Transport needs of people with a disability A study of transport usage and demand across the Corangamite and Moyne Shires
Transport needs of people with a disability A study of transport usage and demand across the Corangamite and Moyne Shires
MOYNE SHIRE
This work of this project was supported and funded by the Victorian State Government. © 2009
This report is published jointly by the Getting There and Back Transport Connections Project and the Rural Access Project.
Getting There and Back is a joint project of the Corangamite and Moyne Shires and the City of Warrnambool. It is funded by the Victorian Government’s Transport Connections program, a cross-government initiative to help communities work together to improve local transport. The Rural Access Project seeks to work in partnership with local organisations, businesses and the community on access and inclusion for people with a disability. It is a State-wide program that locally covers the City of Warrnambool and the Moyne and Corangamite Shires.
ISBN 978-0-646-52160-2
Printed by Star Printing, 113 High Street, Terang, Victoria, 3264, Australia www.starprinting.net.au
Cover design by Brooke Barnewall.
Photographs by Garry Moorfield.
A web version of this report is available at: www.corangamite.vic.gov.au/transport_connections www.moyne.vic.gov.au/transport_connections Acknowledgements This study is a joint project of the Getting There and Back Transport Connections Project and the Rural Access Project, operating across the Corangamite and Moyne Shires and the City of Warrnambool. The project team comprised Garry Moorfield, Richard Stone, Nigel Thomas, Neil Ballard and project officer Katie McKean. The steering committee included Steve Dawkins, Helen Durant, Kerry Nelson and Kevin Pittman.
The steering committee and the project team offer their thanks to all individuals who participated in the survey, including transport operators and service agencies. The cooperation and support of agencies in locating mailing addresses and distributing the survey is gratefully acknowledged.
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY i Whereas 66% of Victorians live near to public transport, the figures for the Corangamite and Moyne Shires are 1.1% and 3.5% respectively.
(Source: ABS/DOI 2006, see page 14)
ii TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY Executive summary
This study set out to investigate transport usage and travel demands of people with a disability living in the Corangamite and Moyne Shires. The findings are relevant to local area planning in regard to the availability, accessibility and affordability of public and community transport. Corangamite and Moyne Shires each have three main towns, a number of smaller towns and a significant rural population. Relatively low population densities and required distances of travel give rise to transport challenges that are typical of those in many areas of regional Victoria. A population profile of the number and location of persons with different types of disabilities was developed using a range of data sources. A catalogue of currently available transport services was compiled and their functionality assessed on a town-by-town basis. Recent improvements to transport infrastructure and services are also listed and acknowledged. The study employed a variety of methods to identify current modes of transport used by people with a disability, as well as the purposes and destinations of travel. Barriers to the use of public and community transport were also documented, and an attempt made to identify unmet travel demand for different purposes and to different destinations. Methods included a written survey of people with a disability, follow-up phone interviews, and interviews with service agency representatives, transport service operators and advocacy agencies.
Surveys, which were distributed through agencies serving clients with a disability, give voice to the views of individuals and capture their assessment of transport needs and their transport experiences. An estimated 20% of the Australian population has some form of disability. According to the ABS Need for Assistance profile by postcode there were 1,328 people (4.1% of the combined population) with a severe or profound disability living in the Corangamite and Moyne Shires. Other data sources indicate that there are perhaps as many as 4,000 people (12.5% of the combined population) living in the two shires who face transport disadvantage as a consequence of a personal disability, including elderly people with mobility issues. Evidence is presented showing that people with disabilities tend to be concentrated in the larger towns within the shires.
As with the population at large, the overwhelmingly dominant mode of transport used by persons with a disability is private transport, no matter what the purpose of travel. Private transport usage is highest for shopping (around 90%) and appointments (80%), and lower for social outings (65%). These figures are linked to the finding that 80% of persons with a disability are accompanied on shopping and appointment trips and 20% report
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY iii Night train home
that they do not attend social outings. About half of the respondents shop once per week, 30% would like to go shopping more often, 40% would like to attend more social outings and 25% indicated that limited access to transport affects their ability to attend appointments. Public transport is used by 36% of respondents, the most common mode being taxi (83%) followed by train (71%) and bus (40%). The most common reasons given for not using public transport were lack of physical access (49%), the fact that it is not available (44%) or that it does not suit the transport need (29%). Other reasons were that information about public transport is not available, it takes too long or is cost prohibitive. For those people living in urban areas of the Moyne and Corangamite Shires, the most important form of public transport is the local taxi service. Local taxi services are used by persons needing assistance and are more accessible than the few local buses that operate across the shires; however, the high cost of taxi services for people living in rural areas, due to the travel distances involved, can make taxis unaffordable for the people who need them most. Across the study area, there is only one Wheelchair Accessible Taxi (WAT), which is located in Port Fairy. The term ‘community transport’ in the Corangamite and Moyne Shires is something of a misnomer. These services are generally not available to the community but only to Home and Community Care (HACC) clients and/ or those who meet strict eligibility criteria. Some community transport services that were once available for community purposes are now limited to clients of health service programs. With ageing vehicles, rising operating costs and inadequate levels of funding to respond to demand, the sustainability of the current limited community transport services is called into question.
iv TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY The lack of adequate transport presents barriers to social participation for people with a disability. In some cases this is reported as limited opportunities to engage in everyday activities in local communities. In others, it takes the form of limited opportunities to travel further afield to participate in education, training or recreational activities. While persons with a disability face particular and additional challenges, their experiences parallel those of other members of the community who are transport disadvantaged. Ironically, a majority of people experiencing transport disadvantage are ineligible to access schemes of assistance and face a future of social exclusion and isolation.
Persons with a disability depend on private transport to access services and for day-to-day activities such as shopping and participating in social activities. Parents and carers of younger disabled persons live in dread of the day they can no longer provide for these needs, and many older people fret over the prospect of losing their independence and capacity to participate in activities that others can take for granted. Without the support of families providing private transport, people with disabilities are forced to depend on limited public, community or agency transport. This study identifies two major priorities arising out of the current provision of public and community transport. One priority is to extend provision and upgrade the accessibility of current public transport services. This includes ensuring that public transport options (and taxis in particular) are financially accessible to those who need them. The other priority is to formally recognise the importance of developing innovative, flexible and responsive models of accessible community transport that can service both rural and urban residents of the Corangamite and Moyne Shires. These models of community transport should be inclusive and available to all members of the community regardless of their age, health or disability status. While it is important to acknowledge the intent, effort and expenditure commitments that have been made to improve and extend transport services in regional areas, especially those projects and programs aimed at improving accessibility, this study has identified a number of outstanding transport challenges, which are unlikely to be addressed without the implementation of additional policy initiatives.
A series of recommendations is advanced to address identified gaps in transport service provision as well as those issues of accessibility and affordability that are presently major barriers to the transport disadvantaged in accessing necessary services and in enabling their participation in and contribution to the social and economic life of their communities.
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY v Summary of recommendations
Recommendation 1: Planning for universal access That the Department of Transport apply the principle of universal access to the planning and future provision of rural and regional transport services.
Recommendation 2: Recognising the community transport sector That the Department of Transport formally recognise the community transport sector as a legitimate arm of public transport and develop a policy framework that enables the provision of expanded and sustainable medical transport and community transport services in rural and regional areas.
Recommendation 3: Developing community transport contracts That the Department of Transport consider the development of Community Transport Contracts (with parallels to School Bus Contracts) to be tendered out to private operators and/or public agencies to provide for flexible, on-demand social transport services for persons living in remote rural areas.
Recommendation 4: Integrating information on all public transport modes That the Department of Transport develop an online transport information system that provides localised integrated information in accessible formats on all public transport modes, including trains, coaches, buses, taxis and community transport.
Recommendation 5: Extending accessibility standards to rural and regional transport That the Department of Transport develop a plan to ensure the implementation of the established Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport for all public transport, including local bus and community transport activities.
Recommendation 6: Advising the community about accessibility improvements That V/Line develop and deliver a structured information program for persons with a disability, transport operators, service agencies and the general public, outlining improvements to the accessibility of transport services, including advice on current options for accessing regional train and coach services.
vi TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY Recommendation 7: Putting ‘wheels’ on the regional transport network That V/Line develop improvement plans that provide for the carriage of wheeled vehicles, such as bicycles, prams, gophers and wheelchairs, on all regional train and coach services, and that where such provision does exist, the current limited capacity be expanded.
Recommendation 8: Closing gaps in the regional transport network That V/Line continue the expansion of its regional transport network so that residents in smaller towns have effective access to comprehensive services located in the larger regional centres.
Recommendation 9: Delivering more Wheelchair Accessible Taxi (WAT) vehicles for regional and rural areas That the Victorian Taxi Directorate develop a policy program which provides encouragement, incentives and support for each regional and rural taxi service to have at least one Wheelchair Accessible Taxi (WAT) in its fleet.
Recommendation 10: Making rural taxi use more affordable That the Victorian Taxi Directorate consider the provision of a Rural Taxi Card based on residential postcode address, which provides differential benefits based on distance required to travel to the nearest centre where comprehensive services are available, rather than the current universal flat- rate system.
Recommendation 11: Creating pick-up and set-down disabled parking bays That local government consider the provision of pick-up and set-down disabled parking bays in areas of high priority, and provide additional disabled parking bays where needed.
Recommendation 12: Implementing accessibility standards That local government ensure the provision of wider disabled parking bays, which permit the full opening of car doors and enable the effective use of walking frames and other mobility aids, in line with Australian Standard 2890.
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY vii Many people in the community believe disability is someone else’s problem. They do not believe disability will touch their lives, and give little thought to the experience of living with disability, or caring for someone with a disability.
Rhonda Galbally, Chair, National People with Disabilities and Care Council, 2009 (see page 50)
viii TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY Contents
Acknowledgements...... i Executive summary...... iii Summary of recommendations...... vi 1. Introduction Background...... 3 Regional profile...... 4 Population profile...... 7 Transport and social equity...... 13 Improving transport infrastructure and services...... 15 Public and community transport options...... 17 2. Project aim ...... 28 3. Methods...... 29 4. Results Survey results...... 31 Telephone interviews...... 46 Agency perspectives...... 47 Operator perspectives...... 49 Advocacy representations...... 49 5. Discussion ...... 55 6. Conclusion ...... 59 7. Recommendations ...... 60 8. References ...... 61
Appendices A Relative incidence and distribution of disabilities by type for the Australian population ...... 63 B Excerpts from Warrnambool Retail Strategy, November 2007.... 66 C Progress towards Accessible Public Transport, June 2008...... 72
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 1 Destinations from Warrnambool Warrnambool Koroit 16 km Port Fairy 29 km With a population of 28,150 (ABS Census 2006), Terang 47 km Warrnambool is the largest city and the main commercial Mortlake 50 km and service centre for south-west Victoria. It has well- Cobden 54 km developed public and community transport infrastructure Camperdown 69 km and services. Warrnambool is an important and often Portland 75 km essential destination for residents of the Corangamite and Colac 116 km Hamilton 122 km Moyne Shires, who are primary contributors to the city’s Ballarat 179 km prosperity. Geelong 195 km V/Line train and coach services provide connections from Melbourne 267 km Warrnambool to other regional centres and Melbourne, but most are oriented to outward bound travel, and therefore are of limited utility to residents of Mortlake or Port Campbell, for example. The earliest morning train into Warrnambool arrives at 11.06 am.
