FUTURE Transport community consultation teams are now travelling around the state seeking feedback in a bid to shape policy direction and recognise important transport initiatives.
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The teams are seeking input about the most pressing transport issues in the regions.
People can also go online to make suggestions at future.transport.nsw.gov.au
“We have challenges and opportunities in the years ahead so it’s important to get out and listen to regional NSW,” said NSW Transport deputy secretary Clare Gardiner-Barnes.
“We want the public to tell us what they would like to see from transport into the coming decades”.
NSW Transport is focusing its engagement on people and communities in rural and regional NSW by visiting community groups, local councils, and local business associations from Wauchope to Cobar and Griffith to Inverell.
The teams have already visited Wauchope, Grafton, Inverell, Dubbo and Cobar and will soon be in Bateman’s Bay, Queanbeyan, Griffith and Bega. Ms Gardiner-Barnes said more consultation across the state would involve regional chambers of commerce.
“We have many important projects across rural and regional NSW including our ‘Fixing Country Rail’ program, the Pacific Highway and Great Western Highway upgrades, and the new intercity and regional train fleets,” she said.
“Such projects are complemented by the ‘Fixing Country Roads’ program, ‘Bridges for the Bush’, ‘Fixing Country Truck Washes’ and level crossing improvement programs.
“However we need to plan beyond the pipeline of projects and programs currently underway, because in the next 20 to 40 years we want to ensure our towns are better places to live, work, play and visit,” she said.
“With many challenges ahead including changing population growth, new technologies and increasing freight, we need to hear from people in our communities so we can make informed decisions about how to deliver transport services and infrastructure into the future.”
This includes solutions such as flexible transport options, using driverless technology and upgrading infrastructure to meet future demand. “We want to hear what people think about better ways to move around their regions, what makes a comfortable transport interchange, and how technology can be used for safe and more efficient transport options that reflect what customers want. We’re focusing on making transport more accessible,” Ms Gardiner-Barnes said. “We want input on everything from the infrastructure we need, through to adapting for the vehicles of the future, including driverless technology and on-demand services.”
