Harris Park. LOOP may service precinct

The Harris Park town centre provides a dining and retail precinct which complements the Parramatta CBD, according to Lord Mayor John Chedid, who has recommended that council investigate opportunities to expand the free LOOP bus service in the CBD, to the Harris Park precinct. Options include establishing a separate service or extending the route of the CBD service. Local businesses will be consulted.

Parramatta. Question over LOOP service

Parramatta City Council will review the operation of its free LOOP bus service around the CBD at the end of the current contract with the view to continuing it only if substantial sponsorship or NSW government support can be obtained through grants of an infrastructure rate change. Council notes in its June quarterly review that while the LOOP continues to meet expectations, the service could not secure much needed advertising and sponsorship support, leaving an unfavourable variance of $88,000 for the quarter.

Parramatta. Funding may restrict expansion

Parramatta Lord Mayor, Tony Issa, said council would find it “extremely difficult” to implement plans to extend the Loop bus service around the CBD. “The free shuttle bus service has proved so popular that council is keen to add a third bus and extend the route” but funding would be a problem, he said. The service had carried over 700,0000 passengers in its first year.