2 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 1. introduction 1.1 Background
This study came about through a dialogue between two projects funded by the Victorian Government, both of which are concerned with improving access and participation of individuals in their communities. With a common coverage of the Corangamite and Moyne Shires and the City of Warrnambool, the local Rural Access Project and the Getting There and Back Transport Connections Project (TCP) have combined resources to fund and execute this research into the transport needs of people with a disability living in the Corangamite and Moyne Shires. As by far the largest and fastest growing city in south-west Victoria, Warrnambool serves as a ‘regional capital’ and is an important and often essential destination for residents of both the Corangamite and Moyne Shires. It has well-developed public and community transport infrastructure and services, including transit buses and an accessible taxi fleet, which can offer affordable transport across the city. The availability of transport facilities for people with a disability in the Corangamite and Moyne Shires is quite different, due to the travel distances involved and the fact that the majority of residents live in rural locations. It is for this reason that this study focused on the needs of residents of the Moyne and Corangamite Shires. Rural Access is a State-wide initiative funded by the Department of Human Services (DHS). It supports regional and rural communities to increase community membership and participation opportunities for people with a disability. Locally, the Rural Access project employs two project officers and is auspiced by the Warrnambool City Council. The program is a partnership involving the Moyne Shire, Corangamite Shire and the City of Warrnambool. The program has completed a range of projects that promote and facilitate the inclusion of people with a disability in local communities. It has also developed Community Access Plans for the three municipalities, each of which outlines a range of initiatives to improve access for all citizens. The Getting There and Back TCP is a cross-government initiative to help communities work together to improve local transport. This project is also a partnership involving the Corangamite and Moyne Shires and the City of Warrnambool, with Corangamite Shire the lead agency. Transport Connections seeks to make better use of existing transport services and infrastructure as well as introducing new services to improve access to education and employment opportunities and overcome social isolation. The project has a focus on the transport needs of young people, the aged and people with a disability, but aims to develop inclusive services that benefit all members of the community and enhance the economic, social and environmental sustainability of the region. With regard to the transport needs of people with a disability in rural areas,
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 3 two issues are significant: the need for increased transport options (people with a disability are often more reliant on public and community transport than other sections of the community) and the need for these transport options to be physically accessible and affordable. This study outlines the current transport situation, including location of issues, patterns of transport use and travel destinations. It identifies unmet transport needs, travel preferences and barriers to travel.
1.2 regional profile The three Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Corangamite Shire, Moyne Shire and the City of Warrnambool cover 10,003 square kilometres (1,000,300 hectares) (see Figure 1) and contain an estimated residential population of 66,387 as at June 2008. These figures represent 4.4% of the land area of the State of Victoria and 1.25% of its estimated residential population.
Dunkeld Skipton
Hamilton
Penshurst Woorndoo To Ballarat Caramut Derrinallum Lismore Hexham Darlington Macarthur Mortlake Hawkesdale Bessebelle Noorat Woolsthorpe Camperdown Codrington Kirkstall Te rang
MUST UPDATEKoroit YETCobden t o Melbourne Yambuk Colac Port Fairy Warrnambool Mepunga Timboon Nullawarre Simpson Nirranda
Port Campbell City of Warrnambool
Princetown Moyne Shire
Corangamite Shire
FIGURE 1: MAP OF STUDY AREA SHOWING LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA BOUNDARIES
Table 1 shows the population density for the LGAs of Corangamite, Moyne and Warrnambool. The City of Warrnambool LGA is made up of a central urban area surrounded by rural agricultural land, and the townships of Allansford to the east, Bushfield–Woodford to the north and Dennington (a suburb of Warrnambool) to the west. It is bounded by Moyne Shire and the Southern Ocean. Warrnambool is the largest population centre and the main commercial and service centre for south-west Victoria. Health, education, business, tourism, retailing and retirement services are important local industries. The Moyne Shire is a predominantly rural area, with three large towns: Port Fairy, Koroit and Mortlake, and two small towns: Macarthur and Peterborough. The Shire also has many small villages and hamlets. Two
4 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY thirds of the population live in the rural area of the Shire, where grazing, cropping, dairy farming and sheep farming are the main agricultural industries. Tourism is an important industry in the southern parts of the Shire. The Corangamite Shire is also a largely rural shire with strong agricultural industries in dairy farming, sheep and cattle grazing, and cropping to the north. Half the population of the Shire lives in rural areas. The towns of Camperdown, Terang and Cobden account for about three quarters of Corangamite Shire’s urban population. Other townships are Timboon, Skipton, Lismore, Noorat, Port Campbell, Derrinallum and Simpson.
TABLE 1: POPULATION DENSITY BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA (LGA) LGA Area Population Population density Corangamite 4,404 sq km 17,270 0.04 person/ha Moyne 5,478 sq km 16,405 0.03 person/ha Warrnambool 121 sq km 32,712 2.70 person/ha (Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Estimated Residential Population (ERP) 30 June 2008 – Population by Age and Sex, Regions of Australia, 2007)
The figures shown in Table 2 give some idea of the challenges involved in developing viable transport service models to serve small populations dispersed across a wide geographic area. They also disguise the great diversity that exists across the study area; for example, in central Warrnambool the population density is 11.04 persons/hectare, whereas in the northern agricultural regions of Corangamite Shire the population density is as low as 0.006 persons/hectare or one person for every 152 hectares.
TABLE 2: URBAN/RURAL POPULATION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA (LGA) LGA Urban Rural Total Density Corangamite 9,030 7,586 16,616 0.04/ha 54.3% 45.7% 100% Moyne 5,528 9,925 15,453 0.03/ha 35.8% 64.2% 100% Warrnambool 28,780 1,612 31,569 2.51/ha 94.5% 5.5% 100% (Source: ABS 2006 Census Data by Location)
Of 79 Victorian LGAs, Moyne and Corangamite ranked 73rd and 77th respectively on the measure of Population Near To Public Transport, defined as the percentage of the population that lives within 400 metres of a bus and/or tram stop and/or 800 metres of a train station (DHS Health Channel, based on ABS 2006 Census and Department of Infrastructure data).
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 5 Transport needs of people living in the study area arise from the location and individual circumstances of each resident, but are also connected to broader patterns of settlement and activity that have evolved across the region. For individuals, the borders of particular LGAs may be an arbitrary construct, of little relevance or consequence to their travel requirements; for example, residents of Simpson may look to the regional centre of Colac for a range of services, residents of Skipton to Ballarat, and residents of Macarthur to Hamilton in the Southern Grampians Shire. Patterns of travel obviously relate to distance and travel times, but are also shaped by established geographic corridors of movement that may traverse different shires rather than connect the major centres within them. Residents of towns listed in Table 3, with the exception of Skipton and possibly Macarthur, travel to Warrnambool for many services, including health, medical, education, retail, business, recreation and social services. The effect of Warrnambool as a ‘magnet’ destination has been researched and documented in the Warrnambool Retail Strategy (see Appendix B), and underscores the significant contribution of residents of the Corangamite and Moyne Shires to the prosperity of the ‘regional capital’.
TABLE 3: POPULATION OF URBAN CENTRES IN CORANGAMITE AND MOYNE SHIRES AND THE CITY OF WARRNAMBOOL
Centre Population Shire/City % of % of Shire’s Shire /City Urban population population
Warrnambool 28,150 Warrnambool 92.6% 97.8% Camperdown 3,165 Corangamite 19.0% 35.0% Port Fairy 2,599 Moyne 16.8% 47.0% Terang 1,824 Corangamite 11.0% 20.2% Cobden 1,534 Corangamite 9.2% 17.0% Koroit 1,497 Moyne 9.7% 27.1% Mortlake 996 Moyne 6.4% 18.0% Timboon 871 Corangamite 5.2% 9.6% Allansford 630 Warrnambool 2.1% 2.2% Skipton 482 Corangamite 2.9% 5.3% Lismore 287 Corangamite 1.7% 3.2% Macarthur 258 Moyne 1.7% 4.7% Port Campbell 256 Corangamite 1.5% 2.8% Noorat 251 Corangamite 1.5% 2.8% Derrinallum 232 Corangamite 1.4% 2.6% Peterborough 178 Moyne 1.2% 3.2% Simpson 128 Corangamite 0.8% 1.4% (Source: ABS 2006 Census Data by Location)
6 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY In the northern parts of the Corangamite and Moyne Shires gross population density is as low as 0.006 persons per hectare – one person for every 152 hectares.
1.3 Population profile According to the ABS, Australia’s population at 30 June 2008 was 21.4 million, while Victoria’s was just over 5.3 million. In both cases, population grew at an average annual rate of 1.5% over the preceding five years. Melbourne’s population was recorded as 3.9 million, compared to regional Victoria’s 1.4 million. Melbourne’s annual growth rate of nearly 2% is currently almost double that of regional Victoria, and the capital city now accounts for 73% of the State’s population. Pockets of regional growth are now occurring in the larger rural centres and coastal cities, while some areas of inland Victoria are experiencing continuing population decline. These patterns are played out locally, with steady population growth in Warrnambool and relatively little change in Corangamite and Moyne Shires. Patterns of population growth across the Corangamite and Moyne Shires and the City of Warrnambool are shown in Table 4.
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 7 TABLE 4: PATTERNS OF POPULATION GROWTH ACROSS CORANGAMITE AND MOYNE SHIRES AND THE CITY OF WARRNAMBOOL
Census Corangamite Moyne Warrnambool Total
1991 18,723 16,600 26,283 61,606 1996 17,812 16,288 27,372 61,472 2001 17,558 15,763 29,629 62,950 2006 17,165 16,035 31,601 64,801 2011 17 285 16,512 33,708 67,505 2016 17,418 16,939 36,038 70,395 2021 17,619 17,452 38,465 73,536
(Sources: ABS ERP – Population by Age and Sex, Regions of Australia, 2007; Population projections by LGA, ID Profile Reports 2008)
The 2006 Census recorded that 13% of Australia’s population was aged 65 years or more. The ABS has predicted that this proportion will increase to 23% by 2031. This ageing of the population is expected to be even greater in regional areas, which have already experienced a pattern of ageing farm communities. Some rural areas are losing population as farmers leave the industry and farms become larger. Another established pattern in regional Victoria is the migration of young people from rural and regional areas to metropolitan Melbourne, a pattern that may be attributed to the concentration of education and employment opportunities in Melbourne. Every year regional communities lose the potential contribution of many of their young people, although some return when they can find suitable employment. Location of persons with a disability A number of data sources can be used to create a picture of where people with a disability are located in the Moyne and Corangamite Shires. A notional distribution by postcode group is shown in Table 5. This was based on the results of the 2003 ABS Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, which found that 20% of the population had a reported disability. Disability was defined as any limitation, restriction or impairment that has lasted or is likely to last for at least six months and restricts daily activities. Examples range from hearing loss that requires the use of a hearing aid to difficulty getting dressed due to arthritis, and advanced dementia requiring constant help and supervision. The relative incidence and distribution of disability by type for the Australian population is given in Appendix A. With the established pattern of ageing of the population (ABS Census 2006), the Department of Transport expects the percentage of the population with a disability to increase in coming years. Applied to the population of Corangamite and Moyne Shires, this percentage gives a notional figure of 6,414 people with a disability. The range and severity of disability types included in this 20% figure would include temporary disabilities, ‘mild’ disability conditions and conditions that would be amenable to the use
8 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY My daughter is currently“ at school and catches the school bus. Once my daughter finishes school and needs to attend an adult training facility there will be significant issues with accessing transport; she will never be able to have a drivers licence and we live 65 kilometres from of aids so as not to represent a ‘transport disadvantage’ for the person any major towns. concerned. ” The notional figures of persons with a disability by postcode were cross- Mother of daughter with referenced to the ABS Need for Assistance criterion, which includes PRA aged 0–6 years persons with a severe or profound disability requiring assistance with self-care, mobility or communication because of a long-term health condition (lasting six months or more), a disability (lasting six months or more) or old age (see Table 5). Under this criterion the ABS Census 2006 counted 1,328 people in the Corangamite and Moyne Shires with a severe or profound disability. This total represents 4.14% of the population of Corangamite and Moyne Shires. Persons with a severe or profound disability appear to be concentrated in the larger towns of the Corangamite and Moyne Shires, based on the postcode areas for Terang (6.9%), Port Fairy (6.7%), Koroit (6.3%), Lismore (6.2%), Skipton (5.5%), Camperdown (5.1%) and Mortlake (5.0%).
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 9 Destinations from Camperdown Camperdown Cobden 13 km The town of Camperdown is the second largest settlement Terang 22 km in the study area, with a population of 3,165 recorded at Mortlake 34 km the 2006 Census. Camperdown residents make up 20% Lismore 40 km Colac 47 km of the population of the Corangamite Shire and 35% of its Port Campbell 53 km total urban population. V/Line trains provide connections to Warrnambool 69 km Warrnambool and Melbourne, with three services in each Ballarat 120 km direction each day. For Camperdown residents, the major Geelong 120 km gap in the transport network is the lack of a timely service Melbourne 192km into Warrnambool by 8.30 am.
