Preparations for Victoria’s first ever short, medium and long-term plan for better regional public transport have ramped up in recent weeks with the release of the Terms of Reference and membership of the Regional Transport Advisory Group (RTAG).

Gippsland Regional Development Committee Chair, Richard Elkington, will co-Chair RTAG, which will drive consultation with local communities and provide recommendations to Government throughout the development of the Plan.

Further details of the community consultation sessions that will be held across Gippsland as part of the Development of the Regional Network Development Plan have been released.

Next week, community consultation sessions including pop up consultations at railway stations will be held in Warragul, Sale and Bairnsdale with more to follow in South Gippsland and the Latrobe Valley.

The details of these consultations are as follows:

Warragul – Tuesday, 23 June 2015,
• Warragul station entrance, morning peak pop-up consultation session
• Federation Training, Warragul Tearooms, 116-118 Queen Street Consultation session, 6.00pm to 8.00pm

Sale – Wednesday, 24 June,
• Criterion Hotel, 90 Macalister Street – Consultation session, 5.00pm to 7.00pm

Bairnsdale – Thursday, 25 June,
• Bairnsdale Sporting and Convention Centre, 117 Great Alpine Road – Consultation session, 5.00pm to 7.00pm

Bairnsdale – Friday 26 June
• Bairnsdale station, morning peak pop-up consultation session

Community consultation sessions will continue after the school holidays in Traralgon on Monday, 13 July and Wonthaggi on Tuesday, 14 July, with further details to be provided in the coming weeks. Brochures and surveys will be available at train stations.

To find out more, register for consultation sessions or complete the online survey, visit ptv.vic.gov.au/getinvolved from Monday 22 June. Online discussion forums will also be conducted at ptv.vic.gov.au/getinvolved from Monday 29 June.

Quotes attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria, Harriet Shing

“Gippsland has been crying out for a long-term plan for better public transport, and that’s what we will deliver in partnership with communities across eastern Victoria.”

“If you live in Gippsland and care about better train and bus services, get down to one of the sessions, collect a survey from a train station or fill out the survey online.”

“Public transport users in Gippsland know firsthand the improvements that need to be made. Participation in this planning and consultation process will help ensure Gippsland receives a fair share of future investment in comparison with the rest of regional Victoria.”