Zoe Moffatt
Sunbury residents are calling on the state government for immediate action to improve bus services, which they say will ‘risk perpetuating a cycle of disadvantage’ if unchanged.
A petition calling on an improved bus service launched on August 28, and named Public Transport Minister Ben Carroll and Sunbury MP Josh Bull as the decision makers who need to act.
Sunbury resident Matthew McKay started the petition- which currently has about 353 signatures- spured on by his feelings of frustration at the inaccessibility of the service.
“I am a disabled resident who cannot drive due to a vision impairment and I struggle to be independent as a result of the poor bus network,” Mr McKay said.
“Many people, especially those who rely on public transportation as their primary mode of travel, are disproportionately affected by the current inadequacies of the bus service.”
Mr McKay said the stakes in resolving the issue are high, and access to reliable and convenient transportation is a matter of fundamental equality and accessibility.
“Without an improved bus service, members of our community are facing limited job opportunities, reduced access to educational institutions, and a diminished quality of life,” he said.
“If things remain unchanged, we risk perpetuating a cycle of disadvantage that affects the socio-economic development of Sunbury as a whole.”
Mr McKay said he wants an improvement in the service and the solution may be a combination of different models, including FlexiRide, an on-demand bus service, or new bus loop.
Fellow signatories agreed and said the frequency and route of the service needs to be improved, including around local schools.
“As someone with mobility issues it is near impossible to get around Sunbury easily on [public transport],” one signatory said.
Mr Bull said he has advocated to Mr Carroll to investigate the viability of the current service running more frequently and/ or later into the evening based on community feedback.
“I applaud our constituents in their efforts to advocate for change and progress for our local community, and take these matters very seriously,” he said.
“At the present time, my focus is on providing routes to newly developed areas, where residents currently have little to no access to bus transportation.”
Hume council wrote to Mr Carroll on June 28, requesting a review of the Sunbury bus network, and long-term public transport planning.
Mr Carroll was contacted for comment.
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