A PARLIAMENTARY committee has grilled Metro bosses over the irregularity of bus services to and from Launceston's northern suburbs. Heads of the public transport company appeared at a scrutiny hearing yesterday, lining up opposite Launceston MLC Rosemary Armitage and Windermere MLC Ivan Dean. Ms Armitage quizzed the company over the absence of bus services to St Leonards on Sundays. "You can't use them if they're not there," Ms Armitage said. Mr Dean went further, arguing weekend buses to northern suburbs were almost non-existent. He pressed Metro for details on what provisions were in place to properly service low socio-economic areas. "I don't hear or see too many complaints coming from the West Launcestons and the East Launcestons," Mr Dean said. "I get heaps and heaps from St Leonards, Rocherlea, Ravenswood, Waverley and Newnham." Mr Dean said northern suburb residents felt let down. Metro chairwoman Lynn Mason said services to Launceston's northern suburbs had been scaled back or suspended over several years due to low passenger numbers. Ms Mason said while Metro was not set up to make a profit or return a dividend, it was rightly expected to break even. She said under such conditions, the "use it or lose it" principle must apply. "We cannot run services indefinitely that are not making any money whatsoever," Ms Mason said. "One way or another you will pay for it ... either through state taxes or through using the service. It's really much fairer if the people using the service are the ones paying for it." A full-scale review of Metro's bus services in Northern Tasmania was launched just weeks ago. The review will re-evaluate the location and frequency of all Metro bus services, based on population density. However, the company says the report may not be finalised for several years.
A PARLIAMENTARY committee has grilled Metro bosses over the irregularity of bus services to and from Launceston's northern suburbs.
Heads of the public transport company appeared at a scrutiny hearing yesterday, lining up opposite Launceston MLC Rosemary Armitage and Windermere MLC Ivan Dean.
Ms Armitage quizzed the company over the absence of bus services to St Leonards on Sundays.
"You can't use them if they're not there," Ms Armitage said.
Mr Dean went further, arguing weekend buses to northern suburbs were almost non-existent.
He pressed Metro for details on what provisions were in place to properly service low socio-economic areas.
"I don't hear or see too many complaints coming from the West Launcestons and the East Launcestons," Mr Dean said.
"I get heaps and heaps from St Leonards, Rocherlea, Ravenswood, Waverley and Newnham."
Mr Dean said northern suburb residents felt let down.
Metro chairwoman Lynn Mason said services to Launceston's northern suburbs had been scaled back or suspended over several years due to low passenger numbers.
Ms Mason said while Metro was not set up to make a profit or return a dividend, it was rightly expected to break even.
She said under such conditions, the "use it or lose it" principle must apply.
"We cannot run services indefinitely that are not making any money whatsoever," Ms Mason said.
"One way or another you will pay for it ... either through state taxes or through using the service. It's really much fairer if the people using the service are the ones paying for it."
A full-scale review of Metro's bus services in Northern Tasmania was launched just weeks ago.
The review will re-evaluate the location and frequency of all Metro bus services, based on population density. However, the company says the report may not be finalised for several years.