10 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY TABLE 5: ABS NEED-FOR-ASSISTANCE PROFILE BY GENDER ACCORDING TO POSTCODE DISTRICT WITHIN CORANGAMITE AND MOYNE SHIRES
Postcode LGA Male Female Total Population NFA NFA NFA estimate2
3260 Bungador, Corangamite 136 125 261 1,025 Camperdown, Gnotuk, 5.37% 4.82% 5.09% 20% Pomborneit, Stonyford
3264 Terang Corangamite 65 91 156 451 5.98% 7.78% 6.91% 20% 3265 Boorcan, Ellerslie, Corangamite 20 27 47 423 Garvoc, Kolora, Noorat, 1.87% 2.58% 2.22% 20% Panmure, The Sisters
3266 Cobden, Glenfyne, Corangamite 51 89 140 719 Jancourt, Jancourt East, 2.82% 4.98% 3.90% 20% Simpson
3267 Scotts Creek Corangamite N/A
3268 Curdie Vale, Corangamite 30 37 67 624 Curdies River, Nirranda, 1.92% 2.37% 2.15% 20% Nullawarre, Timboon
3269 Port Campbell, Corangamite 4 14 18 181 Princetown 0.85% 3.20% 1.99% 20%
3270 Peterborough Moyne 4 0 4 36 4.12% 0% 2.25% 20% 3271 Darlington, Dundonnell, Pura Pura
3272 Mortlake, Woorndoo 3273 HexhamMUST UPDATE YET 3274 Caramut
3275 Mailors Flat
3276 Woolsthorpe, Minjah
3277 Allansford, Mepunga, Naringal
3278 Purnim
3279 Wangoom
3280 Warrnambool
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 11 Postcode LGA Male Female Total Population NFA NFA NFA estimate2
3281 Bushfield, Corangamite 0 9 9 51 Grassmere, Winslow, 0% 8.03% 3.56% 20% Woodford Moyne 32 46 78 313 MUST3282 Koroit, Illowa UPDATE4.20% YET5.73% 4.99% 20% 3283 Killarney, Kirkstall, Moyne 0 0 0 49 Southern Cross, Tower 0% 0% 0% 20% Hill Moyne 9 3 12 78 4.55% 1.54% 3.05% 20% 3284 Port Fairy Moyne 10 0 10 143 2.85% 0% 1.40% 20% 3285 Narrawong, Moyne 0 0 0 139 Yambuk, Rosebrook, 0% 0% 0% 20% St Helens, Toolong, Tyrendarra Warrnambool 23 18 41 332 (mainly) 2.65% 2.28% 2.47% 20% 3286 Macarthur Moyne 3 6 9 92 3287 Hawkesdale, 1.26% 2.71% 1.69% 20% Minhamite Moyne 5 0 5 76 2.54% 0% 1.33% 20% 3323 Berrybank, Warrnambool 587 561 1,148 5,742 Duverney 2.13% 0% 1.05% 20% Moyne (mainly) 5 0 5 96 3324 Lismore 2.13% 0% 1.05% 20%
3325 Derrinallum Moyne 50 60 110 348 3361 Skipton, 5.80% 6.86% 6.33% 20% Carranballac Moyne 25 15 40 322 2.97% 1.96 2.49% 20% Sub-total
Sub-total Moyne 56 130 186 557 4.36% 8.66% 6.67% 20% Sub-total Moyne 22 23 45 270 3.12% 3.55% 3.33% 20% Total3
1 The core activity ‘NeedMoyne for Assistance’ has been11 developed to measure14 the 25number of people161 with a profound or severe disability. People with a2.75% profound disability3.47% are defined3.11% as needing help20% or assistance in one or Moynemore of the three core activity4 areas of self-care,4 mobility8 and communication80 because of a disability, long term (lasting six months2.04% or more)1.98% or old age.2.01% 20% 2 Estimated population based on notional 20% of population having a disability. 3 Differences in totals for each LGA are due to the fact that some of the listed postcode areas overlap and/or extend beyond LGA boundaries.
12 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY As long as I can still“ drive I am able to get around, but once I cannot drive I don’t know what I will do.”
Male with cerebral palsy aged 70+ years
Another indicator of the distribution of persons with a disability across the Corangamite and Moyne Shires is the number of Taxi Card holders. The Multi-Purpose Taxi program makes transport more accessible for Victorians with a severe and permanent disability by giving members half- price taxi fares, up to a maximum of $60 per trip within an annual cap of $2,180. The Victorian Taxi Directorate was able to supply some figures on the number of Taxi Subsidy Scheme members for nominated postcode areas, and also identify members with ‘wheelchair cards’ (see Table 6). Given the stringent eligibility criteria for the Taxi Subsidy Scheme, these data may represent a sub-set of the ABS Need for Assistance data, but they confirm the high number of persons with a disability in the larger regional towns (where there is a taxi service and where the practicality of Taxi Card use is highest). The incidence of Taxi Card holders in rural areas of the Shires falls away dramatically as travel distances increase, and therefore the cost of fares becomes prohibitive.
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 13 Destinations from Port Fairy Port Fairy Koroit 19 km Port Fairy is the largest town in the Moyne Shire, with a Warrnambool 29 km population of 2,599 recorded in the ABS Census 2006. The Portland 46 km town constitutes 47% of Moyne Shire’s urban population. Hamilton 86 km Port Fairy is also a major regional tourist destination and its Melbourne 296 km population increases over the summer months and during seasonal events such as the annual Port Fairy Folk Festival. The town is connected to Warrnambool by daily V/Line coach services and South West Transit buses
14 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY Postcode LGA Male Female Total Population NFA NFA NFA estimate2
3271 Darlington, Corangamite 0 9 9 51 Dundonnell, Pura Pura 0% 8.03% 3.56% 20%
3272 Mortlake, Moyne 32 46 78 313 Woorndoo 4.20% 5.73% 4.99% 20%
3273 Hexham Moyne 0 0 0 49 0% 0% 0% 20% 3274 Caramut Moyne 9 3 12 78 4.55% 1.54% 3.05% 20% 3275 Mailors Flat Moyne 10 0 10 143 2.85% 0% 1.40% 20% 3276 Woolsthorpe, Moyne 0 0 0 139 Minjah 0% 0% 0% 20%
3277 Allansford, Warrnambool 23 18 41 332 Mepunga, Naringal (mainly) 2.65% 2.28% 2.47% 20%
3278 Purnim Moyne 3 6 9 92 1.26% 2.71% 1.69% 20% 3279 Wangoom Moyne 5 0 5 76 2.54% 0% 1.33% 20% 3280 Warrnambool Warrnambool 587 561 1,148 5,742 2.13% 0% 1.05% 20% 3281 Bushfield, Moyne (mainly) 5 0 5 96 Grassmere, Winslow, 2.13% 0% 1.05% 20% Woodford
3282 Koroit, Illowa Moyne 50 60 110 348 5.80% 6.86% 6.33% 20% 3283 Killarney, Kirkstall, Moyne 25 15 40 322 Southern Cross, Tower 2.97% 1.96 2.49% 20% Hill
3284 Port Fairy Moyne 56 130 186 557 4.36% 8.66% 6.67% 20% 3285 Narrawong, Moyne 22 23 45 270 Yambuk, Rosebrook, 3.12% 3.55% 3.33% 20% St Helens, Toolong, Tyrendarra
3286 Macarthur Moyne 11 14 25 161 2.75% 3.47% 3.11% 20% 3287 Hawkesdale, Moyne 4 4 8 80 Minhamite 2.04% 1.98% 2.01% 20%
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 15 Postcode LGA Male Female Total Population NFA NFA NFA estimate2
3323 Berrybank, Corangamite 0 0 0 23 Duverney 0% 0% 0% 20%
3324 Lismore Corangamite 27 16 43 138 7.36% 4.98% 6.25% 20% 3325 Derrinallum Corangamite 19 12 31 141 5.11% 3.65% 4.42% 20% 3361 Skipton, Corangamite 9 28 37 134 Carranballac 2.68% 8.36% 5.51% 20%
Sub-total Corangamite 330 408 738 3,323 3.99% 4.89% 4.44% 20% Sub-total Moyne 253 337 590 3,091 3.28% 4.35% 3.82% 20% Sub-total Warrnambool 604 579 1,183 6,078 4.13% 3.67% 3.89% 20% Total3 1,187 1,324 2,511 12,492 3.88% 4.12% 4.02% 20% (Sources: Victorian Taxi Directorate, 2009; ABS Estimated Population by Postcode 2009) 1 Differences in totals for each LGA are due to the fact that some of the listed postcode areas overlap and/or extend beyond LGA boundaries. Yet another indicator of transport disadvantage faced by persons with a disability is the number of Disabled Parking permits issued across the Corangamite and Moyne Shires. It is estimated that there are in excess of 2,000 persons living in the two Shires who hold a current Disabled Parking permit. Using estimates based on 2008 applications there are around 800 driver permits in Corangamite and 780 in Moyne. ‘Passenger only’ permits are estimated at 155 in Corangamite and 295 in Moyne.
Other demographic features The population profile of Corangamite and Moyne Shires differs from that of Victoria as a whole in that both Shires have larger numbers of younger people in the 0-to-20 age group and larger numbers of older residents. Corangamite in particular has more residents in the over 60 category. Both Shires have fewer residents in the 20-to-40 age group, and this difference is especially pronounced in the 20-to-30 age group. Overall, population numbers are relatively static compared with the State’s average growth of 1.28% (DHS 2008). Corangamite and Moyne Shires have few residents born overseas (6.6% and 6.1% respectively) compared to the Victorian average of 25.5%, and very few non-English speakers (1.6% and 1.1% respectively) compared to 23.3% for the State as a whole. In the Corangamite Shire 48.5% of individuals have an income of less than
16 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY $400 per week and 38.1% of households have an income of less that $650 per week. In the Moyne Shire 47.2% of individuals have an income If we did not of less than $400 per week and 34.9% of households have an income have“ private of less that $650 per week. These reported incomes are below the State transport we would averages. have to seriously Households in Corangamite and Moyne Shires have lower rates of internet consider moving connection (49.2% and 53.3% respectively) than the State average of house to be closer 61.0%. to where public The pattern of car ownership in Corangamite and Moyne Shires differs transport is more markedly to that of Warrnambool, which has greater similarities to the accessible average for Victoria. While the percentage of two-car households is similar ” in all locations, there are significant differences in the percentages of households that do not own a car or have three cars (see Table 7). Both Mother of son with of these differences reflect high car dependency in the rural parts of the developmental delay aged shires, either because of few practical transport alternatives or the need for 18–30 years specialist vehicles required for agricultural activities.
TABLE 7: CAR OWNERSHIP PER HOUSEHOLD FOR CORANGAMITE, MOYNE AND WARRNAMBOOL LGAs COMPARED TO VICTORIAN AVERAGE
Number of Corangamite Moyne Warrnambool Victoria cars per household 0 5.1% 4.2% 7.3% 8.7% 1 30.4% 27.4% 36.5% 33.3% 2 35.6% 37.4% 36.4% 35.5% 3 23.2% 25.6% 13.7% 15.2% Not stated 5.8% 5.4% 6.2% 7.4% Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% (Sources: ABS ERP – Population by Age and Sex, Regions of Australia, 2007; Population projections by LGA, ID Profile Reports 2008)
The different patterns of car-ownership shown in Table 7 are explicable in reference to the relative urbanisation of each area. While 66% of Victorians live near to public transport, in Corangamite and Moyne Shires the figures are 1.1% and 3.5% respectively (ABS/DOI 2006). For this purpose ‘near to public transport’ means living within 400 metres of a bus or tram stop or 800 metres of a train station).
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 17 Terang Terang has a population of 1,824 and is 30 minutes east Destinations from Terang of Warrnambool by train. In addition to local employment, Cobden 18 km some residents commute to Cobden, Camperdown Camperdown 22 km and Warrnambool for work. People with a disability from Mortlake 23 km across the Corangamite and Moyne Shires travel to Terang Timboon 36 km during the week to access services at Cooinda. As with Warrnambool 47 km Camperdown, the major gap in the transport network for Ballarat 120 km Terang residents is the lack of an early morning service into Geelong 142 km Warrnambool. The Terang railway station is unmanned. Melbourne 214 km Transport services between Terang and Mortlake are minimal.
