Transport Connections Evaluation Report - TDSA

ABCD
Department of Human Services
Transport Connections Program
Government
July 2006
In keeping with the concept of the TCP project cycle (as raised in Section 2.2), the assessment
of transport need has continued across the life of the program, due to the continually changing
need of a community, or a particular cohort of that community. In particular, current needs
assessment activities include:
• West Wimmera Youth Survey – Wimmera TCP, in partnership with the West Wimmera
Council Youth Officer undertook a survey of young people aged between 11 and 25 years
of age. The overall aim was to create an understanding of the transport (and activity)
requirements of young people in the West Wimmera Shire to determine whether current
transport services were meeting the needs of this population cohort.
• Bass Coast Transport for Waterline – residents in the towns along Westernport Bay, with
guidance from Bass Coast TCP, will prepare a series of initiatives to improve access to
services.
Again a range of needs assessments options have been utilised by the pilot projects, ranging
from surveys to forums and community consultations. The assessment of transport need is an
integral component of the program to break the cycle of transport disadvantage in local
communities. This component has been one of the major activities undertaken by the pilot
projects, particularly in the first phase of the project life. With the ever-changing need of
communities, and cohort groups within a community, this activity will continue to play an
important role across the life of the TCP projects (and any future projects).
4.2.2 Improving local transport planning
Inclusive planning practices provide communities with opportunities for involvement in
the development of integrated transport solutions, an effective approach to addressing the
needs of the transport disadvantaged within a community.
In its simplest form, planning involves:
• setting a vision
• outlining priorities and defining the issues
• generating feasible solutions
• capacity building in terms of resources available and the allocation of these resources
• evaluation of the plan on a continual basis.
At the mid term evaluation point, stakeholders, such as local government and local agencies,
were becoming increasingly aware of the nature of transport issues and the importance to plan
appropriately for service provision to increase accessibility to these services and/or activities
within their community.
Throughout the final evaluation phase, planning continues to be a focus for the pilot projects,
with relevant examples including:
• Macedon planning for Harcourt, Taradale and Elphinstone bus service - funding for a bus
service linking Taradale, Elphinstone and Harcourt to the V/Line rail network has been
provided through the Government’s Moving Forward statement. These towns were
surveyed to explore what service will best suit the needs of the residents.
Final Evaluation - Transport Connections Program 2006
21
© 2006 KPMG, an Australian partnership, is part of the KPMG International network. KPMG International
is a Swiss cooperative. All rights reserved. The KPMG logo and name are trademarks of KPMG.