Red CAT bus service starts today

23/9/96

Perth's advanced Central Area Transit (CAT) system has been completed today with the start of the free Red CAT bus service.

The Red CAT buses replace the Green, Red and Yellow City Clippers and provide a regular and convenient east-west service for city commuters, shoppers and tourists.

Transport Minister Eric Charlton said the Red CAT buses were expected to be extremely popular.

"The introduction of the north-south Blue CAT last month increased patronage ten-fold when compared with the previous Blue Clipper service," Mr Charlton said.

"The CAT buses provide the most advanced urban bus service in Australia.

"They are unique in their ability to lower the floor to kerb level and for this reason have earned wide praise from people with disabilities.

"They have also been welcomed by parents with young children and travellers carrying awkward loads."

The bus routes feature high-tech bus shelters using radio antennas to trace the buses and provide up-to-the-minute bus schedule information in visible and audible formats.

Mr Charlton said the Red CAT service would run every five minutes from Monday to Friday from 7 am to 6 pm.

The buses would cover the central Perth area from Outram Street in West Perth to Horatio Street in East Perth. Busport commuters would be serviced by a Route 5 bus service which would replace the Purple City Clipper.

Mr Charlton said the new bus services had been made possible by Federal funding under the Building Better Cities Program, together with funds from the State Government and the City of Perth. Operation costs would be shared by the State and the City of Perth.

Media contact: Sally Squires 321 7333