18 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 1.4 transport and social equity In 2005, the Victorian Government published two policy papers: ‘A Fairer Victoria’ and ‘Moving Victoria Forward’. The first spoke of bringing about a more equitable Victoria and proposed a number of measures to counter rural isolation and improve access to opportunity. The second addressed a number of proposals to develop and promote regional Victoria, including a $100 million regional infrastructure development fund. In 2006, the Government published ‘Meeting Our Transport Challenges’, a program to increase expenditure on transport services involving $10B over 10 years. This program was expanded and then superseded by the Victorian Transport Plan published in late 2008, which outlines a $38B expenditure program to build new transport infrastructure and improve and expand existing transport services. Each of these plans acknowledges the important role of transport in reducing social disadvantage and improving access to opportunity. The A Fairer Victoria (2005) policy was reported on and added to in 2006 and again in 2007, and published again in 2009 with a $925 million program of measures to improve accessibility for those with a disability and to reduce social disadvantage. Barriers to full participation The most recent and compelling evidence regarding the impact of transport on social equity comes from the National Disability Strategy Consultation Report, 2009. The consultation discussion paper asked people with a disability and their families, friends and carers to identify the main barriers to their full participation in the economic and social life of the community. A total of 750 submissions were made following consultations involving some 2,500 people. Over half of the submissions were made by individuals, 31% by organisations and 6% by peak bodies. Their responses are summarised in Table 8.
TABLE 8: BARRIERS EXPERIENCED BY PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY AS REPORTED IN SUBMISSIONS TO NATIONAL DISABILITY STRATEGY CONSULTATION Area where barriers experienced Percentage of submissions Social inclusion and community participation 56% Disability services 56% Rights, justice and legislation 39% Income support and the cost of disability 37% Employment 34% Accommodation 32% Families and carers 30% Education 29% Transport 29% Health and wellbeing 29% Built environment 27% Disability services – workforce issues 21% Aids, equipment and assistive technologies 20% Source: National Disability Strategy Consultation Report 2009 (N=750
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 19 A lack of social inclusion and the multiple barriers to meaningful participation in the community faced by people with disabilities were the most frequently raised issues in the submissions and consultations. Whereas ‘transport’ was mentioned directly in 29% of submissions, transport can also be associated with other barriers, such as accessing employment and education opportunities as well as social inclusion and community participation. Transport, health and wellbeing A lack of well planned and accessible transport has been shown to have detrimental effects on health and wellbeing (Marmot and Wilkinson 2003). Numerous studies on the social determinants of health have shown the adverse outcomes associated with social isolation, loneliness and exclusion, including Cohen (2000) and Sorkin et al (2002) and Cappioppo et al (2002). People who do not have their own means of transport or are unable to access transport within their communities face considerable disadvantage, and may be unable to access services or participate in community activities. Transport systems therefore need to meet the needs of every member of the community, including the elderly and those with a disability. Tellingly, Gething (1997) found that the use of health care services declines as the distance people are required to travel increases. Given trends towards concentration of health services in larger centres, this places an even greater imperative to provide sustainable and accessible transport infrastructure and services to enable rural people and people living in small towns to access essential specialist health and medical services. Affordable transport The reduction in country rail fares in 2007 resulted in a significant increase in patronage on all V/Line passenger services, demonstrating the direct influence of transport affordability on patronage. Since 2007, the Melbourne to Warrnambool train service has experienced growth of the order of 10% year-on-year (V/Line, 2009). In many rural and regional areas the only form of available public transport is that provided by the local taxi service (where one exists). The vital role taxis play in many regional communities was recognised in the Government in Meeting our Transport Challenges (2006), which described a plan to ‘introduce a package of measures to address the financial hardship faced by many taxi operators in provincial Victoria and to ensure that regional communities continue to enjoy the benefits of a local taxi service’. Communities in the South West region greatly value the availability of their local taxi service. These transport services are a viable option for persons on concession schemes or where distances travelled (such as within towns) are short. In rural areas where trip length is typically much longer, the regular use of taxi services is unrealistic. It is convenient to think that taxi services can fill the gaps in the transport network, but this is not a realistic proposition, as Table 9 illustrates.
20 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY Cobden The population of Cobden increased slightly in the 2006 Census, to 1,534. Its largest employers include the Fonterra milk processing factory and two feed mill establishments. Cobden Technical School is an important destination for some of the district’s young people. Cobden is also a preferred residential location for some local farming families upon retirement and has well-established retirement and aged care facilities. Nearby Camperdown provides many services that are not available locally and is a point of access to the wider State transport network.
Destinations from Cobden Camperdown 13 km Terang 20 km Simpson 23 km Timboon 26 km Colac 51 km Warrnambool 54 km Geelong 124 km Melbourne 196 km
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 21 TABLE 9: COST OF TYPICAL RETURN TAXI TRIPS ORIGINATING FROM CORANGAMITE AND MOYNE SHIRE TOWNS AS A PROPORTION OF PASSENGER WEEKLY INCOME
Trip origin and Total Fare Fare % of % of % of destination 1 2 weekly weekly weekly km type amount income3 income4 income5 Noorat to Terang Full $57 5.8% 11.4% 19.0% 12 km and return Half $27 2.9% 5.7% 9.5%
Port Campbell to 34 km Full $72 7.8% 15.1% 25.3% Timboon and return Half $36 3.9% 7.6% 12.6%
Lismore to Full $152 16.4% 31.9% 53.2% Camperdown and 80 km Half $76 8.2% 16.0% 26.7% return
Simpson to Colac Full $210 22.7% 44.1% 73.7% 112 km and return Half $105 11.4% 22.1% 36.9%
Yambuk to Port Full $82 8.9% 17.2% 28.8% 40 km Fairy and return Half $41 4.4% 8.6% 14.4%
Woolsthorpe to Full $112 12.1% 23.5% 39.3% 56 km Warrnambool and Half $56 6.1% 11.8% 19.7% return
Mortlake to Full $188 20.3% 39.5% 66.0% 100 km Warrnambool and Half $94 10.2% 19.8% 33.0% return
Peterborough to Full $196 21.2% 41.2% 68.8% Warrnambool and 104 km Half $98 10.6% 20.6% 34.4% return
Sources: Centrelink, ABS, ATO and VTD Taxi Country Taxi Ready Reckoner 1 Return trip kilometers treated as two separate journeys. 2 Half fare journey based on concession fare available to Taxi Card holder. 3 Calculation based on average weekly earnings of $924.79 (after tax and Medicare levy). 4 Calculation based on full couple aged/disability pension of $475.89 per week. 5 Calculation based on full single age/disability pension of $284.90 per week.
22 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY Inclusive transport In a research study based on regional and rural New South Wales, Gething (1997) has shown that distance can be a major barrier to accessing facilities, services and support. Distance is not the only relevant factor, however. The limited availability of transport infrastructure and services to transport people at a reasonable cost across long and short distances, and the high costs of using a motor vehicle as the main form of transport were other contributing factors. In addition, Gething found that where public transport was available in rural and regional areas, it was generally not wheelchair accessible or suitable for those with mobility restrictions. Only a small number of large regional centres had access to wheelchair accessible taxis. In addition to disadvantaging people with a disability, these issues also led to high costs for disability agency service providers. With an ageing population and an increasing trend towards community- based rather than institutional care for the frail aged, there is expected to be increased demand for accessible and affordable public transport for those with limited mobility (DOT 2008). Community transport is often the only means by which elderly and frail people can access essential health services and occasional social participation. The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) has highlighted unmet transport needs in rural and remote communities, and the growing pressure on community transport through lack of secure funding and increasing costs of fuel, maintenance and insurance (MAV 2008). In its transport Position Paper (2008) it lists a priority for ’a transport system that is inclusive of older people, people with disabilities and Victorians who live in areas that are poorly serviced by public transport’, and goes on the state that ‘all Victorians should have affordable transport options, irrespective of age, disability or place of residence’. Accessible transport is essential for enabling people with a disability to have equal opportunity to participate in many daily activities (Kwan 1998; Casas 2007). A lack of transport prevents many people with a disability from accessing a range of community opportunities, including health care, adequate housing, education, employment, recreation, shopping and social connections (Douglas 1999). In metropolitan areas there is a greater range of transport options for people with a disability than there is in rural and regional areas (Gething 1997). This also imposes a cost disadvantage; for example, where a person with a disability is unable to access a public bus service it may be necessary to hire a taxi at a significantly higher cost. A transport system that meets the needs of the aged or those with a disability will benefit all transport users, as effective and affordable transport networks ensure equitable access to employment, education, health and recreation as well as enhancing opportunities to contribute to the social and economic life of the community. Such needs should be considered in the context of mainstream transport planning and its operation (MAV 2008).
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 23 Koroit The township of Koroit has a growing population (1,497 at the 2006 Census), largely due to its proximity to Warrnambool. Regular transit buses provide connections to Warrnambool and Port Fairy. Koroit is the second largest of Moyne Shire’s three major towns, and constitutes 27% of its urban population.
Destinations from Koroit Port Fairy 19 km Warrnambool 16 km Portland 89 km Hamilton 58 km
24 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 1.5 improving transport infrastructure and services The track record of recent improvements to transport infrastructure and services in Victoria is impressive by any measure. The $700 million reconstruction of the former Spencer Street Station into the modern Southern Cross Station (carried out between 2000 and 2005) provides a vastly upgraded service experience for country train and coach travellers, and is fully DDA compliant (DOT 2009). Passengers on the Melbourne-to-Warrnambool train service have benefited from a range of improvements, including upgraded engines and carriage sets, track and signal upgrades, level-crossing works, wider carriage doors and disabled toilets, power-assisted doors, platform re-alignment (in Terang), refurbished waiting areas, improved ramps and tactile pavement treatments, new signage and improved timetable services. The regional V/Line coach fleet is made up of reliable, late-model, air- conditioned vehicles and is now wheelchair accessible on all routes. New routes have been added and times changed to improve connectivity between major towns and with the rail transport network. The increase in patronage that has attended these improvements has created new interest in planning for the development of more services and increased frequency in the medium to longer term (V/Line 2009, p 14). The implementation of Meeting our Transport Challenges (DOT 2006) has led to the introduction of new town bus services and/or improved services for Colac, Hamilton, Portland and Warrnambool. Further changes have been made to improve service routes and frequency, and other service improvements are in process. The Department of Transport has recently created a new Social Transit Unit with responsibility for overseeing improvements on inclusive transport issues across all transport modes, which holds promise to improve the travel experience of people with a disability Accessible transport In its overview to the Accessible Public Transport Action Plan 2006–12, a long-term strategy for delivering accessible bus, train, tram and taxi services throughout Victoria, the Department of Transport states: It is important that all Victorians can access public transport including people with disabilities, the elderly and frail and parents with prams. Almost 20% of Victorians have a disability and ageing patterns show that this figure is expected to increase in the years ahead. The Victorian Government’s initial Action Plan for Accessible Public Transport was released in 1998 as part of a commitment to meeting the requirements of the Commonwealth Government’s Disability Discrimination
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 25 Act 1992. The plan was updated in 2006 to meet the requirements of the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport, which were approved in 2002. Progress in implementing these plans is reported by the Department of Transport in Progress Towards Accessible Public Transport (see Appendix C). The highest priorities for the coming years are: • access paths, ramps, Tactile Ground Surface Indicators (TGSIs), waiting areas and stairs on the metropolitan rail network • more platform stops in medians and high use locations, TGSIs at tram stops and boarding of Melbourne trams • TGSIs and paving at bus stops in Melbourne and regional areas • access paths, ramps, TGSIs, lighting, furniture and hearing augmentation on the V/Line network • improved response times for wheelchair accessible taxis. The new Victorian Transport Plan published in December 2008 lists an amount of $150 million (over a 12-year period) to improve accessibility of the transport network. The Department of Transport policy and research branch is giving consideration to four aspects of accessible transport: availability, (physical) accessibility, affordability and acceptability (Kylie Suich, DOT, pers comm 11 August 2009), each of which is an essential requirement from the point of view of transport users. The consequence of this appreciation is that as welcome as improvements to the physical accessibility of existing public transport services are, these improvements are of negligible benefit to those Victorians who are unable to access the transport network due to a lack of availability of services. While 66% of Victorians live near to public transport (that is, within 400 metres of a bus or tram stop or 800 metres of a railway station), in Corangamite Shire the figure is 1.1% and in Moyne Shire it is 3.5% of the population (ABD/DOI 2006). Transport futures and population density The transport system needs to connect people to all the things they need to access: friends, family, recreation, jobs, shops, education and services (DOT 2009). A number of other Government policy papers make reference to the necessity for all Victorians to have access to public transport, yet provision clearly falls short of that intent. Recent policy developments focusing on integrating land use planning and transport aim to increase population densities to effect transport efficiencies, but these discussions do not seem to hold much relevance to regional Victorians. Among the objectives of the Victorian Transport Plan is the promise to ‘support regional growth with significant investment in more transport services that link regional centres to Melbourne and smaller towns to regional cities’ (DOT 2008). Such linkages are essential to providing regional Victorians with access to education, health services, employment and social opportunities.
