Acting on a report by Transport Planning and Management the City of Sydney Council will  double the number of community transport connections in the City within the same budget.

Thousands of city residents, including the young, elderly and socially disadvantaged, will be able to use new and expanded services under a revamp of the City of Sydney's community transport.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the revamp would give many more people access to high-quality, reliable transport - especially those who might otherwise be cut-off from shops, hospitals, essential services and their communities.

"Through improved organisation, we can provide over 80,000 trips each year once services are fully up and running - almost double the number of trips we now provide," the Lord Mayor said.

"While the City does its best to provide these important community services, we know there are people in the community who can also make a real difference. The City is supporting community-based organisations to run services themselves - including the incredibly successful Village to Village buses."

Maureen Lee, 80, started using the Woolloomooloo community shuttle about 18 months ago after a hip replacement.

"I had to use a walking stick and found it impossible to get on and off a regular bus. Now I catch the bus around the corner from my home and the driver brings out these little steps for me to get on. It's so helpful and the only way I can get around."

Maureen catches the bus every Thursday and Friday to go shopping, see friends and meet with people in Potts Point and Kings Cross for work as a freelance artist.

"The bus is an absolute lifeline. Without it, a lot of people would never go anywhere, it's a real help," Maureen said.

The revamp will mean at least three new community transport services could be provided over the next four years, along with improved and expanded existing services, including;

• Two new three-day-a-week Village to Village Shuttles;
• Expanding the existing Redfern to Glebe and Redfern to Woolloomooloo Village to Village Shuttles from two to three days a week;
• Retaining and expanding transport to Over 55s centres and other socialising destinations;
• Introducing personalised demand-responsive travel for those who have no other transport options;
• Retaining and expanding services for young people;
• Introducing shopping services for transport disadvantaged people who don't meet the Home and Community Care (HACC) program eligibility; and
• Creating a funding pool for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities;
• A new travel training program to help people maintain their independence and use public transport who may not be confident, experienced or know much about how to use the public transport network; and  
• A new information service providing a one-stop-shop for information on all community transport services in the one place.

"Community transport helps people connect with other people and stay healthy by taking them to community centres, swimming pools and parks," the Lord Mayor said.

"Through Sustainable Sydney 2030, we're making our city and surrounding suburbs cleaner, greener and easier to get around. The changes will help link locals with the inner city, as well as neighbours and shops closer to home; providing a welcome boost for local small businesses."

"By funding community-run buses, we can provide easier-to-understand, accessible and improved services for residents and it won't cost the City any additional money."

Cooperation between CT groups results in new services for passengers with distant medical appointments

A NEW bus service to take Northern Rivers people to medical appointments at hospitals in Brisbane will start on April 2.

The North Coast Shuttle service is a 17 seater wheelchair accessible bus that departs from Ballina (with one stop in Byron shire and one stop in Tweed shire) travelling to Brisbane three times a week for medical appointments at PA, Mater and Royal Brisbane hospitals.

Patients will also be able to use the bus to get to specialist appointments near one of the hospitals.

Bookings and assessments for the shuttle will be taken at Northern Rivers Community Transport, Tweed, Byron, Ballina Community Transport and Clarence Valley Community Transport. 

The service will give first priority to passengers who criteria according to Health and Community Care guidelines, being frail aged or someone with a permanent disability. However, other people can use this service if seats are available.

The nominal cost for this service is only $50.  Accompanying carers can travel free of charge and there will be an on-board assistant to support passengers with basic needs.

Transport to and from the client's home to the nearest shuttle stop will be provided with no additional charge.  This includes anyone from Lismore, Casino, Maclean and other outlying areas.

The new service is a pilot project funded by Transport NSW. Until fully supported the service will be limited to appointments on Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 10am and 1pm. 

Shuttle organisers are encouraging support from both medical practices and individuals to make appointments within this timeframe.

Project coordinator Amanda Lucantonio said the project had "been in the making for many years".

"We are keen to gather support to sustain this service beyond the initial 12 months," she said.

See the original article at the Northern Star.

 

Written by David Denmark with additional material by Professor Corinne Mulley.