WA has extended its free public transport Sundays initiative but has conceded the $0 price tag wasn’t enough to lure people onto the 950.
The 950 is a key route between the City and Morley and is well known for being a thrill-seeking adventure every time one boards the bus. A route where you never know if you’ll be dragged into some kind of fracas, blasted with horrible hip hop music from a loud speaker or be lost in a sea of Lynx scented adolescent bravado.
Another key experience is when a group of drunken Irish backpackers make the holy pilgrimage from a Northbridge hostel to Mollys after being on the lash for several days. Lord have mercy.
Clearly, living on the edge is a little bit too much for people, especially the more well-off citizens of Beaufort St, so the Government thought they’d add a little sweetener.
In an initiative called, risk it for the biscuit, Perth residents will actually be paid for riding the 950 at the same rate of a standard 2 zone fare. We asked a resident living along the route if this was enough to get him back on, he said,
“Absolutely not, I keep getting asked what I’m looking at and I really don’t know how to respond”
The payment is expected to go towards compensating people for any staunchings or bodily fluid sprays they may encounter on the bus.
The opposition says the payments are too little, too late and most people cannot be convinced to give the 950 another try due to generational fear.
More to come.
Documenting the Human Zoo is thirsty work, so if you enjoyed what you read how about buying Belle a beer, ay?