Fight for Woodstock bus garners no passengers
Residents of Woodstock, a small town in the central west of New South Wales, recently won a long-running battle for a community bus to help elderly residents get into town.
In an odd turn of events, the fortnightly service to Cowra has not seen a single passenger throughout its first six weeks of running.
Around 75 Woodstock residents signed a petition that was tabled with the state government by Cowra Bus Service, leading Transport for NSW to give the initiative $12,000 as part of the Transport Access Regional Partnerships grants program.
Bus Driver Christopher Parris said there were many local people without access to basic services, so it was confusing why no one was using it.
“It’s a bit disheartening when you pull up and sit there with the door open, waiting, and no one turns up… The population is ageing and some don’t have access to transport to go to the grocery store or doctor, so it’s just ideal,” he said.