Village Residents Can Benefit From Fortnightly Services: Cowra Bus Service

Cowra Bus Service Manager Pat Charnock says the residents of Woodstock, Noonbinna, Wattamondara and Koorawatha can save petrol money by using the fortnightly bus services now running to each village. The services, funded in part by Transport for NSW but operated by Cowra Bus Service, began in March, and include a return trip to Cowra.

However, in the first two months of the 12-month program, just one person has used the service, being on the Woodstock route. No-one has used the Koorawatha/Wattamondara/Noonbinna service yet. The services rotate each Thursday, with Woodstock return to Cowra running every first Thursday, and Koorawatha to Cowra return via Wattamondara and Noonbinna running every second Thursday.

Mr Charnock said the survival of the pro-gram beyond 12 months was reliant on getting passengers on buses every week. He said there were many benefits for residents in these villages to use the service, including a saving on fuel expenses.

“Pensioners can get a return ticket for just $2.50, and you certainly couldn’t drive yourself into town and back for that cheap,” he said.

“All tickets also include our ‘Hail and Ride’ service within Cowra, so people in those villages could get into Cowra, as well as around Cowra, all day on the same ticket.” Fares for each service are $2.50 return for pensioners, $4.40 return for children, and $9 return for adults.

Fuel in and around Cowra is currently around $1.40 per litre, meaning the bus fares would be cheaper than residents driving their own vehicles.

Mr Charnock said residents in each village serviced had been calling out for a bus service for a long time now, and now was their chance to make sure the services would be here to stay.

“These communities have called for them, but no-one has used them. We need people to use them regularly for the services to stay beyond 12 months,” he said.

The Transport for NSW funding program that has enabled Cowra Bus Service to operate the village routes expires in March next year.

The service to Koorawatha via Noonbinna and Wattamondara will run this Thursday, while the Woodstock service will run next Thursday, and continue alternating.

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