26 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY Mortlake The population of Mortlake was 996 at the 2006 Census. It Destinations from Mortlake is the third of Moyne Shire’s major towns, making up 18% Terang 23 km of the Shire’s urban population. Mortlake is a service centre Derrinallum 41 km for a large area of the north-east of the Moyne Shire. The Lake Bolac 42 km town has a number of associations with Terang through Warrnambool 50 km Terang & Mortlake Health Services and the Terang–Mortlake Lismore 51 km Football Netball Club. Abbeyfield House provides residential Hamilton 87 km aged care services. Mortlake is linked to Ballarat through V/ Geelong 144 km Line coach services three days a week, and there is a bus Melbourne 216 km service to Warrnambool two days per week during school hours. Gaps in the transport network for Mortlake residents are timely daily bus services to and from Warrnambool during the week and connections to Terang (including links to train services, which enable a daily return trip to Melbourne).
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 27 The recent review of the Transport Act states that ‘public transport is not a viable option for some because of significant barriers to use, such as people in remote locations’ (DOT 2009). It goes on to state that ‘in these situations a tailored transport response in needed’. These ‘tailored transport responses’ are well established in other countries to provide service to people living in areas of low population density (White 2008). These services are generally flexible and scalable to demand, and their provision relates to equity considerations, where the issue of operational efficiency is not the paramount consideration. The provision of minimal services in rural locations to cater for one sector of the community can be self-defeating. These services are not a realistic option for many purposes or for many people, and because they are not inclusive, they can teeter on the edge of viability. Where services are neither regular nor comprehensive it has been reported that social barriers can develop around them and the ‘underclass’ with whom they are associated. A number of writers have described the global explosion in transport usage since the 1940s (Banister 2002, White 2008), others have described the emerging necessity to reverse increasing levels of greenhouse gas emissions produced by the transport sector, (Australian Greenhouse Office 2008; Garnaut 2008), linked to climate change. The direct per capita usage of transport of people living in rural and regional areas can be higher that of people living in large cities due to the travel distances involved, but it is difficult for individuals to take action to reduce their environmental impact. Moriaty and Honnery (2008) suggest that the future of transport is one of vastly reduced mobility, where ‘reversion back to active modes and public transport would enable major progress towards ... an ecologically sustainable world’. People of all social strata living in rural and regional Victoria are increasingly attracted to the use of public transport for long- haul passenger trips, as evidenced in the uptake in V/Line services (V/Line 2009). The end of high mobility lifestyles may be forced upon societies, but that future will still rely upon a reinvestment in local services and amenities, and the provision of substantive and inclusive public transport services.
28 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY Timboon Timboon is a major service centre for residents in the Destinations from Timboon southern part of Corangamite Shire, including Simpson Port Campbell 16 km and Port Campbell, and for Peterborough in the south-east Cobden 26 km of Moyne Shire. Timboon had a population of 871 at the Camperdown 39 km 2006 Census. The major destination for Timboon residents Warrnambool 52 km is Warrnambool, about 40 minutes drive to the west. Train Colac 68 km connections to Melbourne are made at Camperdown Geelong 141 km or Colac. Timboon Taxis provides an essential transport Melbourne 213 km service for local residents, including elderly people accessing health services. There is a one-day-a-week bus service to Warrnambool during school hours, and a three- day-a-week pilot bus/taxi public transport service through Cobden to Camperdown.
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 29 Allansford Part of the City of Warrnambool, Allansford has a population of 630 (ABS Census 2006). Its principal industry is dairy processing at the Warrnambool Cheese and Butter factory. A satellite town, situated nine kilometres to the east of Warrnambool, Allansford has grown substantially in recent years. It is serviced by regular buses, which provide links to Warrnambool, Koroit and Port Fairy.
Destinations from Allansford Warrnambool 9 km Melbourne 258 km
30 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 1.6 Public and community transport options While the City of Warrnambool and parts of the Corangamite and Moyne Shires are serviced by a range of public and community transport services, other parts of these municipalities have limited access to transport services, with local communities relying on private transport to access services. Taxi services are an important and well-used form of public transport in Port Fairy, Koroit, Terang, Camperdown, Cobden and Timboon, but they can be expensive for people with limited means, especially where a trip is required outside a local town. Most other public transport in the study area is incidental, and availability depends on whether the town is on a major connecting route between two larger centres. Where some towns appear to be serviced by public transport, the timing and direction of travel means that it may be of no effective use to local residents. These gaps in essential transport services are sometimes filled in a limited way by local buses and community transport. The Victorian Council of Social Services (VCOSS) defines community transport as: not-for-profit transport and mobility support which is developed to meet the needs of transport disadvantaged people in the local community ... these services support vulnerable and transport disadvantaged members of the community, in particular older people and people with disabilities, to access services and participate in community life (VCOSS Community Transport Snapshot Project, July 2008). Community transport passengers typically do not or cannot drive, cannot access public transport or require assistance with mobility, communication or other forms of personal support. Community transport is sometimes used by people experiencing financial difficulties and/or lacking family or social network support. In rural areas community transport services may be provided by community agencies or local government to supplement limited or non- existent public transport services. The majority of these community transport services are funded within agency budgets, while a small number receive HACC funding. Most are dependent on the contributions of volunteers. Because of the lack of overall public transport infrastructure, it is not unusual for clients to be dependent on agencies to provide transport, often over significant distances, to enable them to access services and participate in their communities. Overview of available transport modes The following pages summarise the major modes of available public and community transport across the Moyne and Corangamite Shires. Tables 10 and 11 provide a summary of the services available to residents and visitors in each of the larger and smaller towns. It is important to note that a majority of residents (55%) do not live in these towns but in outlying rural areas, and that private transport is the overwhelmingly dominant transport mode.
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 31 Skipton Skipton is the northernmost township in the Corangamite Destinations from Skipton Shire, and has a population of 482 (ABS 2006 Census). Beaufort 32 km Weekday V/Line coaches from Warrnambool link Skipton Lismore 32 km to Ballarat, some 50 kilometres to the north-east. Lake Bolac 48 km Camperdown, at the centre of Corangamite Shire, is 68 Ballarat 50 km kilometres to the south. Skipton is a service centre for a Camperdown 68 km large and sparsely populated area. Its hospital provides Ararat 76 km health and community transport services to the towns of Mortlake 79 km Derrinallum and Lismore and links to Beaufort to the north Geelong 126 km Warrnambool 129 km Melbourne 165 km
32 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY Trains V/Line train services link the towns of Camperdown and Terang to Warrnambool (and to Colac, Geelong and Melbourne). Three services operate in both directions every day of the week. Patronage on these services has increased significantly over the past three years due to changes in fare pricing, upgraded infrastructure and rising petrol costs. With year-on-year compounding growth of the order of 10%, additional carriages have been added to these services. In 2006, trains of three carriages were common, whereas five-carriage trains now operate regularly, and seven-carriage trains have been required on occasion. There is a longer term prospect of additional daily services should the current pattern of increasing patronage continue. V/Line has also upgraded local railway stations with tactile pavement surface treatments and updated signage and information, as well as undertaking major track works such as the re-levelling of the Terang station platform. V/Line route buses V/Line coach services into and out of Warrnambool provide connections for some residents of Corangamite and Moyne Shires. These long-haul services integrate with the State transport network, providing connections to Ballarat, Apollo Bay (and Geelong), Hamilton, Ararat, Portland/Heywood and Mount Gambier. These services pass through the larger towns of Koroit, Port Fairy, Mortlake, Terang and Camperdown, and smaller towns including Macarthur, Noorat, Port Campbell and Peterborough. Because V/Line route buses connect major regional population centres, timetables are problematic for residents of some towns; for example, residents of Derrinallum and Lismore can travel daily to Ballarat and return five days a week, but not to nearby Mortlake or Camperdown. Transit buses New and expanded transit bus services now operate in Warrnambool, Portland, Hamilton, Ballarat and Colac, providing low-cost connectivity within these towns. Residents from Corangamite and Moyne Shires who can travel to these main population centres now have the means to access services on the intra-town routes. Modern low-floor buses provide improved access for more passengers. An incremental program of improved bus stops and shelter upgrades is improving the amenity of these services. In some cases, timetable and stop information is difficult to obtain or interpret. The limited span of hours and frequency of services renders them unsuitable for the purposes of some travellers, such as people going to work. A number of services have recently been reviewed and routes and timetables refined, leading to improved patronage. The Warrnambool Bus Review (Maunsell AE COM) has proposed substantial improvements to the service, offering increased frequency and span of hours and a much more
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 33 legible route structure. This review is nearing completion and is yet to be implemented. Local buses There are some local bus services operating across the Corangamite and Moyne Shires, which provide access to the larger regional towns and/ or the broader transport network. These services generally operate on one or two days per week and provide vital connections for residents of Mortlake, Timboon, Peterborough and Port Campbell. A current Transport Connections pilot service has filled the darkest hole of transport disadvantage in the study area, providing connections for residents of Simpson, Timboon and Cobden to the transport network at Camperdown. These local bus services, however, are not accessible in terms of DDA compliance, and some older passengers have trouble negotiating the steps to board the bus. Taxis Taxi services in Corangamite and Moyne Shire include Port Fairy Taxi Service, Camperdown–Terang Taxi Service and Timboon Taxis. Warrnambool Radio Taxis, Taxis of Hamilton, Colac Taxi Service and Taxis of Portland also service residents in nearby towns and rural areas. Community transport services Across the Corangamite and Moyne Shires community transport services operate out of Terang & Mortlake Health Services, Timboon and District Healthcare Service, Moyne Health in Port Fairy and the Corangamite Shire. The term ‘community transport’ is something of a misnomer, as these services are generally tightly limited in terms of coverage and extent and also in terms of eligibility for their use. Some community transport is exclusive to health agency clients. Other services Timboon and Warrnambool currently share a Red Cross car, which is driven by volunteer drivers taking medical patients to Geelong, Ballarat and Melbourne. The service is limited and has stringent eligibility requirements. Agency buses and cars Many local health services, aged care facilities and community organisations own and operate small buses and cars, which are used to transport their clients or members to medical appointments, day centre activities, shopping, recreational or social functions. In some cases buses may be available for hire during down times or weekends. Charter buses Some agencies hire charter buses to transport their clients to social and cultural events or destinations forming part of an activities program. Most bus companies have several vehicles available for hire or charter.
34 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY Lismore There are 287 people living in Lismore (ABS Census 2006) Destinations from Lismore and, like the townships of Derrinallum and Skipton, it is Derrinallum 11 km linked by weekday V/Line coach services to Ballarat. A Skipton 32 km community transport bus based in Camperdown provides Camperdown 40 km a transport link for some residents once a fortnight. Mortlake 47 km Camperdown is the closest centre where a comprehensive Terang 58 km range of retail and health services can be accessed, some Ballarat 82 km 40 kilometres to the south. Warrnambool 97 km
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 35 Macarthur Macarthur has a population of 258 (ABS Census 2006). Destinations from Macarthur Weekday V/Line coach connections from Warrnambool Hamilton 36 km through Port Fairy connect Macarthur to Hamilton, Penshurst 37 km 36 kilometres to the north. Macarthur is located in a Port Fairy 50 km sparsely populated area of the Moyne Shire and is a service Koroit 53 km location for the surrounding farming communities. Portland 71 km Warrnambool 79 km Ballarat 209 km Melbourne 324 km
36 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY TABLE 10: PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICES TO AND FROM TOWNS IN CORANGAMITE AND MOYNE SHIRES
Camperdown Population 3,165 (Corangamite Shire)
Trains Three services each day to Melbourne and three services each day to Warrnambool. Coaches and V/Line coach to Ballarat and return on Tuesdays and buses Thursdays. Pilot bus service to Cobden, Timboon and Simpson on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, meeting all six trains at Camperdown. Taxis Maximum of three sedan cars available.
