Tuesday, 30 July 2024

Adjournment

Portland bus services

Roma BRITNELL (South-West Coast) (19:00): (731) My adjournment matter is to the Minister for Public and Active Transport, and the action I seek is for the minister to add an extra stop to the bus route so that seniors in the Portland independent living lifestyle estate can travel to the town centre. The lack of public transport access for Portland residents living in the new independent living lifestyle estate on Derril Road needs changing. The estate, designed for those 55 years and older, has an average resident age of 72 to 75. These residents face mobility challenges and have limited access to essential services because the nearest bus stop is nearly a kilometre away.

The manager of the independent living lifestyle estate has contacted my office numerous times, as have other members of the community, reporting that many residents have complained about the lack of public transport. Many residents no longer hold a drivers licence or will soon be stopping driving. They currently rely on friends, family or expensive private transport, which is neither practical nor sustainable. The estate is projected to expand to 119 homes, accommodating over 200 residents in the near future. With more older people moving in the demand for public transport will rise, and ignoring this issue now sets us up for bigger problems later. Already six prospective residents have decided against relocating to the estate due to the lack of public transport nearby. Of course this would free up more housing, which is desperately needed in the regions.

Public transport needs to be adaptive and evolve to the needs of a community. As the geographic and demographic landscape changes so too should public transport routes and stops. Expecting elderly residents with mobility issues to walk nearly a kilometre to the nearest bus stop is impractical and unacceptable. Derril Road is not just home to a retirement village; many other residents live here too, and the lack of conveniently located bus stops impacts the entire community. This is not a ‘nice to have’, it is a necessity. Our seniors deserve the dignity of accessible transportation, and the country should have it just as much as the city. Minister, it is time to take action and make this right. Let us not wait until more residents are left stranded or forced to consider moving elsewhere due to the inadequate transport options.