Transport
Transport is essential for people to participate in community life, to get to work or study, visit friends and family and travel to other places they want to go.
Yet, access to transport is a significant issue for many low income and disadvantaged communities, especially in outer suburban, rural and regional areas. People who experience transport disadvantage cannot get to where they need to go easily, safely or affordably.
VCOSS' advocacy on transport aims to improve low income and disadvantaged Victorians’ access to jobs, education, services and community life. The solutions to these issues are in better land use planning, increased and improved public transport services, investment in accessible infrastructure and reductions in transport prices.
VCOSS collaborates with other organisations and individuals to achieve change in transport and planning policies. Transport Action Victoria is a state wide network convened by VCOSS for people experiencing transport disadvantage and people interested in transport issues. Coalition for Peoples’ Transport is a group which meets in Melbourne and campaigns on transport issues where social justice and environmental concerns overlap.
In addition to collaborative work VCOSS is currently focussing on the issues of young parents’ access to transport and services, as well as the accessibility of transport for people with disabilities and those who are frail aged, including working on the 2007 Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport Review and the Accessible Transport Watch Project. In June 2007, VCOSS held a conference titled Peak Oil, Petrol Prices and Climate Change: Preparing Victoria for the Future. Follow the links for more information.
Click here for a list of organisations that work on transport issues. We raise these issues in our annual State Budget Submission. Download the transport chapter in the VCOSS 2008-09 State Budget Submission. Following each budget VCOSS writes an analysis of the Government’s spending commitments. If you would like to find out more about VCOSS' work on transport policy or to get involved in transport networks contact the Transport and Disadvantage Policy Officer:
Jess Fritze
jess.fritze@vcoss.org.au