MEDIA RELEASE – Public Transport Association of Canberra calls on ACT Government to provide public transport assistance in wake of hailstorm

HomeNewsBlogMEDIA RELEASE – Public Transport Association of Canberra calls on ACT Government to provide public transport assistance in wake of hailstorm

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The Public Transport Association of Canberra (PTCBR) is calling on the ACT Government to provide practical public transport assistance for people who have had their cars rendered unusable by the major hailstorm on Monday.

Mr Ryan Hemsley, PTCBR Chair said “From media reports, we understand that around 10,000 people may be impacted through unexpectedly losing access to their car due to hail damage. Some will be adequately insured, including having access to a replacement rental car. Many others may need to make greater use of public transport, including buses and light rail”.

To better support Canberrans through this difficult time, Mr Ryan Hemsley, PTCBR Chair, is calling on the ACT Government to:

  • Significantly Increase weekend services on routes to underserved areas, such as the Molonglo Valley, to enable affected Canberrans to reliably access employment, shopping, medical and social activities. For example, on weekends, the people of Molonglo only have access to limited services operating every two hours and with a circuitous route to their closest major supermarkets;
  • Require additional Transport Canberra employees to work on weekends and public holidays if necessary, even if this requires changes to the long-standing composite pay and weekend staffing arrangements; and
  • Provide targeted information to new and infrequent public transport users about how to best get to the major commercial and community centres and events.

Ryan Hemsley is the Chair of the Public Transport Association of Canberra, the Canberra region’s peak public transport lobby group.