to keep the shuttle fare free next financial year.
This would rise to more than $400,000 a year for each party by the third year of the funding agreement.
The fate of the popular free service, which provides more than three million trips a year in the CBD, has been under a cloud since last November when Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced her government planned to introduce fares.
After a public outcry and campaign highlighting its importance to the city, hospital and university, the council and UOW offered to chip in $350,000 each per year to keep the service free.
There is a very strong risk that Opal fares could be introduced from July 1.
- Cr Bradbery
But Cr Bradbery said the new extra costs may prove too much.
“The reason we’re involved in this is that we will have to find the cost to replace the shuttle anyway, so the impact of the increased demands for parking, traffic, wear and tear on our roads – but with the costs of the bus going up, is it worth it?,” Cr Bradbery said.
“In five years time, we could be looking at paying half a million dollars a year.”
He said the council was brainstorming what could be done to see if it would be possible to save the free service before the government’s June 30 deadline.
“Our options could mean anything, from saying to them ‘no, we can’t do it’ or looking at rejigging the service timetable to bring the cost down to something we can afford,” he said.
Cr Bradbery said negotiations would continue in the coming weeks, but that delays from Transport NSW in providing information and starting negotiations meant there was not much time left to reach an agreement.
“We made our decision late last year, but they have dragged it out for so long and left things to the eleventh hour – in some ways we’re wedged in and have to make a decision, but I think that’s really unfair at this late stage,” he said.
“There is a very strong risk that Opal fares could be introduced from July 1.”
A council spokesman said the city was “hopeful that future negotiations will lead to a satisfactory outcome”.
Asked to respond to the news that the government had asked for more money, the University of Wollongong said funding has been discussed but “no final resolutions or decisions have been reached”.
“The University expects there will be further consultations and discussions among the parties over the coming weeks and remains confident the matter can be resolved within the required timeframe,” a UOW spokesman said.
Transport for NSW said it had held “positive meeting with Wollongong City Council and the University of Wollongong on Wednesday”, saying all parties “have agreed to continue discussions and maintain open communication”.