Geraldton and Mid West travellers who use Transwa coach services will be seated in comfort in an entirely new fleet by 2016-17. Geraldton MLA Ian Blayney said this morning that passengers travelling throughout regional Western Australia will ride in style after the State Government committed $16.3million, including $15.1million from the State Government’s Royalties for Regions program, to buy 23 road coaches.

“Transwa’s entire decade-old coach fleet will be replaced over the next three years and will be expanded to have 23 coaches on the State’s roads,” Mr Blayney said.

“Eight new coaches will be bought in 2014-15, eight in 2015-16 and the final seven in 2016-17.”

Mr Blayney said every one of the new five-star Transwa coaches were air-conditioned and outfitted with cold drinking water, toilet with baby change table, and DVD entertainment systems.

He said the existing coaches had already had their operating life extended by several years through an intensive preventive maintenance program.

“These vehicles have more than earned their keep, travelling an average of 1.4million kilometres each since they were purchased,” he said.

“In 2012-13, Transwa’s 144 services per week carried about 210,000 passengers throughout WA covering more than three million kilometres with the average passenger travelling about 310km per trip.”

The Royalties for Regions investment would improve services in regional communities and especially help senior passengers and tourists who were frequent bus users.

The Transwa coaches provide regular transport services to people in the 250 regional communities they travel between and are a vital link for tourists exploring WA.

The new fleet will be compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, ensuring optimum accessibility for less mobile passengers.