PASSENGER TRANSPORT SERVICES IN RARA Regional and Remote Australia

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PASSENGER TRANSPORT SERVICES IN RARA(Regional
and Remote Australia)

• Stephen Lucas
• Chairman
• Bus Industry Confederation of Australia

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BUS INDUSTRY CONFEDERATION- Peak body
representing bus and coach operators,
manufacturers and suppliers- Carry approx 1
billion passengers annually- BIC focussed on
economic, social, environmental costs associated
with cars
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There are significant challenges in meeting the
transport needs of rural, regional and remote
Australia.
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Rural areas are characterised by - Low
population density- Small total population-
non built up areas- Geographically isolated
and remote
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Department of Family and Community
ServicesNational Youth Affairs Research
SchemeRural and Regional Young People and
TransportImproving Access to Transport for
Young People in Rural and Regional Australia.
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RURAL AND REGIONAL YOUNG PEOPLE AND
TRANSPORTThe lack of transport options
significantly limited educational, employment and
social opportunities for young people.
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IMPROVING PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN WARRNAMBOOL
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AIM OF STUDY- To explore travel patterns of
transport disadvantaged groups and identify
priorities to improve their accessibility,
focussing on the role of public transport- A
first step towards understanding the links
between improved public transport, social
exclusion and personal wellbeing.
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KEY ISSUE ACCESSIBILITY PLANNING- Personal
transport is about meeting accessibility needs
and fostering social inclusion- Service
delivery is typically structured around modes
rather than around meeting peoples needs for
access- PT/school bus/community transport
services operate in isolation, rather than as a
single service delivery system- Someone needs
to own accessibility!!!
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ACCESSIBILITY PLANNING (cont)- Regional
Accessibility Planning Councils should be
established to undertake needs assessments and
propose improvements- Regional transport
resources should be managed in a more
co-ordinated way to meet such needs (e.g. making
better use of school and community buses)
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MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS1. PT service
enhancements2. Marketing of PT services3.
Regulatory reform4. State level transport
planning
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• PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICE ENHANCEMENTS-
  Increase route bus service frequency/span-
  Extend service to growth suburbs- Provide pub
  night service for Deakin students- Trial
  route/tourist service in Port Fairy- Introduce
  twice weekly services plus Sat. Night from
  Mortlake and Hawkesdale to Warrnambool- Trial
  charter bus services to special events at
  Deakin- USE IT OR LOSE IT!!!

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• MARKETING- Implement an expanded program in
  Wbool- Provide enhanced customer service
  training to drivers (generally very highly
  regarded)- Provide awareness programs for
  seniors- Run familiarisation program with
  Indigenous Community- Extend transport
  concessions to international students and carers

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• MARKETING (CONT)- Allow time-purchase of
  student yearly passes- Change 2 hour route
  service ticket to 3 hours- Include marketing
  incentives in route bus contracts

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• REGULATORY REFORM- Provide greater flexibility
  in use of school buses by non-students-
  Provide DDA exemption from school buses providing
  route services in areas without such service

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• SYSTEM PLANNING- Encourage school/tertiary
  communities to develop Sustainable Travel
  Plans- Establish Regional Accessibility
  Planning Councils to identify and prioritise
  accessibility needs- Focus all State/Federal
  transport related funding (e.g. HACC) through DOI

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WHAT NOW?- Promote the report to the regional
community and State Government- Seek State
support to implement its recommendations in this
region as a demonstration of what might be
possible- Then encourage public transport use!
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The Commonwealth has a key and strategic role in
seeing a National Moving People Strategy
developed for the Nation
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At best a segmented and minimalist approach
giving preference to specific needs with
disregard to a wider and more substantial
problem. At worst it is an inefficient and
ineffective dogs breakfast.
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FOUR POLICY LEVERS FOR ENHANCED TRANSPORT
SUSTAINABILITY- Improving public transport
service levels including better regional
integration with CT- Better land use/transport
integration (mainly urban)- Road pricing
reform- Improved institutional arrangements
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LEVER 1 IMPROVE PT SERVICE LEVELSRequires-
Increased PT service frequency and coverage,
especially in middle/outer suburbs and regions
(equity),- Increased reliability (priority
access better connectivity), esp. middle/inner
suburbs (congestion)- Better information and
marketing (all areas) Public transport
performance that is more competitive with the car
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LEVER 2 INTEGRATE LAND USE/ TRANSPORTgt
Transport and land use decisions must be tied
much more closely together- To reduce the need
to travel and- Facilitate more travel by low
impact modesgt Transport grants from the
Federal Government to the States and Local
Government should require adequate means of
achieving this integration
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LEVER 3 PRICING REFORMgt Australian road
users are 20 billion short of meeting the costs
of their travel choices - Particularly trucks
and peak period carsgt Under-pricing congests
roads and discourages transitgt Road users need
to be made accountable for their costs - Short
term the Federal Government should replace
excise by charges that reflect external costs of
road use - Longer term congestion
charging - The Federal Government should lead
the development of improved pricing systems,
including a national framework that allows
progress towards congestion pricing
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LEVER 4 IMPROVED INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS-
Needs to be based on more integrated planning and
service delivery frameworks- Based around a
regional accessibility planning model- With
central State policy setting, co-ordination and
funding support- And Federal
policy/pricing/funding involvement because of the
national significance of many of the issues
involved
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LOCAL GOVERNMENTgt Should drive development of
a regional accessibility planning approachgt
Must recognise that it has a significant impact
on sustainability, e.g. - subdivision rules -
parking control - capacity to influence
State/Federal policy and programs
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