Users of public transport in Orange have been envious of the pricing and scheduling of train services from Bathurst to Sydney ever since the previous Labor government added Bathurst to the CityRail network.

A decision made during the time of former Labor MP for Bathurst Gerard Martin, it slashed the price of rail travel from Bathurst to Sydney.

The introduction of the so-called Bathurst Bullet, the crack-of-dawn rail service to Sydney, only served to make the difference between rail services to Bathurst and Orange more stark.

To say it is a heavily subsidised service is to state the obvious. Taxpayers can only wonder at the wisdom of shunting an empty train between Lithgow and Bathurst overnight so the service can begin again the next morning.

BULLET A THREAT TO ORANGE COACH SERVICE

ORANGE COUNCIL MAKES TRACKS FOR BETTER TRANSPORT

It would be more cost-effective surely to leave it overnight in Bathurst, but better still to drive it on to Orange so commuters here could use the service.

As it stands commuters from Orange to Sydney really only have one option, a more expensive coach service to Central.

Those lobbying for a better public transport service for Orange would be happy initially if a coach service could at least reach Bathurst in time for the departure of the Bathurst Bullet.

Delaying the departure of the train would allow the coach to leave Orange at a more civilised hour.

But ultimately the goal should be ending the wasteful exercise of sending the train back to Lithgow empty every night by housing it here.

The continuing viability of coach services under that scenario should be part of the transport review, but it is ludicrous use fears for the coach service as an excuse to maintain a highly inefficient rail service for the convenience of Bathurst commuters.