Council backs bus shelter funding push for East Kimberley

The Wyndham East Kimberley shire council has thrown its support behind a plan to improve public transport infrastructure in the area.

The council will join the State Government’s bus shelter subsidy program after a vote at its meeting on March 24 to endorse participation in the program in principle and authorise officers to begin identifying high-priority bus stop locations across Kununurra and Wyndham.

These sites will be assessed for eligibility through the Public Transport Authority, with detailed costings to be brought back to the council for final approval.

The BSSP offers local governments a chance to co-fund new bus shelters, with the PTA contributing up to 50 per cent of installation costs, capped at $7000.

A standard shelter is estimated to cost about $14,000, with the shire responsible for the remaining share as well as ongoing maintenance.

While the subsidy provides significant financial support, the council noted that additional civil works, such as site surveys, concrete passenger boarding platforms and community consultation could increase overall project costs.

In some cases, these works may exceed the cost of the shelter itself due to high regional construction expenses.

Despite this, officers told councillors that the initiative was a valuable opportunity to improve safety, accessibility and comfort for public transport users in the region.

All installations will be required to meet safety and accessibility standards, including crime prevention through environmental design principles and disability access requirements.

Shire officers also flagged plans to incorporate landscaping and design features to enhance the visual appeal of shelters, which are often considered stark infrastructure.

The council will consider site-specific proposals and funding commitments at a later date, following further investigation and cost analysis.