Port Fairy Population 2,599 (Moyne Shire)
Trains Regular daily V/Line coach and transit bus services connect to Warrnambool station. Coaches and V/Line coaches connect Port Fairy to Warrnambool, Portland buses and Hamilton. Regular daily transit bus services (10 per day) provide further connections, including to Koroit. Limited weekend services. Taxi One sedan car and one multi-purpose van available.
Terang Population 1824 (Corangamite Shire)
Trains Three services each day to Melbourne and three services each day to Warrnambool. Coaches and V/Line coaches provide connections to Ballarat on Tuesdays buses and Thursdays. V/Line coaches also pass through Terang on Friday and Sunday evenings on the Warrnambool–Casterton route. Taxis Maximum of three sedan cars available.
Cobden Population 1,534 (Corangamite Shire)
Trains Pilot bus service to Camperdown station on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, meeting all six trains if required. Coaches and Pilot bus service to Cobden, Timboon and Simpson on buses Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, meeting all six trains at Camperdown. Taxis Maximum of three sedan cars available.
Koroit Population 1,497 (Moyne Shire)
Trains Regular daily V/Line coach and transit bus services provide limited connections to Warrnambool station. Coaches and V/Line coaches connect Koroit to Warrnambool (and buses Hamilton) Monday to Friday. Regular daily transit bus services (10 per day) provide further connections, including to Port Fairy. Limited weekend services. Taxis Nearest taxi service is at Warrnambool, 18 km away, or Port Fairy, 22 km away.
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 37 TABLE 10: PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICES TO AND FROM TOWNS IN CORANGAMITE AND MOYNE SHIRES
Mortlake Population 996 (Moyne Shire)
Trains No practical local connections. Nearest railway station is Terang, 23 km to the south. Coaches and V/Line coach from Warrnambool to Ballarat and return passes buses through Skipton daily from Monday to Friday. Limited value due to direction of travel. Coles Coaches provide connection to Warrnambool on Wednesday and Friday evenings, and V/ Line coaches also late Friday and Sunday. Taxis Nearest taxi service is at Terang, 23 km to the south.
Timboon Population 871 (Corangamite Shire)
Trains Pilot bus/taxi service provides on-demand access to Camperdown station on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, meeting all six trains if required. Coaches and Pilot bus/taxi service to Cobden, Timboon and Simpson on buses Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, meeting all six trains at Camperdown station. Thursday service to and from Warrnambool each week Taxis Timboon Taxis service has two sedans available.
Skipton Population 482 (Corangamite Shire)
Trains Nearest practical connection is Ballarat, 50 km away, by regular V/Line coach service. Coaches and V/Line coach from Warrnambool to Ballarat and return passes buses through Skipton daily from Monday to Friday.
Taxis Nearest taxi service is at Ballarat, 50 km away.
Lismore Population 287 (Corangamite Shire)
Trains Nearest practical connection is Ballarat, 78 km away.
Coaches and V/Line coach from Warrnambool to Ballarat and return passes buses through Lismore daily from Monday to Friday.
Taxis Nearest service is at Camperdown, 40 km away.
Macarthur Population 258 (Moyne Shire)
Trains No practical local connections.
Coaches and V/Line coach from Warrnambool to Ararat passes through buses Macarthur on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, providing connections to Hamilton.
Taxis Nearest taxi service is at Hamilton, 36 km away.
38 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY Port Campbell The regular stream of visitors on the Great Ocean Road Destinations from Port Campbell tourist route adds to Port Campbell’s population of 256 Peterborough 13 km (ABS Census 2006), especially in the summer months. Timboon 17 km Accommodation and other tourism-related enterprises Cobden 40 km provide regular and seasonal employment. V/Line coach Camperdown 53 km services from Warrnambool to Apollo Bay (connecting Warrnambool 65 km on to Geelong) operate three days per week, but the Colac 82 km direction of travel means they are of limited utility to Port Campbell residents. Primary destinations are Timboon and Warrnambool. A one-day-a-week bus service provides a connection to Warrnambool during school hours, and a weekday Summer Bus service was trialled last summer.
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 39 Noorat At the centre of a prosperous dairy farming community, the Destinations from Noorat township of Noorat has a population of 251 (ABS Census Terang 6 km 2006). Its milk processing factory closed many years ago Mortlake 17 km and now Glenormiston College is its major employer, Camperdown 19 km attracting day and resident students to the area. The Warrnambool 53 km college operates a bus for student activities, which provides connections to Terang and Warrnambool. The Terang Taxi Service provides connections for other residents to services in Terang.
40 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY TABLE 10: PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICES TO AND FROM TOWNS IN CORANGAMITE AND MOYNE SHIRES
Port Campbell Population 256 (Corangamite Shire)
Trains No practical local connections. V/Line coach provides long- distance connection to Geelong. Coaches and V/Line coach from Warrnambool to Apollo Bay and return buses passes through Port Campbell on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Limited value to local residents due to direction of travel. Taxis Nearest taxi service is Timboon Taxis, 21 km away, with two sedans available.
Noorat Population 251 (Corangamite Shire)
Trains Commercial taxi connection to Terang station, 6 km to the south. Coaches and V/Line coach from Mortlake to Warrnambool passes through buses Noorat around 5.30 pm on Fridays and Sundays via Terang, returning around 9.30 pm Taxis Nearest taxi service is at Terang, 6 km away.
Derrinallum Population 232 (Corangamite Shire)
Trains Nearest practical connection is Ballarat, 88 km away.
Coaches and V/Line coach from Warrnambool to Ballarat and return passes buses through Derrinallum daily from Monday to Friday.
Taxis Nearest taxi service is at Terang, 34 km away.
Peterborough Population 178 (Moyne Shire)
Trains No practical local connections. Coaches and V/Line coach from Warrnambool to Apollo Bay and return buses passes through Peterborough on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Limited value to local residents due to direction of travel. Taxis Nearest taxi service is Timboon Taxis, 20 km away, with two sedans available.
Simpson Population 128 (Corangamite Shire)
Trains Pilot bus/taxi service provides on-demand access to Cobden and to Camperdown on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, meeting all six trains if required. Coaches and Pilot bus/taxi service provides on-demand access to Cobden buses and Camperdown on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Taxis Nearest taxi service is Timboon Taxis, 30 km away, with two sedans available.
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 41 TABLE 11: COMMUNITY TRANSPORT SERVICES BY LOCATION IN CORANGAMITE AND MOYNE SHIRES
Camperdown Population 3,165 (Corangamite Shire)
Community South West Healthcare Camperdown Campus operates a bus 12-seater bus with wheelchair hoist for day centre clients. It is also used for Corangamite Shire HACC clients in Lismore and Derrinallum to travel to Camperdown for fortnightly shopping or social outings. Volunteer Corangamite Shire administers a HACC-funded community driver cars transport scheme with volunteer drivers using their own cars. Clients are limited to one trip per month for medical and health-related appointments. Other Where service cannot meet demand, assistance is sought from volunteers through Terang & Mortlake Health Services.
Port Fairy Population 2,599 (Moyne Shire)
Community Former community bus now used only for Moyne Health bus clients for internal programs. Used daily with staff drivers. Not available for hire.
Terang Population 2,824 (Corangamite Shire)
Community Door-to-door assisted transport by volunteer drivers for car eligible clients, funded by Terang & Mortlake Health Services (shared with Mortlake). Fees apply. Volunteer Corangamite Shire administers a HACC-funded community driver cars transport scheme with volunteer drivers using their own cars. Clients are limited to one trip per month for medical and health-related appointments.
Cobden Population 1,534 (Corangamite Shire)
Community Twelve-seater bus with wheelchair lift located at Cobden bus District Health Service. Mostly used for hostel residents and day centre activities, but also made available to Timboon and District Healthcare Service on a cost-recovery basis. Volunteer As part of Timboon and District Healthcare Service driver cars community transport program, with six volunteers located at Cobden, using their own cars. Red Cross car Through Timboon and District Healthcare Service, Cobden residents can have access to the Red Cross car for long trips for medical purposes.
Koroit Population 1,497 (Moyne Shire)
Community Twelve-seater bus. No wheelchair access. Operated by Koroit bus & District Memorial Health Services for day centre clients and nursing home residents. Available for public weekend hire and evenings. Used by community groups such as cricket club, Lions Club and Scouts and monthly trips to local towns for ‘Men on the Move’ program.
42 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY Derrinallum There are 232 people living in Derrinallum (ABS Census Destinations from Derrinallum 2006), at the foot of Mount Elephant on the Hamilton Lismore 10 km HIghway. In common with the towns of Lismore and Camperdown 35 km Skipton, Derrinallum is linked by weekday V/Line coach Skipton 38 km services to Ballarat. A community transport bus based in Mortlake 41 km Camperdown provides a linkage for some residents once Ballarat 92 km a fortnight. Camperdown is the closest centre where a Warrnambool 91 km comprehensive range of retail and health services can be Geelong 104 km accessed, some 35 kilometres to the south.
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 43 Peterborough The small seaside town of Peterborough, located at the Destinations from Peterborough Curdies River estuary, has a population of 178 (ABS Port Campbell 13 km Census 2006). A one-day-a-week bus service connects Timboon 20 km Peterborough to Warrnambool. The passing V/Line coach Cobden 46 km services from Warrnambool to Warrnambool 52 km Apollo Bay are of limited utility to local residents, whose Camperdown 59 km primary destinations are Timboon and Warrnambool. Melbourne 233 km
44 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY TABLE 11: COMMUNITY TRANSPORT SERVICES BY LOCATION IN CORANGAMITE AND MOYNE SHIRES
Mortlake Population 996 (Moyne Shire)
Community Ten-seater bus with wheelchair access managed by Moyne bus Shire. Weekly transport and monthly trip to Warrnambool for Senior Citizens. Available for hire. Community Door-to-door assisted transport by 15 volunteer drivers for car eligible clients, funded by Terang & Mortlake Health Services. Fees apply.
Timboon Population 871 (Corangamite Shire)
Volunteer As part of Timboon and District Healthcare Service driver cars community transport program, with 10 volunteers located at Timboon, using their own cars. Community Twelve-seater bus with wheelchair lift hired from Cobden bus District Health Services for day centre clients. Commercial bus hired when this is unavailable. Red Cross car Through Timboon and District Healthcare Service, Cobden residents can have access to the Red Cross car for long trips for medical purposes. Car available for first two weeks of each month, driven free of charge by Lions Club volunteers.
Skipton Population 482 (Corangamite Shire)
Volunteer Beaufort & Skipton Health Service provides two sedans and driver cars one station wagon driven by volunteers (seven), providing access for local residents to medical and health services. Hospital bus Modified 18-seater bus with wheelchair access used solely for hospital purposes.
Lismore Population 287 (Corangamite Shire)
Volunteer Beaufort & Skipton Health Service provides two sedans and driver cars one station wagon driven by volunteers (seven), providing access for Lismore residents to medical and health services. Volunteer Corangamite Shire administers a HACC-funded community driver cars transport scheme with volunteer drivers using their own cars. Clients are limited to one trip per month for medical and health-related appointments. Community Twelve-seater bus with wheelchair hoist used for Corangamite bus Shire HACC clients in Lismore and Derrinallum to travel to Camperdown for fortnightly shopping or social outings. Vehicle owned by South West Healthcare Camperdown Campus.
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 45 TABLE 11: COMMUNITY TRANSPORT SERVICES BY LOCATION IN CORANGAMITE AND MOYNE SHIRES
Macarthur Population 258 (Moyne Shire)
Community Eleven-seater bus with wheelchair hoist. Used for HACC bus clients and regular fortnightly service to Hamilton. Non-HACC uses considered. Community Car funded by South West Healthcare using volunteer car drivers for HACC-funded social support program. Used by staff and volunteer drivers for day centre activities and trips to Warrnambool and Hamilton for medical appointments. Limited related uses possible for non-centre clients.
Port Campbell Population 256 (Corangamite Shire)
Volunteer As part of Timboon and District Healthcare Service driver cars community transport program, with volunteers located at Port Campbell, using their own cars Red Cross car Through Timboon and District Healthcare Service, residents can have access to the Red Cross car for long trips for medical purposes.
