Mornington Peninsula Shire has suffered from a lack of investment in the transport needs of the region. Surveys of residents have stated that the lack of frequency is a key issue, and that a better-connected bus network is critical for our community.
At present, 82% of the Peninsula is not serviced by public transport. In fact the Mornington Peninsula Shire has the second lowest provision of public transport out of the 31 councils in the Melbourne metropolitan area. It is little wonder then that Mornington Peninsula Shire residents are five times less likely to travel to work by public transport than Greater Melbourne; a mere 3% of Shire residents take public transport to work, compared with 15% across Greater Melbourne.
We need a fully integrated smart technology bus network to allow residents to access jobs, education and essential services, including health facilities, as well as community activities. These social benefits are a key factor in bringing people in our community closer together, and ensuring vulnerable people including the elderly and people with a disability achieve social equality.