NEW BUS NETWORK NEEDS SAFE & CONVENIENT ACCESS

IMMEDIATE RELEASE 19 October 2018

Will people be able to safely and conveniently access Canberra’s new bus network? That’s what walking advocacy group Living Streets is asking.

‘Where the buses go is only part of making public transport more attractive’, says Living Streets’ Chair Gillian King.

‘The new network relies on many people walking further to buses and changing buses.

‘That means we need good infrastructure so that everyone can get to buses and crossroads to change buses safely and conveniently.’

Living Streets Canberra welcomes the ACT Government’s promise of improvements to paths around schools and more school crossing supervisors.

‘However, there is a lot more to do to bring walking infrastructure up to scratch for everyone.’

Improvements the group is seeking include:

• safe and convenient road crossings where people are expected to cross roads to change buses, such as at Narrabundah College
• both sides of all streets (both sides) and laneways near bus stops need paths in good condition, with priority to areas around schools, aged persons units, retirement villages, and areas with a high proportion of households that are transport and/or socially disadvantaged
• a publicly available map showing work to be done and as much of the work completed before the new bus network starts
• a systematic approach to checking the condition of paths and undertaking maintenance as required.

Living Streets is encouraging Canberrans to take the opportunity over the next few months to try out the best ways to walk to and from buses they could use. They will then be ready to take advantage of the month of free travel for MyWay card users to get used to the new bus network.

Living Streets also is also calling for all stops for Coverage and Frequent Local services to be within 500m of households in each area of Canberra.

The group points to the ACT Government has a policy of 95% of households being within 500m of a stop for a Coverage and Frequent Local services and 1km for Rapid services.

Facebook: @livingstreetscanberra         Twitter: @StreetsCanberra

GPO Box 544 CANBERRA  ACT 2601