Consultation On Victoria Regional Public Transport Plan To Kick Off Next Month

[ozbob]

http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/consultation-on-regional-public-transport-plan-to-kick-off-next-month

Consultation On Regional Public Transport Plan To Kick Off Next Month

Friday 15 May 2015

Community consultation on Victoria's first ever long-term strategy for regional public transport will kick off next month.

The Regional Network Development Plan will set out priorities for regional public transport services, infrastructure and investment over the next 20-30 years.

There has been a metropolitan rail Network Development Plan in place since 2012 but never one for regional services. Minister for Public Transport, Jacinta Allan, said the lack of a strategy for public transport in the short, medium and long term had held rural and regional Victoria back for too long.

The Regional Network Development Plan will move Victoria away from ad hoc service improvements, towards a more coordinated regional public transport network where train and bus services work together to get people where they need to go.

The plan will also consider infrastructure upgrades, network extension and rolling stock, including next generation high capacity regional trains to cater for peak demand.

A Regional Transport Advisory Group with representatives from all regions will advise the Government during the consultation process and drive engagement with local communities and councils.

The consultation process will take place over the next three months, and will be a critical part of the development of the Regional Network Development Plan, which will be finalised for consideration as part of the 2016-17 Budget.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Public Transport, Jacinta Allan

"The Regional Network Development Plan will, for the first time, set out a plan for better public transport in regional Victoria in the short, medium and long-term."

"Melbourne has had a plan for many years and it's time to bring that forward thinking to the needs of regional Victoria."

"Regional public transport users and communities will be front and centre in our plan for better public transport in regional Victoria."

"The Andrews Labor Government was elected to improve public transport for all Victorians and that's what we're doing."

[Stillwater]

Queensland will need to do something similar as more people crowd into the South-East and seek to travel around it, outside the Brisbane urban conurbation.  We are also getting older.  Grandma at Caloundra will want to visit the family at Inala etc.  Others will need to travel to and from medical specialist services, from places as far afield as Bundaberg - something confirmed to Ozbob on his recent visit there.

So, we not only need a Connecting SEQ plan that works, but a connecting the 'outside SEQ' document. The Queensland Government's failure to address this will only cement in the minds of those who do not live in SEQ that there is a two-class status for Queensland citizens.

[ozbob]

SEQ has a very flawed mentality on these matters Mr. Stillwater. 

Labor Vic are showing Labor Qld how things can be done ..