Noorat Population 251 (Corangamite Shire)
Community Door-to-door assisted transport by 15 volunteer drivers in car Mortlake, funded by Terang & Mortlake Health Services. Fees apply. Volunteer Corangamite Shire administers a HACC-funded community driver cars transport scheme with volunteer drivers using their own cars. Clients are limited to one trip per month for medical and health-related appointments.
Derrinallum Population 232 (Corangamite Shire)
Volunteer Beaufort & Skipton Health Service provides two sedans and driver cars one station wagon driven by volunteers (seven), providing access for Derrinallum residents to medical and health services. Volunteer Corangamite Shire administers a HACC-funded community driver cars transport scheme with volunteer drivers using their own cars. Clients are limited to one trip per month for medical and health-related appointments. Community Twelve-seater bus with wheelchair hoist used for Corangamite bus Shire HACC clients in Lismore and Derrinallum to travel to Camperdown for fortnightly shopping or social outings. Vehicle owned by South West Healthcare Camperdown Campus.
46 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY Simpson The small township of Simpson has a population of 128 Destinations from Simpson (ABS Census 2006). It lies at the centre of a pre-eminent Cobden 23 km dairy farming region developed in the 1960s by the Timboon 30 km Heytesbury Settlement Commission. Residents of Simpson Port Campbell 32 km have close links with Cobden and Timboon in regard to Camperdown 46 km local services, such as secondary education. Camperdown, Colac 54 km Colac and Warrnambool are primary destinations for other Warrnambool 82 km services not found in smaller towns Geelong 127 km Melbourne 199 km
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 47 TABLE 11: COMMUNITY TRANSPORT SERVICES BY LOCATION IN CORANGAMITE AND MOYNE SHIRES
Peterborough Population 178 (Moyne Shire)
Volunteer As part of Timboon and District Health Service community driver cars transport program, with volunteers located at Peterborough, using their own cars. Red Cross car Through Timboon and District Healthcare Service, Peterborough residents can have access to the Red Cross car for long trips for medical purposes.
Simpson Population 128 (Corangamite Shire)
Volunteer As part of Timboon and District Healthcare Service driver cars community transport program, with two volunteers located at Simpson, using their own cars. Red Cross car Through Timboon and District Healthcare Service, Simpson residents can have access to the Red Cross car for long trips for medical purposes.
48 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 2. Project aim The aim of this research project was to collect and analyse data that would assist with local area planning in regard to the availability, accessibility and affordability of public and community transport options for people with a disability in the Corangamite and Moyne Shires. The study set out to answer the following questions: What are the current modes of transport used by people with a disability? Where are people with a disability travelling to and for what purposes? Where would they like to travel and for what purposes? What are the current barriers to using public and community transport?
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 49 3. methods 3.1 Population parameters Several methods were used to determine the number and distribution of persons with a disability across the study area of Corangamite and Moyne Shires. ABS Census 2006 data were compiled and analysed to determine the distribution of population across urban and rural locations, using data on specific townships and postcode areas to develop a numerical description of population distribution. Using the 2003 ABS Survey of Disabilities, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) reported incidence of persons with a disability in the Australian population at 20% (refer Appendix A), a notional locational distribution was derived for the study area. ABS data on projected population growth and the projected increase in the number of aged persons in the population were also obtained and reported to show the projected increase in the number of persons with a disability in the study area. Details on the distribution of persons with a profound or severe disability were obtained for relevant postcode areas using the ABS 2006 Need for Assistance profile data, to develop a comparative distribution of persons with a profound or severe disability with the notional 20% background distribution of persons with a disability. Two other methods were employed to supply evidence connecting the incidence of disability and transport requirements. Data were obtained from both the Corangamite and Moyne Shires on the estimated number of current Disabled Parking Permits (including Disabled Passenger Permits). Further data were obtained from the Victorian Taxi Directorate on the number of Taxi Subsidy Scheme members by postcode area and by card type: ‘wheelchair’ cards and other (M40) type. 3.2 Public and community transport services After developing a working description of the distribution of persons with a disability across the Corangamite and Moyne Shires, enquiries were undertaken to identify the presence and forms of public and community transport available to residents of the study area. Commencing with data reported in the South West Community Transport Directory (2006), contact was made with all known transport operators and service agencies to develop a summary and a detailed description of the nature and frequency or operation of these services, focusing on the services available in listed townships.
50 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 3.3 survey of persons with a disability An initial survey instrument was developed by the project team to identify the information needed to answer the questions posed in the project aim. This was tested and modified by the project steering committee to ensure that data obtained would be relevant to operational needs of service agencies. The modified survey was then tested with a sample target audience and further modified by persons with experience in conducting surveys of persons with a disability. Permissions were obtained from disability service agencies Cooinda and Mpower, and the Corangamite and Moyne Shires for the surveys to be mailed to persons with a disability listed on their databases. The surveys were mailed by the assisting agencies and no records or mailing details were viewed or accessed by the researchers. A covering letter outlined the purposes of the study and explained the measures taken to ensure confidentiality of responses. Survey questions focused on the location of persons with a disability, their current modes of transport and the places they travel to and from. Information was collected on the types of transport and other circumstances relating to different travel purposes. Responses relating to barriers to travel were also collected to determine where people would like to travel if they had the opportunity. Survey respondents were invited to elaborate on or add to those areas of enquiry listed in the survey form. They were offered assistance to complete the survey if needed, and invited to speak directly with the project officer if they preferred. Respondents were also invited to provide contact details if they were prepared to be contacted by the project officer for a follow-up telephone interview. 3.4 telephone interviews A primary purpose of the survey was to provide a voice for persons with a disability in relation to their transport experiences. As respondents are generally likely to provide briefer responses in a written survey than an oral survey, all respondents were given the opportunity to participate in a telephone survey aimed at obtaining more detailed information. Telephone interviews were used to expand on information gathered in the initial surveys as well to identify new possibilities not explored initially. The telephone survey was also a way to clarify responses made in the written survey, to enhance the understanding of overall study results (Richardson and Ampt 1994). A total of 30 telephone interviews were conducted, with 10 respondents from the 0-to-18 age group, 10 from the 19-to-70 age group and 10 from the 70-plus age group.
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 51 3.5 Agency perspectives Interviews were conducted with representatives of service agencies, including health, community support and provider services. Information was collected on transport services provided to clients and the purposes of transport provision. Interviews employed open questions to allow the respondents freedom in determining the amount and kind of information to offer, and closed questions, where specific information was required to ensure all research aims were met (Stewart and Cash 2003). Each interviewee was given the opportunity to identify their major transport issues and challenges. A combination of face-to-face and telephone interviews were conducted. 3.6 operator perspectives Telephone and face-to face interviews were held with transport service providers, including V/Line train and coach operators, local bus operators, taxi operators and community transport operators. Open questions were asked to encourage interviewees to identify issues and experiences relating to transport services provided to people with a disability. Direct questions were posed in relation to issues identified by transport users (and their representatives) to capture operator perspectives and provide an opportunity for a balanced account of contentious issues. 3.7 Advocacy representations Representations made to advocacy agencies by people with a disability on transport issues were identified and summarised. Matters reported to South West Advocacy Association, Rural Access and Transport Connections were collated to develop an account of the most commonly reported difficulties experienced and complaints made by persons with a disability residing in the Corangamite and Moyne Shires. In some cases these issues were represented by proxies, for example, a parent or advocate, such as an aged care service manager.
52 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 4. Results4. results 4.1 survey results 4.1 Survey results A total of 282 surveys were returned of the 850 surveys distributed, a response rate of just over 33%. Almost half of the returned surveys were A total of 282 surveys were returned of the 850 surveys distributed, a response rate of completed by people with a disability, the remainder being completed by just over 33%. Almost half of the returned surveys were completed by people with a other people on their behalf. For the purposes of the discussion of survey disability, the remainder being completed by other people on their behalf. For the results, the term ’respondent’ refers to the person with a disability to whom purposes of the discussion of survey results, the term ’respondent’ refers to the person the completed survey refers. with a disability to whom the completed survey refers. Age and gender profile of respondents Age and gender profile of respondents A breakdown by age group and gender is given in Figures 2 and 3. Overall, A60% breakdown of respondents by age were group female, and 37%gender male is andgiven 3% in not Figures specified. 2 and 3. Overall, 60% of respondentsApproximately were 55% female,of respondents 37% male were and aged 3% 70 notyears specified. or older and Approximately 55% of respondentsalmost 75% of were this ageaged group 70 years were female.or older The and gender almost distribution 75% of thiswas age group were female.more even The for gender the age distribution categories upwas to 70more years, even except for the that age 70% categories of up to 70 years, exceptrespondents that 70% in the of 0-to-18 respondents age group in the were 0-to-18 male. There age group was a wereminimum male. of There was a minimum8 to 10 people of 8 toin 10each people of the inage each ranges of theshown age in ranges Figure 2, shown with all in groups Figure 2, with all groups includingincluding both malemale and and female female respondents. respondents.
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40% Percentage 30%
20%
10%
0%
70+ 0 to 6 7 to 12 13 to 18 19 to 30 31 to 50 51 to 60 61 to 70
Not specified Age range
FIGURE 2: AGE PROFILE OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS FIGURE 2: AGE PROFILE OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS (N = 282)
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 53
Transport needs of people with a disability 33 Female Male Not specified
FIGURE 3: GENDER PROFILE OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS FIGURE 3: GENDER PROFILE OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS (N = 282)
DistributionDistribution ofof surveyedsurveyed populationpopulation and location of survey respondents respondents The distribution of survey respondents by postcode area is shown in Table 12. Of the Thetotal distribution respondents, of survey 67% (190) respondents were located by postcode within the area Corangamite is shown in Shire and 26% (72) Tablewere 12.located Of the in Moynetotal respondents, Shire. The majority67% (190) of wererespondents located fromwithin Moyne the Shire (74%) were Corangamitelocated within Shire the postcodeand 26% areas(72) were of Port located Fairy, in KoroitMoyne and Shire. Mortlake, The majority although these ofareas respondents include some from Moynerural locations Shire (74%) as well. were The located situation within was the similar postcode in Corangamite areasShire, of where Port Fairy,the majority Koroit andof respondents Mortlake, although (83%) werethese located areas include in postcode some areas of Terang, Camperdown, Cobden and Timboon, although these postcode areas include a rural locations as well. The situation was similar in Corangamite Shire, significant proportion of rural residents. Consequently, the survey includes people living wherein urban the and majority rural ofareas respondents in both municipalities. (83%) were located in postcode areas of Terang, Camperdown, Cobden and Timboon, although these postcode areas include a significant proportion of rural residents. Consequently, the survey includes people living in urban and rural areas in both municipalities.
54 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY TABLE 12: SURVEY RESPONDENTS BY POSTCODE
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 55 Persons completing the survey
PersonsNearly completing half (48%) the of thesurvey 282 survey forms returned were completed by Nearlypersons half (48%) with ofa thedisability, 282 survey as shown forms returned in Figure were 4. Parentscompleted completed by persons 20% with a disability,and carers as shown 20% in ofFigure the survey4. Parents forms completed returned. 20% In and almost carers 90% 20% ofof thecases survey formswhere returned. the respondent In almost 90% was of cases from wherethe 0-to-18 the respondent years age was group, from the a parent0-to-18 yearscompleted age group, the a parent survey completed form. The the older survey the form. respondent The older the respondentmore likely the it was more likely it was that the survey was completed by the person with a disability. The majoritythat theof people survey in wasthe 70-plus completed age group by the completed person the with survey a disability. themselves. The majority of people in the 70-plus age group completed the survey themselves.
100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% Survey respondents 0%
Carer Parent
Support staff Not specified
Person with disability
Person with disability and carer Person with disability and parent
Person with disability and support staff Person completing survey
FIGUREFIGURE 4: PERSONS 4: PERSONS COMPLETING COMPLETING SURVEY (NSURVEY = 282)
TypeType of disability of disability Almost half of the respondents had a physical disability (see Figure 5) and the majority of theseAlmost respondents half of werethe respondents over 70 years hadof age. a physical Most of the disability respondents (see withFigure a 5) and neurological,the majority intellectual of these or respondentsdevelopmental were disability over were 70 inyears the youngerof age. ageMost groups of the and the respondents0-to-18 age group with in a particular. neurological, intellectual or developmental disability were in the younger age groups and the 0-to-18 age group in particular.
