Brunswick wants bus to Bunbury

A bus service linking Brunswick with Bunbury has been highlighted as the top priority for the town during an informal community survey.

Several events were held last month to thank volunteers, where Brunswick Community Resource Centre coordinator Jo Dalton also asked people what they would like to see improve in the town.

The need for public transport was a common theme among all of the groups, she said.

Brunswick does not have a bus linking it with Bunbury and is only served by the twice-daily Australind train service.

The Public Transport Authority, who controls the State’s public transport, believes Brunswick’s needs are already “well serviced” by the train.

Spokesman David Hynes said the authority needed to spend money on services that would provide maximum return and benefit the most people but would “continue to review” Brunswick’s needs.

“The Public Transport Authority constantly reviews its regional and metropolitan bus services and regularly amends routes or adds additional services where there is genuine need,” Mr Hynes said.

The Australind’s only daytime service leaves Brunswick at 11.36am daily, arriving at Bunbury train station at 11.55am. It then leaves Bunbury at 2.45pm, reaches Brunswick at 3.02pm before continuing to Perth. The only other train leaves Brunswick at 8.05pm, but there is no return service until the next day.

Mrs Dalton said while a bus service was only at the ideas stage, it would benefit young people yet to get a driver’s licence and those wanting to get to services such as the Department of Transport, Centrelink and Homeswest.

“There are little issues as far as the bigger shopping capacity in Bunbury, but the other issue is employment agencies are not always flexible with people going in for their fortnightly meetings,” Mrs Dalton said.

“Brunswick does well trying to fill in the gaps but there are limitations on what we can do.”