Sector Connect is shining a light on concerns about community transport issues in the lead up the State Election.
Community transport plays a crucial role in connecting people to vital hubs and services throughout our community and reducing social and economic exclusion. Despite this, community transport services in NSW face uncertainty and many services cannot meet the needs of regional and remote communities.
With record transport funding going into Sydney, it is simply not fair that regional transport solutions, like South West Sydney and Southern Highlands Community Transport, are not being properly resourced.
As a result, Sector Connect, in partnership with NCOSS, is calling for the next NSW Government to prioritise reducing transport disadvantage.
You can help us make this a reality by joining with us and committing to better funding for community transport for rural, regional and remote communities.
Long-term funding for the NSW Community Transport Program, including an increase in funds for service providers by 20 per cent each year for five years.
Reduction of red tape, clarity of community transport asset ownership, acknowledgement administrative burden, alleviation of need to increase cost to already disadvantaged people.
Transport for NSW, in consultation with the sector, send funds more directly to communities so that local groups can together arrange how to deploy their community transport resources efficiently and sustainably.
Increased funding directed towards evidence-based programs, such as Driving Change, that support young people in regional areas to get their licence.
Move from distance-based public transport fares to a flatter fee structure, to positively impact people who live in outer metropolitan regions and who are more likely to experience poverty and hardship compared to their inner-city counterparts. Impacts on inner-urban poor would need to be offset.
Our organisation greatly appreciate your support and welcome any opportunity to discuss these issues.