Glen Innes and Tenterfield residents will soon have a direct coach link to Queensland for the first time in almost ten years, with Greyhound Australia launching a new Tamworth to Toowoomba service on Monday, 3 August.
The trial service will run daily along the New England Highway, stopping at Tamworth, Armidale, Glen Innes, Tenterfield, Stanthorpe, Warwick and Toowoomba. Passengers heading further north will be able to make a seamless connection to and from Brisbane via Toowoomba, opening up a new travel option between South East Queensland and regional New South Wales.
For Inverell Shire residents, the service will be accessible via Glen Innes. Northbound coaches will depart Glen Innes at 11am and arrive in Toowoomba at 4pm, while southbound services will leave Toowoomba at 9.45am and reach Glen Innes at 2.20pm.
Residents unable to drive to Glen Innes can also travel on the school bus during term time by contacting Cavanagh Bus and Coach Service on 6722 3598, with conditions applying. Times are listed in AEST and will change when Daylight Saving begins in October.
Inverell Shire Council has welcomed the trial, with Mayor Kate Dight saying it fills a longstanding gap in public transport for the region.
“Inverell Shire Council welcomes the trial of the Tamworth to Toowoomba Greyhound service, which provides a much-needed public transport link for residents travelling to medical and related appointments,” Mayor Dight said.
“The timetable connections available to Inverell Shire residents, via Glen Innes, are extremely encouraging and I urge our community to make full use of this service throughout the trial period. Strong patronage will give us the best chance of securing the service beyond the trial phase.”
Greyhound Australia Chief Operating Officer Tilly Loughborough said the new route was about far more than adding another line to the network.
“This service is about reconnecting regional communities and making it easier for people to travel between Queensland and New South Wales,” Ms Loughborough said.
“For the first time in almost a decade, Greyhound is returning to the New England Highway, creating new opportunities for tourism, business, education and visiting friends and relatives across the region.”
The company said the route would support a wide range of travellers, from tourists and business travellers to students and those visiting family. It also offers a practical option for people who need to reach regional centres along the corridor without relying on a private vehicle.
Greyhound Australia, which was founded in Toowoomba in 1928, describes the new service as a way of strengthening ties between its home city and regional New South Wales. The company is Australia’s largest coach network, running long-distance services across Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and the Northern Territory.
To mark the launch, Greyhound is offering a 10 per cent discount on all travel on the New England Highway service for bookings made before Friday, 31 July. Bookings are already open for services starting on 3 August, and tickets can be purchased through www.greyhound.com.au or a local travel or booking agent.
Regional transport advocacy group Trains North has also welcomed the announcement, having campaigned for years for better connections north of Glen Innes and Tenterfield. The group’s Glen Innes Vice President, Susan Waters, said the return of coach services would ease a long-standing problem for residents needing to reach medical specialists in Queensland.
“It is excellent that a company has finally stepped up and relaunched this service. Transport north is desperately needed for our community,” Ms Waters said.
“People have been disadvantaged and effectively prevented from attending specialist appointments in the past due to the absence of passenger transport that connects us with Queensland.”
Trains North President Matthew Tierney said the service would also benefit students, noting that Queensland students studying at the University of New England had previously told the group they struggled to get to Armidale without relying on lifts from others.
Bookings for the New England Highway service are open now at www.greyhound.com.au.
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