Tuesday, 31 October 2023

North-Eastern Metropolitan Region

Aiv PUGLIELLI (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (13:00): (499) My question today is to the Minister for Public and Active Transport, and it relates to the public transport services in Nillumbik shire. I have been contacted by an older resident from Nillumbik, who has told me that for him it is nearly impossible to use conventional public transport. He says that he just cannot risk taking public transport that is irregular or where he cannot be guaranteed a seat, and as I am sure you will understand, this is a big barrier for older people using public transport in our state. Due to the lack of public transport options, this man relies instead mainly on taxis and Ubers to get around, which also have their issues in the outer suburbs of Melbourne. He regularly experiences long waits with no available cars in the area due to being so far out. Minister, public transport needs to be fast, it needs to be frequent and it needs to be accessible to all. What will you do to improve public transport services in Nillumbik?