By Di Bartok, Parramatta Advertiser, 16 February 2011

As the NSW Opposition promised to fund Parramatta’s free shuttle bus service the Loop yesterday, the Government was planning to roll out its new green shuttle service in the city today.

Yesterday, as Opposition transport spokeswoman Gladys Berejiklian came to town with her promise to fund the Loop service if elected to government on March 26, the Advertiser was unaware that the Government had already presented its plan for a free shuttle service for the city to councillors in a confidential council meeting on Monday night.

Roads Minister David Borger, who told the Advertiser of the government’s plans as the paper was going to press, said ``it is obvious that this information was leaked to the Liberals who were quick to come to town to announce their funding’‘.

Liberal Lord Mayor John Chedid was full of praise for the Opposition plan, joining Ms Berejiklian’s attack on the government for neglecting Parramatta when other cities have government-sponsored shuttle services, but failed to mention the government’s plan to launch the new service from March 14.

Under the Liberal plan, the service will still be known as the Loop - funded fully by a Liberal government - while the Labor plan is for council’s buses to take on a new, green look with NSW Government logo.

Labor’s new-look bus was being shown off this afternoon outside Parramatta Leagues Club.

[Click here for the original Parramatta Advertiser article.]