A REVIEW of Launceston bus routes and stops is expected to start in about two years.
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Metro Tasmania chairwoman Lynn Mason addressed Launceston City Council aldermen at the strategic planning and policy meeting yesterday, covering the state-owned company's plans for the next 12 months.
Metro Tasmania runs 220 buses across the state, 49 of which are in Launceston, and has between 430 and 450 staff depending on casual numbers.
Ms Mason said there was a major service review under way in Northern Hobart, before it moves to the southern suburbs and then Launceston.
``Launceston we think might be relatively easier than Hobart because of its topography and because it's got some good link throughs,'' Ms Mason said.
``And what we'd particularly like to see in Launceston when we do do the review in a couple of years . . . is to make use of some of the stuff we've learnt in Hobart.''
She said a frequent and direct ``turn up and go'' service between Glenorchy and the CBD in Hobart had shown 8 per cent growth on the route and Invermay Road would lend itself to that type of service.
An update on moving the St ?John Street bus stops was also discussed and four proposals are being reviewed by Metro.
In June it was also revealed that up to 13 per cent of Metro buses ran more than three minutes early, meaning one in eight people missed their bus.
Ms Mason said Metro's buses were never meant to leave a stop before a scheduled time and drivers had been told.
``We're working extremely hard to fix that and the company policy is that any early running is totally unacceptable.''
She said the run time had been poorly establish many years ago and there should be a dramatic improvement in the next few months.
Ms Mason said the major burden for the organisation was meeting federal compliance standard deadlines for such aspects as the quality of bus fleets and stops.
At the moment, just 10 per cent of Metro's 8000 stops meet compliance standards, with some owned and maintained by councils.