Ipswich council calls for greater government investment into bus network as driver shortages persist

 Queensland's fastest-growing city is calling for a serious financial injection into its ailing bus network amid fears thousands of new residents will become car bound. 

According to a report recently tabled in Ipswich City Council, the city has only 18 urban bus routes managed by the state government, compared to 35 in Redlands, 47 in Logan, and 48 in Moreton Bay.

Mayor Teresa Harding said Ipswich's annual growth was at 4 per cent, well above Queensland's 1.9 per cent, as nearly 5,000 new residents moved to the council region last year.

The region's current population of 242,000 residents is expected to top 520,000 by 2041, and at present, fewer than 11 per cent of residents use public transport.

Read More: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-27/ipswich-bus-network-lagging-behind-population-growth/101474516