Elderly residents believed excluded from QLD's network review consultation have been disallowed a feedback extension
April 23, 2013
Queensland Transport Minister Scott Emerson has failed to commit to a feedback
extension
that would allow
‘excluded’ elderly and disadvantaged commuters to comment on the south east Queensland bus network review.
Almost 1,000 Queensland residents have petitioned for an extension to give review feedback, which Translink primarily received online until the consultation cut-off date, April 7.
The petitioners believe the consultation process ‘excluded many commuters, particularly the elderly and disadvantaged who are largely dependent on public transport’, from
giving feedback on the network review.
The residents have called for the state’s Parliament to extend the public feedback period to allow commuters to provide feedback using
means other than an online survey.
In response to the call, Emerson says the Newman Government recognises concerns passengers have raised.
But the minister has stopped short of extending the review, which was extended for two weeks to April 7 following the first wave of community backlash over the proposed network changes.
Emerson has instead pointed to the bulk of consultation already conducted.
“The first two stages of community feedback generated a combined total of over 6,000 responses from passengers and comments relating to almost 80 percent of all of the routes operating in south-east Queensland,” Emerson says.
“Opportunities for the community to contribute to the review involved a dedicated page on the Translink website supported by signage, media releases including talkback radio, local newspapers, flyers and Customer Liaison Officers deployed across the network which encouraged people to go online or to contact Translink via phone or written correspondence to provide feedback.”
Emerson handed over final authority for the network changes to Brisbane City Council in March.