Home > Accords > Strategy review > 'Shire Shuttle'

'Shire Shuttle'

Interview with Mark Stuart

Road Safety Officer for Sutherland Shire Council

Liquor accord: Sutherland Shire Council
Position in accord: Road Safety Officer
Strategy: Late-night bus service
Name of project: 'Shire Shuttle'

OLGR: Why was the ‘Shire Shuttle’ late-night bus service started?

Mark: Historically in the Sutherland Shire there is a lot of patron movement between venues, and with little access to late night transport, there was a great demand for an alternative to drink-walking and drink-driving throughout the shire.

The 'Shire Shuttle' was first run in 1996, prior to the formation of the local Miranda and Sutherland liquor accords. The support of six licensed venues at that time was integral to the financial success of the service, and the involvement and commitment of licensed premises has remained a mainstay of the service. Since their formation in 1999, the liquor accords have provided the support and finances to continue to run this weekly free service.

OLGR: Who was your target group?

Mark: Patrons of licensed venues aged 18-30 years.

OLGR: How does the ‘Shire Shuttle’ service operate?

Mark: The 'Shire Shuttle' operates on a set route, along main transport corridors, with dedicated stops at the sponsoring venues. The service is free to passengers, with the sponsors paying for the bus hire and security service. Patrons are dropped at their request anywhere on the route – the service promotes ‘Getting closer to home safely’. Council administers the service, with some promotional funding from the RTA.

Getting started – roles and funding

OLGR: How did you go about getting the late-night transport service started?

Mark: Sutherland Shire Council, local bus operators and police met with the larger licensed venues to discuss solutions to late-night transport and malicious damage problems.

The ‘Shire Shuttle’ service commenced in November 1996 with immediate results – decreases in drink-driving charges and huge reductions in malicious damage complaints in the areas surrounding the licensed venues.

OLGR: Who was involved and what were their roles?

Mark: The initial organising committee included Sutherland Shire Council’s road safety officer, bus company operators, local police commanders, and sponsor licensees. The route and timetable was developed by council and bus companies in consultation with the venues and police.

OLGR: Did you seek funding?

Mark: Yes.

OLGR: Where did the funding come from?

Mark: Funding for promotion was received from the RTA and Sutherland Shire Council.

OLGR: Who compiled the funding application?

Mark: The road safety officer for Sutherland Shire Council.

OLGR: How was the ‘Shire Shuttle’ funded originally funded? How is it funded presently?

Mark: The sponsoring venues paid for the operating costs of the bus – at this present time there are eight sponsors, contributing a total of $1,300 per week, with each venue contributing an amount dependant upon their size, capacity to pay and anticipated usage. These amounts are determined through negotiation.

OLGR: How much did you receive for the original funding? What do you use present funding for?

Mark: The original funding was $10,000 from the RTA. At present, the RTA provides $4,000 per annum and council around $6,000 per annum in promotional funding.

Keeping the transport scheme running – promotion and statistics

OLGR: How has the transport scheme changed since it started?

Mark: The service has been running successfully for 12 years. The frequency and reach of the service is dependant on the number of sponsors involved. At its peak in 2002, the service used three buses, with 14 sponsors contributing a total of $160,000 per annum, and covered virtually the entire Sutherland Shire.

OLGR: How did you initially promote and market the ‘Shire Shuttle’ to stakeholders and the community? How do you continue to promote and market the late-night transport service?

Mark: At launch, postcards were delivered to each household in the shire with info on route and pickup points. Timetable cards were distributed through the sponsoring venues.

Timetable cards are updated as required, and each venue is supplied with A-frames containing route and timetable info (PDF 640kb), which are displayed at venue entrances each weekend night.

OLGR: Have you collected statistics on the number of people using the service? Do you have any crime statistics?

Mark: Currently the bus carries on average 450 people per weekend. At its peak in 2002, the bus carried 1,200 per weekend. The drop in numbers has occurred as venues began providing their own bus transport for their patrons to better service their immediate neighbourhood.

Reports of malicious damage on Friday and Saturday nights reduced by 40 per cent following the introduction of the service in 1996.

Challenges and benefits

OLGR: What challenges have there been?

Mark: The greatest challenge is maintaining the level of funding required to keep the service viable. Many licensees are aware of their patrons using the service, yet are not financial sponsors – the difficulty is in gaining commitment from these venues. Peer pressure can often be successful in these situations.

OLGR: What are the benefits?

Mark: Benefits to the venues: patrons dispersed from vicinity quickly, less neighbourhood problems, duty of care satisfied. Benefits to patrons: provision of safe transport home.

For more information on the ‘Shire Shuttle’, please contact Mark Stuart on 02 9710 0341 or at
mstuart@ssc.nsw.gov.au.