Alan Marshall fears the demise of council’s Weekend Bus Service could socially isolate him from the community.
A VISUALLY impaired Noble Park resident who relies on a councilfunded bus service to visit a cancerstricken friend fears he will be isolated and clinically depressed if councillors cut the service.
Greater Dandenong’s Weekend Bus Service will continue until the end of April amid fiery debate this week between councillors over whether an average of 5.5 people per trip was enough to justify its cost to ratepayers.
Noble Park resident Alan Marshall spoke out this week after heavy media coverage of the service’s fate, after it rescued him from the depression of social isolation with its inception late 2004.
He told the Star that his poor eyesight meant he was unable to drive, yet he could not obtain a taxi discount card because his vision was not impaired enough and with little to no alternative bus services on weekends, he feared he would not be able to visit a cancerstricken friend in Springvale, nor do his shopping in Dandenong or Springvale.
“(The bus) costs about $2.50,” he said. “Sure we have to wait, wait and wait to get one, but the thing is I don’t have money to burn on a pension.”
Mr Marshall urged councillors to consider those less fortunate.
“Because us people who are pensioners need to be looked after more, not less, with services.”
Mr Marshall collected a petition of 29 signatures which he presented to council at last Monday’s meeting.
His argument was in line with comments from Cleeland Ward councillor Paul Donovan, who supported Keysborough Ward councillor Roz Blades’ push to extend the service until the end of April.
Cr Donovan said Greater Dandenong’s demographics showed it had one of Melbourne’s lowest car usage per capita, a significant lowsocioeconomic population and a high demand for public transport.
Cr Blades said “people are not book entries” when rebutting claims by councillors Maria Sampey and Alan Gordon that low patronage could not justify paying the estimated $38,000 required to keep the bus running until the end of April.
She said the extension – decided by a nailbiting 6 to 5 vote – would allow council time to prepare for a meeting with the Department of Infrastructure that could lead to State Government funding for the service.
Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) outer east branch convenor Alex Makin welcomed the April extension but said the State Government needed to be lobbied.
Mr Makin said the proposed PTUA south east branch had been formed and was seeking members.
