The Queensland government has announced a first-of-its-kind safety roundtable aimed at tackling violence against bus drivers, bringing together unions, operators, drivers and key stakeholders to find solutions to growing safety concerns.
Transport and main roads minister Brent Mickelberg says the initiative marks a new chapter in prioritising frontline transport worker safety across the state.
“Violence against bus drivers is unacceptable,” Mickelberg says
“Every Queenslander deserves to feel safe getting to work, school, or home. We are focused on frontline transport worker safety and taking an important step forward to ensure we’re tackling this issue head-on, collectively.
“Working together is the key to building a safer public transport network for everyone.”
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The roundtable will address several key issues, including driver safety, the quality of driver facilities, the use of safety screens and barriers, and potential legislative changes.
Mickelberg criticised the previous government’s record on the issue, claiming they “failed to deliver real solutions for the safety of bus drivers for a decade,” and says that the former Labor transport minister “did not even attend bus safety forums”.
In addition to the roundtable, the QLD government has begun working with Sunshine Coast Council to improve safety at the Caloundra Bus Interchange, with a particular focus on upgrading driver amenities.
The roundtable is set to take place in the coming weeks, with its findings expected to shape future safety measures across Queensland’s transport network.
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