Richard White, East Ballina.
How wonderful to see Blanchs bus company, local councils, businesses and Social Futures trialling a commuter bus run.
Unfortunately the promotion of this momentous event hasn’t received the publicity it deserves
Commuter public transport will never get off the ground if trials such as this one slide by unnoticed and consequently under utilised and we will never get any government funding!
This is a chance to get cars off the road, ease parking congestion and save money.
A weekly ticket at $36, $3.60 per trip, is so cheap and means commuters could even do without a second car and save rego, insurance and running costs.
Please do a front page spread and get bums on bus seats and people could sit in comfort and safety, relax and read your paper. Win/Win
Now do TOOT/NRRAG get behind this. Not on your nelly. They continue to divide the community over their fixation on bringing trains back. This is not going to happen and does not help the majority of people who don’t live adjacent to a railway station.
What is their agenda? It is not about realistic public transport!
Their simplistic approach – ‘Would you like to see trains return to the track between Casino and Murwillumbah?’ doesn’t address the real question
‘What public transport does our widespread community need (and can be achieved for an affordable price)?
This bus trial from Byron to Lennox then Ballina and Lismore, services the majority of local commuters. The infrastructure is in place – no cost, it takes a car off the road for every passenger, concession prices are available (below the $3.60/trip),it is a safer, more relaxing trip and alleviates parking space.
Restore the train – government feasibility study $900 MILLION, TOOT/NRRAG who knows? – $300 million? Ongoing maintenance and asset costs huge!
TOOT/NRRAG, stop your self centred, divisive action, and throw your energies towards a proper, achievable public transport system. The state and this community cannot afford your limited, grandiose dream.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
