PENSIONER Rita Hallahan, 86, feels her independence has been taken away from her after Translink removed the bus stop closest to her house. 

Mrs Hallahan has been catching the bus from her Kearneys Spring home to the shops for the past 44 years. 

However, it is now impossible for her to reach the new bus stop which is more than one kilometre from her house and down a hill. She would also have to cross two busy roads. 

“There are a lot of people in the area who don’t have great mobility and rely on the bus for their independence and now that has been taken away from them and me as well,” Mrs Hallahan said. 

Member for Toowoomba South David Janetzki MP said Translink’s response to Mrs Hallahan’s enquiries were not good enough. 

“Rita travelled to Clifford Gardens to speak to a Translink staff member who simply told her not to worry because there would be a review of the route in five years,” Mr Janetzki said. 

“She also phoned Translink for help and the person she spoke to didn’t even know where Toowoomba was.” 

Mrs Hallahan said it would cost her $30 return to get a taxi to Clifford Gardens for her groceries. 

“My weekly grocery bill is about $45. To add $30 onto my grocery bill is a lot for a pensioner,” she said. 

Her weekly bus trips used to cost $2.20 return. 

Mrs Hallahan’s neighbour Gwen Stagg, who has also been catching the bus for 40 years, said it was devastating to lose the service. 

“It has been absolutely devastating for me,” Mrs Stagg said. 

“I don’t have very good vision and I can’t make it to the new bus stop.” 

Church of Christ offer a transport service for $14 return but it needs to be booked two days in advance. 

Mr Janetzki contacted the Department of Transport and Main Roads which suggested Mrs Hallahan could catch a bus into the city from a closer bus stop. However, she would have to cross four lanes of Ruthven Street where there were no traffic lights or pedestrian crossings to get there.

Caption photo 1: Member for Toowoomba South David Janetzki speaks with pensioners (from left) Gwen Stagg, Rita Hallahan and Nancy Fermor who have lost their independence due to the removal of their Alderley Street bus stop.