It is great to hear that our number one community advocate and NSW State Member for Mount Druitt Hon. Edmond Atalla, is charging forward, with improvements in public transport accessible buses. He has done his job and referred to the NSW Minister of Transport, Hon. Andrew Constance.
While I respect both of their offices, I question the response from the NSW Minister of Transport on that he understands..... it is not confirmed. Busways says they are complying to 55% and the Ministers understands that Busways has 61% - yet we are called 'Outer Sydney' - So 'Inner Sydney' appears to be a preference as per previous NSW Government Sydney Bus documents Click here for inner Sydney 86% wheel chair accessible buses
If you go to quarterly performances - September 2015 from Sydney Buses page 86.9% are wheel chair accessible - this confirms that we are right behind the times compared to these bus regions. We are considered outer Sydney, yet Bus Region 1 is part of Sydney's bus region. We are definitely part of Sydney's bus network within Western Sydney, we no not say that North of Sydney is outer Sydney, so the same should be said of us. Outer Sydney west would be the Blue Mountains.....
All NSW bus Regions within Sydney (which includes Bus Region 1), should be equally provided with the same ratio of accessible bus, same as other bus regions.
I take point where the Minister suggests that I contact 131500 - I had done that on a previous blog and got a bureaucratic response from Busways which did not address the issue. If previous blogs were read this would have been picked up.* It needed a Minister of Transport response and our State Member for Mount Druitt Edmond Atalla got it. Well done!
And Still the issue remains! I'm sure this will still be discussed in NSW Parliament!
Response from 131501 inquiry
Previous post
It is
that is not many times that I get mentioned in the local papers on 2
different articles. Page 2 and 3 of the Mount Druitt - St Marys Standard have 2 articles where I have been quoted on local events and issues. Although one of them is my passion to have more
accessible buses compared to other bus regions the other was overall
instant shock and response to what has happening around the community in
a short period of time in relation to recent storm.
Anything
thing that is required by the local press for myself to respond, reply and quote, is not to promote myself
but to promote and benefit Mount Druitt, for its needed services and infrastructure.
Mount Druitt is in my heart and I am sure I am like many people in our
area - ambassadors of our local community as well as a true advocate for our area.
Click here for previous post on accessible buses ratio
Click here for previous post on Mount Druitt Storm
This is a late published blog (which should have been published late last year), so I apologise to the community for this. Yet, for our State Member of Mount Druitt, Councillor Edmond Atalla, I have to say he is really standing up for the community and is passionately a true advocate for improving public transport around the area.
So, it is so pleasing to hear that he is taking on the issue on current accessible amount of buses within the area for peak times (and maybe all times) and seeking answers.
Please note how quick he responded to the original blog published 21st December 2015, from the copy of letter dated 22nd December 2015 (as above).
He very passionate about public transport in relation to Rooty Hill train station upgrade for lifts. He is aware of bus improvements in the area. Also he moved the motion in Blacktown City Council for a Hospital bus service and it has arrived but not in the Mount Druitt Hospital. At least it is heading in the right direction!
So for him to refer to the current Minister of Transport and take on this issue is fantastic, great for the community and shows he is leading the community in the right way in relation to local bus improvements. We will update the community as soon as we receive further feedback.
Click here for previous blog
Here is the original blog published and emailed to Mr Atalla on 21/12/2015
As I was given a case reference number is 00023871, for the feed back on accessible buses required in "peak times" Mount Druitt, NSW Bus Region 1.
I was shocked to find that the main response come from Busways when I was hoping and directing the feed back was to come from NSW Transport.
Response was, "Firstly we would like to apologise for the inconvenience that you have
experienced in dealing with Busways recently regarding wheelchair
accessible services.
The allocation of accessible buses to services is done on the basis of
achieving maximum utilisation of the available vehicles. To comply with
DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) requirements, we have to allocate
accessible buses to the shifts that are ‘in service’ for the longest
period of time.
Unfortunately, Busways is not in a position to allocate buses to
particular trips. We currently comply with the DDA requirement of 55%
of accessible services and as more accessible buses are delivered, we
will be able to increase this percentage in the future.
Accessible services will increase to 90% by 2017 and 100% by 2022. Once
we have achieved the 100% level required by 2022, every passenger can
be assured of a low floor accessible bus service.
In the interim to ensure a low floor wheel chair accessible bus is
operating on the route you require we encourage you to ring the depot
prior to travel."
Kind Regards,
(Name Omitted)
Busways Group Pty Ltd
Editors Notes: So, currently we have currently 55% of buses running services that area in peak time not accessible. So if you are one of those commuters that are on the 45% of buses that are not DDA compliant, it's okay! Don't get on the bus, call Busways on (02) 9625 8900 and then wait for next DDA compliant bus!
My other suggestion is that DDA compliant buses are marked on
all time tables being hard copies or soft copies on the internet and that Blacktown City Council Integrated Transport Management Plan is updated with these relevant public transport bus improvements and they intern write to NSW Transport requesting same improvements.
We have to wait until early 2017 late 2017 before we have proper accessible buses. That in itself, is a long time for a community growing so fast!
Click here for previous blog
If you go to quarterly performances - September 2015 from Sydney Buses page 86.9% are wheel chair accessible - this confirms that we are right behind the times compared to these bus regions. We are considered outer Sydney, yet Bus Region 1 is part of Sydney's bus region. We are definitely part of Sydney's bus network within Western Sydney, we no not say that North of Sydney is outer Sydney, so the same should be said of us. Outer Sydney west would be the Blue Mountains.....
