WA Government invests in employing a community public transport advocate for Albany
A dedicated person will be employed in Albany to encourage more people to embrace public transport in regional WA.
The new hands on approach, should increase patronage on the bus network and prompt people to choose more active forms of transport than private passenger car and promote healthier lifestyles.
The City of Albany will receive $58,000 through the WA Government’s Local Government TravelSmart Officer Grant, which will pay part of the travel officer’s wages and cover some operational costs.
WA transport minister Dean Nalder says the TravelSmart Local Government program will see more people swap car trips for more active and sustainable travel modes such as cycling, walking and public transport.
“Travel smart officers work with the community and local governments to integrate active transport options into local development, planning and infrastructure,” he says.
The grant will partially fund the position within the City of Albany over a three-year period, with the city contributing the remaining funding required.
Nalder says the employment of a travel smart officer in Albany would further complement the WA Government’s 2012 funding commitment of $900,000 over three years to help plan and build the bike network projects in Albany.
“Completed projects which are jointly funded by the State Government and the City of Albany include shared paths at the Anzac Peace Park, Griffiths Street, Anson Road and new bicycle lanes on Golf Links Road and Emu Point Drive,” Nalder says.
Twenty-one local governments have received funding to support the employment of a travel smart officer since the program began in 2000.
The appointment of a travel officer is part of the City of Albany’s Cycle City Albany Strategy (2014-2019), which was co-funded by the WA Department of Transport.