By Di Bartok, Parramatta Advertiser, 1 March 2011

FROM March 12, a new NSW Government-funded free bus shuttle service around Parramatta CBD will replace the council’s Loop bus service.

The service will travel on much the same route around the CBD but will be extended to seven days a week.

The existing blue Loop buses will be ``done over’’ in government green, although the council will still run the service.

Announcing the new service in Parramatta, Transport Minister John Robertson said plans for government funding began ``six to seven months ago’‘.

``We have been progressively rolling out funding free bus shuttle services in a number of areas Campbelltown, Liverpool and Gosford, and Parramatta was next,’’ Mr Robertson told the Advertiser.

He said it was difficult to keep the plan under wraps while councillors were crying out for government funding for the Loop. The government plan was discussed in a confidential session of Parramatta Council. The next day, Opposition transport spokeswoman Gladys Berejiklian was in Parramatta announcing a Liberal government would ``fully fund’’ the Loop service.

Now, councillor Pierre Esber, who is Labor’s Parramatta candidate, claims ``it is too much of a coincidence’’ that Ms Berejiklian announced her commitment to the Loop the day after councillors were told of Labor’s plan.

``I want to know who tipped off the Liberals that Labor was about to make an announcement,’’ Cr Esber said.

Ms Berejiklian said she was ``appalled’’ at the accusation that she was ``tipped off’‘.

``This is just Labor spin. I had not even told the mayor I was coming to Parramatta until Tuesday morning. The Loop was started in 2008 and Labor has taken all this time to announce it will fund it,’’ Ms Berejiklian said.

[Click here for the original Parramatta Advertiser article.]