State Transport Authority (South Australia) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Government Agency overview
Formed	18 April 1974
Preceding Government Agency	Municipal Tramways Trust South Australian Railways Transport Control Board
Dissolved	30 June 1994
Superseding agency	Passenger Transport Board TransAdelaide
Jurisdiction	South Australia
Headquarters	Adelaide

The State Transport Authority (STA) was a government group in South Australia. It managed public transport from 1974 to 1994.

How the STA Started and Ended

The State Transport Authority began on 18 April 1974. It was created by a special law called the State Transport Authority Act 1974. The main goal was to create a single, well-organized public transport system across South Australia.

The STA took direct control of services run by the state. This was especially true for buses, trains, and trams in the Adelaide area. It also set rules for private transport companies.

The STA stopped operating on 30 June 1994. This happened because of a new law, the Passenger Transport Act 1994. The STA's work was then split between two new groups. The Passenger Transport Board planned and paid for public transport. TransAdelaide actually ran the buses, trains, and trams in Adelaide.

Joining Forces: How the STA Formed

When the STA started, it took over the jobs of three other government groups. These groups became separate parts, or "divisions," within the STA:

• The South Australian Railways Commission became the Rail Division on 8 December 1975. This group managed the state's train services.
• The Municipal Tramways Trust (MTT) became the Bus & Tram Division. This also happened on 8 December 1975. By this time, most of Adelaide's tram lines had closed. Only the Glenelg tram line was still running. The MTT continued to run most local bus routes. Many of these routes followed old tram lines. The MTT also bought out many private bus companies in Adelaide.
• The Transport Control Board became the Regulation Division. This part of the STA made sure transport rules were followed.

Selling Off the Railways

In 1975, the Australian Federal Government wanted to take over all of Australia's railways. At the time, each state ran its own railway system. This led to many problems, like duplicated facilities and high costs. The government wanted to fix these issues.

Only South Australia and Tasmania agreed to this plan. For South Australia, the agreement only included railways outside the Adelaide city area.

On 1 July 1975, the Federal Government started paying for the non-city railways in South Australia. The STA still managed and ran these railways for the Federal Government. This was a temporary plan.

Finally, on 1 March 1978, the management of all non-city railways in South Australia was handed over to the Australian National Railways Commission. This included many old railway tracks, trains, and staff.

The STA kept control of all the suburban railway lines around Adelaide. This included the main Adelaide railway station. It also kept all the Redhen railcars and two 830 class diesel locomotives. At the same time, the STA's separate Rail and Bus & Tram Divisions joined together.

Key Moments in STA History

Many changes happened in Adelaide's public transport system while the STA was in charge:

• 25 January 1976: The Hallett Cove line was extended. It went south from Hallett Cove Beach to Christie Downs. This was the first public event where the new STA name and logo were used.
• 1976: Smoking was no longer allowed on Adelaide's buses.
• 4 February 1977: A new bus depot opened at Morphettville. This helped manage the growing bus fleet.
• 1977 to 1980: The STA received 307 new Volvo B59 buses. These buses helped update and standardize the bus fleet. They replaced many older, different types of buses. The last of these buses stopped running in 2003.
• 31 October 1977: The Circle Line bus service started.
• 2 April 1978: The Christie Downs line was extended further south. It now reached Noarlunga Centre.
• 28 October 1978: The Semaphore line closed between Glanville and Semaphore.
• October 1978 to April 1979: The old wooden bridge at Goodwood station was replaced. A new concrete structure was built.
• 4 February 1979: A new fare system was introduced across Adelaide. It used zones and allowed people to switch between buses, trains, and trams with one ticket.
• 17 August 1979: The Finsbury line closed between Woodville and Finsbury.
• 1 February 1980: The Hendon line closed between Albert Park and Hendon.
• 22 February 1980: The first new 2000 class railcars started public service. These modern trains were delivered until August 1981.
• 1980: New Volvo B58 and B10M buses arrived. They were used for longer routes and in the Adelaide Hills. These buses were brown and custard colored, earning them the nickname "Brown Bombers."
• 1981: New train stations opened. North Haven opened in September on the Outer Harbor line. Christie Downs opened in November on the Noarlunga line.
• 13 September 1981: Port Dock station closed.
• 1982: The first MAN SL200 buses began service. These were the last buses to be delivered in the classic silver and white colors.
• 18 May 1984: Country passenger trains moved from Adelaide station. They went to the new Keswick Terminal. This new terminal allowed interstate trains to use a new standard gauge line. It also helped avoid fees for using Adelaide station.
• 1985: A big project called ASER began to redevelop Adelaide railway station.
• 17 December 1985: Salisbury Interchange opened on the Gawler line. This improved connections between buses and trains in the northern suburbs.
• 2 March 1986: The first part of the O-Bahn Busway opened. This unique system uses special concrete tracks for modified Mercedes-Benz O305 buses.
• 9 March 1986: The Grange station moved to a new spot. This helped avoid a railway crossing on Military Road.
• 18 October 1986: The Glenelg tram depot moved. It went from Angas Street in the city to a new building at Glengowrie.
• 31 May 1987: North Arm Road, Wingfield, and Eastern Parade stations closed on the Port Adelaide-Dry Creek line.
• 24 July 1987: Services on the Northfield line stopped between Dry Creek and Northfield.
• 26 July 1987: Services on the Bridgewater line stopped between Belair and Bridgewater.
• 27 September 1987: A new computer ticket system was introduced. Paper tickets were replaced with magnetic-stripe tickets. These were checked by electronic machines.
• November 1987: New 3000 class railcars started public service. These trains replaced the older Redhen railcars.
• 1988: The ASER redevelopment project at Adelaide station finished. The station platforms became underground. A hotel and convention center were built above. The old station building became the Adelaide Casino.
• 29 May 1988: The Port Adelaide-Dry Creek line closed for regular passenger trains.
• 20 August 1989: The second part of the O-Bahn Busway opened. It extended from Paradise Interchange to Tea Tree Plaza Interchange at Modbury.
• 1990: The Adelaide station concourse was updated.
• 1990: A four-year project to update railway signals finished. New signals were installed. All STA trains were controlled from a computer center at Adelaide station.
• 17 February 1992: The first Transit Link bus route, TL1, started. It ran between Aberfoyle Park and Adelaide. These buses had fewer stops and used special bus lanes.
• 1992: Trains started running with only a driver. Guards were gradually removed. This made it harder to check tickets. It also led to more damage and bad behavior on trains. Transit Officers were added to some trains. However, people felt less safe, and getting tickets became harder. This caused fewer people to use some services.
• 16 August 1992: A new bus depot opened at Mile End. The old Hackney depot closed.
• 16 August 1992: The Transit Link idea was added to two new bus routes (TL2 and TL3). It was also used for express trains during busy times.
• 16 August 1992: Services on most bus and train routes were reduced at night and on weekends. Train frequency became hourly instead of every 45 minutes.
• 5 July 1993: A bus-rail interchange opened at Smithfield on the Gawler line.
• 21 November 1993: The successful Transit Link idea was expanded to five new bus routes (TL6 to TL10).
• 30 June 1994: The STA closed down. Its jobs were taken over by the Passenger Transport Board and TransAdelaide.

Railway Lines That Closed

In the past, Adelaide's railway system had many branch lines. These lines were mainly for freight, but some also had passenger trains during busy hours. During the STA's time, these industrial lines and other less-used services gradually closed.

Images for kids

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  STA logo