Transport Connections Evaluation Report - TDSA

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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.
ABCD Department of Human Services Transport Connections Program Government July 2006 • development of the Vision for Public Transport in Bass Coast Shire 2010 • Wimmera TCP has contributed to the Hindmarsh Positive Ageing Plan. These planning activities not only directly relate to transport provision, but also to service and strategic agency planning. This approach is critical in attempting to integrate transport planning across communities and regions and redress the historic division of modal specific planning arrangements. Coordinators raised advocacy on behalf of communities as a significant activity at all levels, including statewide and regional. This advocacy role is apparent in the number of submissions that the coordinators contributed to on issues such as school bus policy, country taxi regulations and input into the Victorian Taxi Directorate (VTD) review. Table 4.2 highlights the range and quantity of planning processes that the TCP pilot projects have instigated, or contributed to, over the three-year program life. Table 4.2: Overview of assessment of need options Planning process Mid term evaluation phase Final evaluation phase Shire strategic plans 13 4 17 Statewide submissions 9 10 19 Total Planning is a critical element in designing an effective response, and provides communities and stakeholders with an opportunity to contribute and determine the appropriate response to local transport (and service delivery) issues. Transport planning is an evolving activity and is required on a continual basis due to the changing needs of a community. 4.2.3 Improving transport coordination Throughout the final evaluation round of consultation, improved coordination was raised as a benefit of the TCP. Highlighting this in the mid term evaluation as an emerging benefit, the continuation of partnership building has ensured that better coordination of resources is on the agenda of local stakeholders past the initial threeyear timeframe of the pilot projects. Current examples of effective transport coordination include: • Fulham Prison taxi shuttle project – This project provides visiting families an affordable taxi fare ($5 return trip) by utilising the multi purpose taxi in Sale. The Prison subsidises the service by making up any shortfall in the metered fare, which is approximately $28 each way. The subsidy varies based on the number Valley to City integration model The new service between Mt Beauty and Albury-Wodonga commenced in November 2005. It is described as the integration of the Community Health Transport Program and the private route service provided by Pyle’s Coach Line. The service builds on the existing route service with an increase in travel days from Wednesday to now include Tuesday and Thursday. The new service incorporates a flexible door-todoor service for the Community Health clients and a fixed route service for other users. The service is subject to the standard DOI fare, and includes the provision of a concession, and costs users $12.10 for the round trip from Mt Beauty to Albury/Wodonga and return – a trip of approximately 180 kms. Final Evaluation - Transport Connections Program 2006 22 © 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.
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Transport Connections Evaluation Report - TDSA

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