The State Government will hold a bus passenger forum in Newcastle this month to provide commuters with an opportunity to provide feedback on bus routes and cuts to services that have occurred due to privatising the region's bus network.
The forum is among the findings of the government's Bus Taskforce, which is examining privatised bus operations in Sydney, Newcastle and across the state.
Further findings are due to be released on Saturday.
Transport Parliamentary Secretary Marjorie O'Neill will chair the forum on Friday June 23 at NEX King Street, Newcastle between 10am and 12pm.
Members of the public, representatives from community groups, local businesses and non-government organisations are encouraged to attend.
The forum will include small group discussions around participants' areas of interest, such as the frequency or route of their local bus services, bus stop infrastructure, how they get customer information or whether their bus is going to show up.
"We know the community has a lot to say about the current state of our bus services and we want to make sure they are part of the decision-making process," Dr O'Neill said.
"To be able to deliver a service that works for the community we need to be talking directly to bus passengers, which is exactly what we will be doing through these forums."
"Commuters across the Newcastle and the Hunter region have been dealing with these service issues for too long and it is time passengers had their say."
"Your feedback will be considered, from frustrations over cancelled services to discussions on bus stop placement, I want to hear it all."
The taskforce, which is led by former State Transit Authority and bus company chief executive John Lee, will deliver its initial findings to cabinet on July 10, an interim report on October 10 and a final report and recommendations by May 1, 2024.
The taskforce follows an upper house inquiry report last year which urged the then Coalition government to consider reversing the "disastrous" privatisation of Newcastle's bus network.
The inquiry committee found the privatisation of Newcastle buses and ferries had led to inferior services, higher costs for passengers and worse pay and conditions for drivers.
It recommended the government consider returning bus operations in Newcastle and four Sydney regions to public control, though the former government signed long contract extensions with two Sydney operators just before the March election and four others late last year.
Transport Minister Jo Haylen has ruled out ripping up the previous government's bus contracts despite acknowledging they had resulted in an inferior service for many Hunter commuters.
"We know that there were services that previously took people about 40 minutes to get into Newcastle. Now it takes them an hour and a half and they have to change multiple times. The system is failing the people who need it," the minister said during a visit to Newcastle in April.
Those wishing to attend the passenger forum should register via: Bus Industry Taskforce Events | Eventbrite
An online portal will also be established to allow those unable to attend to make submissions.
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