General News
12 October, 2024
LNP commits to trial of micro-public transport
A MICRO-public transport pilot would be trialled to provide free transport between smaller towns and bigger centres if the LNP wins government at the October state election.
LNP’s Hill candidate Cameron McCollum announced the new initiative which would see three 12-seater buses based in Dimbulah, Ravenshoe and Babinda to provide a way for those who need to get larger towns to go to medical appointments, educational centres, to workplaces or other fundamental needs.
The initiative is good news for Tablelands and Mareeba Shire residents who chose public transport as the number one thing they desired for our region in the Express Yourself community survey conducted earlier this year.
The survey, which yielded 1032 respondents, revealed that public transport topped the list of desires – not surprising, given the ageing population in our region and the inability of young people to get around without someone driving them.
Mr McCollum said the new service would be funded for three years and would be managed locally so it could be adapted as the needs of the community became apparent.
“We know how diverse communities are, and so we would have the service managed by an appropriate local group – not a bureaucrat in Brisbane – because they know what the community’s needs are,” he said.
“Initially, we would see people being brought from Dimbulah or Ravenshoe to the nearest larger centre but if we get feedback that people need to get to Cairns for example, then the local group can make those decisions and adapt it to suit the needs out there.”
Mr McCollum says the new service would encourage people to stay living in smaller centres if they could get effective transport to larger towns when needed.
“I see this service as giving, for example, young people who haven’t got access to transport to get to the nearest TAFE or to go to a job – they will have a connector to get them there, and that brings money back to the smaller town, which brings back a vibrance to those small communities who are withering on the vine,” he said.
Mr McCollum says the benefits will flow back to the community and to the government’s bottom line.
“It allows people to access services in those larger towns instead of creating new services to cater for those few who can’t access them at the moment, so there’s efficiencies for the taxpayers to be generated there.
“That means every last drop of value is extracted for every dollar spent on this initiative.”
Mr McCollum said the $675,000 project was part of the LNP’s focus on working harder for Queenslanders, and “actually delivering for the people of Hill, which has been the forgotten electorate for a generation”.
“This micro-public transport pilot will ensure our people who are struggling under Labor’s cost-of-living crisis or unable to drive, are still able to access essential services and amenities, such as specialist health appointments, that are not available to them in their home town.
“Poor local representation combined with Labor’s failures have overseen $20 billion-plus in white-elephant projects and cost blowouts that could have instead delivered grassroots infrastructure like innovative public transport solutions for our region.”