56 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 100% 100%90% 90%80% 80%70% 70%60% 60%50% 50%40% 40%30% 30%20% Survey respondents 20%10%
Survey respondents 10%0% 0%
Physical Sensory Intellectual Neurological Not classified Not specified Physical Developmental Sensory Intellectual Neurological Not specified Developmental Acquired brain injury Not classified
Type of disabilityAcquired brain injury Type of disability FIGUREFIGURE 5: 5: TYPES TYPES OF OF DISABILITY, DISABILITY, ALL ALL SURVEY SURVEY RESPONDENTS RESPONDENTS (N = 282) FIGURE 5: TYPES OF DISABILITY, ALL SURVEY RESPONDENTS (N = 282) UseUse of of public public transport transport Use of public transport OfOf the the survey survey respondents, respondents, 36% 36% indicated indicated that that they they currently currently use usepublic public transport, whereasOf the survey 60% respondents,indicated they 36% do not indicated (see Figure that they 6). Note currently that theseuse public figures transport, should not be takentransport, as implying whereas frequent 60% indicatedor regular theyuse.) do not (see Figure 6). Note that whereasthese figures 60% indicated should notthey be do taken not (see as implying Figure 6). frequent Note that or these regular figures use.) should not be takenPrivate as transport implying is frequent by far the or dominantregular use.) mode of transport used by respondents for all purposesPrivatePrivate transport transport surveyed. is isby (Figures by far far the the 11,dominant dominant 12 and mode 13 mode show of transport of the transport purposes used used ofby travelrespondents by by public for all purposestransport.)respondents surveyed. for all (Figurespurposes 11, surveyed. 12 and 13 (Figures show the 11, purposes 12 and 13of travel show by the public transport.)purposes of travel by public transport.)
Use public transport Use public transport Do not use public transport Do not use public transport Not specified Not specified
FIGURE 6: USE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT (N = 282) FIGURE 6: USE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT FIGURE 6: USE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT (N = 282)
Transport needs of people with a disability 37 Transport needs of people with a disability 37
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 57 Mode of public transport used ModeMode of of public public transport transport used Of all respondents, 30% indicated that they use taxi services, 26% use train services and OfOf all all respondents, respondents, 30% indicatedindicated that that they they use use taxi taxiservices, services, 26% use26% use train services and 13%13%train use use services bus bus services andservices 13% (seeuse (see bus Figure Figure services 7). 7). (Again,(see (Again, Figure these these 7). (Again, results results these do do not not indicate indicate frequency frequency of of publicpublicresults transport transport do not indicate usage.) usage.) frequency of public transport usage.)
100% 100% 90% 90% 80% 80% 70%70% 60%60% 50%50% 40%40% 30%30% 20%20% Survey respondents Survey respondents 10%10% 0%0% BusBus TrainTrain TaxiTaxi TransportTransport mode mode FIGURE 7: USE OF TRANSPORT MODES BY SURVEY RESPONDENTS FIGUREFIGURE 7: 7: USE USE OF OF TRANSPORT TRANSPORT MODES MODES BY BY SURVEY SURVEY RESPONDENTS RESPONDENTS (N (N = 282)= 282)
Mode of public transport used by those respondents who use ModeModepublic of of transportpublic public transport transport used used by by those those respondents respondents who who use use public public transport transport FigureFigureFigure 8 88 shows shows thatthat that of of thosethose those respondents respondents respondents who who whouse use public use public public transport, transport, transport, 80% 80% 80% use use taxis, taxis, 70% 70% useuseuse train train taxis, services services 70% use and andtrain 40% 40%services use use andbus bus 40% services. services. use bus These Theseservices. results results These indicate indicateresults multiple multiple mode mode use use bybyindicate individual individual multiple public public mode transport transport use by users.individual users. public transport users.
100%100% 90%90% 80%80% 70%70% 60%60% 50%50% 40%40% 30%30% 20%20% 10% Users of public transport 10% Users of public transport 0%0% BusBus TrainTrain TaxiTaxi TransportTransport mode mode FIGURE 8: TRANSPORT MODES USED BY THOSE RESPONDENTS WHO FIGUREFIGUREUSE PUBLIC 8: 8: TRANSPORT TRANSPORT TRANSPORT MODES MODES USED USED BY BY THOSE THOSE RESPONDENTS RESPONDENTS WHO WHO USE USE PUBLIC PUBLIC TRANSPORTTRANSPORT (N (N = = 175) 175)
58 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY Reason for not using public transport Figure 9 shows that the major reason given for not using public transport is lack of physical access (30%), followed closely by lack of availability (29%). ReasonEighteen for per not cent using of respondentspublic transport indicated that available public transport Figuredoes 9 not shows suit theirthat theneeds. major A reportedreason given lack offor information not using public about transport public is lack of physicaltransport access (8%), (30%), the view followed that public closely transport by lack takes of availability too long (29%).(7%) or Eighteen that it per cent of isrespondents cost-prohibitive indicated (6%) thatare importantavailable publicreasons transport to some does respondents not suit their for not needs. A reportedusing public lack of transport. information about public transport (8%), the view that public transport takes too long (7%) or that it is cost-prohibitive (6%) are important reasons to some respondentsFor those respondents for not using who public do transport. not use public transport the reasons for not doing so are far more pronounced, with lack of physical access and lack of For those respondents who do not use public transport the reasons for not doing so are availability scoring 49% and 46% respectively (see Figure 10). far more pronounced, with lack of physical access and lack of availability scoring 49% andAlmost 46% respectively30% of respondents (see Figure reported 10). that they do not use public transport Almostbecause 30% available of respondents services reported do not meet that theytheir doneeds. not useReasons public of transport cost, lack because availableof time servicesand lack doof informationnot meet their about needs. services Reasons each ofrated cost, around lack of 10%. time and lack of informationThese results about indicate services that each a significant rated around number 10%. of These respondents results indicatecited more that a significantthan one number reason offor respondents not using public cited transport. more than one reason for not using public transport. There were a number of respondents, particularly those who are Therewheelchair were a bound,number who of respondents, reported that particularly because of those past negativewho are wheelchairand in bound, who reportedsome casesthat because ‘humiliating’ of past experiences, negative and they in would some notcases use 'humiliating' public transport experiences, they wouldagain. not use public transport again.
100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% Survey respondents 10% 0%
Not available Takes too long Physical access Cost prohibitive Does not suit needs Information not available Reason for not using public transport
FIGURE 9: REASONS FOR NOT USING PUBLIC TRANSPORT, ALL SURVEY RESPONDENTS FIGURE 9: REASONS FOR NOT USING PUBLIC TRANSPORT, ALL SURVEY RESPONDENTS (N = 282)
Transport needs of people with a disability 39 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 59 100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20% Non-users of public transport
10%
0%
Not available Takes too long Cost prohibitive Physical access Does not suit needs Information not available Reason for not using public transport
FIGUREFIGURE 10: 10: REASONS REASONS FOR FOR NOT NOT USING USING PUBLIC PUBLIC TRANSPORT, TRANSPORT, NON-USERS NON- OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTUSERS OF PUBLIC (N = 102) TRANSPORT
TransportTransport use use and and travel travel purpose purpose FiguresFigures 11,11, 1212 and and 13 13 show show the the mode mode of of transport transport used used by by all all respondentsrespondents in relation to thein relationpurpose to of the their purpose travel. of Private their travel. transport Private is the transport dominant is the mode dominant in all cases; however, usagemode variesin all cases; according however, to the usage purpose varies of theaccording travel. Privateto the purpose transport of is most frequently usedthe travel. for shopping Private (aroundtransport 90% is most of occasions) frequently forused appointments for shopping (around (around 80%) and for social90% ofoutings occasions) (around for 65%).appointments Public transport (around 80%)is more and likely for socialto be usedoutings for appointments than for shopping or social outings, but its usage rate is well below that of private (around 65%). Public transport is more likely to be used for appointments transport in all three categories. than for shopping or social outings, but its usage rate is well below that of Communityprivate transport transport in all is three generally categories. used more than public transport for shopping and social outings (see Figures 11 and 13). Given the reported lack of accessibility and availabilityCommunity of transportpublic transport, is generally community used more transport than public provides transport a significant for service for someshopping respondents. and social outings (see Figures 11 and 13). Given the reported lack of accessibility and availability of public transport, community transport provides a significant service for some respondents.
60 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY Private Community Public Not applicable Active
FIGUREFIGURE 11: TRANSPORT11: TRANSPORT USE USE FOR FOR SHOPPING SHOPPING (N = 282)
Private Community Public Not applicable Active
FIGUREFIGURE 12: TRANSPORT12: TRANSPORT USE USE FOR FOR APPOINTMENTS APPOINTMENTS (N = 282)
Private Not applicable Community Public Active
Transport needs of people with a disability 41 FIGUREFIGURE 13: 13: TRANSPORT TRANSPORT USE USE FOR FOR SOCIAL SOCIAL OUTINGS OUTINGS (N = 282)
Transport and shopping A little over two thirds of respondents are accompanied when shopping (see Figure 14), TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 61 a phenomenon that occurs to an even greater extent with social outings and appointments (see Figures 16 and 18). About half of the respondents are accompanied by a carer (see Figure 15). A large proportion of respondents indicated they have a choice of more than one person to accompany them. These may be family, friends or carers. The 'other' category (28%) includes community transport drivers, family members and volunteers. Over 50% of respondents shop at least once per week, and almost 30% of respondents indicated they would like to shop more frequently than they do.
Accompanied Not accompanied Not specified
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
FIGURE 14: ACCOMPANIED WHEN SHOPPING (N = 282) Private Not applicable Community Public Active
Transport and shopping FIGUREA little 13: over TRANSPORT two thirds USEof respondents FOR SOCIAL are OUTINGS accompanied (N = 282) when shopping (see Figure 14), a phenomenon that occurs to an even greater extent Transport and shopping with social outings and appointments (see Figures 16 and 18). About half A littleof the over respondents two thirds ofare respondents accompanied are accompaniedby a carer (see when Figure shopping 15). A (seelarge Figure 14), a phenomenon that occurs to an even greater extent with social outings and proportion of respondents indicated they have a choice of more than appointments (see Figures 16 and 18). About half of the respondents are accompanied byone a carer person (see to Figure accompany 15). A large them. proportion These may of respondents be family, friends indicated or carers.they have a choiceThe ‘other’of more category than one (28%)person includes to accompany community them. transport These may drivers, be family, family friends or carers.members The 'other' and volunteers. category (28%) Over includes 50% of communityrespondents transport shop at drivers, least once family per members andweek, volunteers. and almost Over 50%30% ofof respondentsrespondents shop indicated at least they once would per week, like to and shop almost 30% of morerespondents frequently indicated than theythey do.would like to shop more frequently than they do.
Accompanied Not accompanied Not specified
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
FIGURE 14: ACCOMPANIED WHEN SHOPPING (N = 282) FIGURE 14: ACCOMPANIED WHEN SHOPPING
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
Survey respondents 20%
10%
0% Carer Parent Other Sibling Friend Person accompanying respondent when shopping
FIGURE 15: RESPONDENTS ACCOMPANIED WHEN SHOPPING BY FIGURE 15: RESPONDENTS ACCOMPANIED WHEN SHOPPING BY PERSON PERSON ACCOMPANYING THEM ACCOMPANYING THEM (N = 192)
Transport and appointments Almost 80% of respondents are accompanied when they attend appointments (see Figure 16). These respondents may be accompanied by carers (41% of occasions), parents (27%), 'other' (27%), siblings (20%) or friends (14%) (see Figure 17). About 60% of respondents attend appointments at least once per month, and over 25% of respondents indicated that access to transport limits their ability to attend appointments. Indeed, one of the main reasons respondents are accompanied is that the person accompanying them is providing transport to attend the appointment, as many respondents are unable to transport themselves. A number of respondents indicated that 62 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLEthe need WITH to A be DISABILITY accompanied can be a significant barrier to scheduling and attending appointments. The high number of ‘other’ category responses in Figure 17 is explained by references respondents made to community volunteers, support workers, council staff and other family members in answering this question.
Accompanied Not accompanied Not specified
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
FIGURE 16: ACCOMPANIED ON APPOINTMENTS (N = 282)
Transport needs of people with a disability 43 100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
Survey respondents 20%
10%
0% Carer Parent Other Sibling Friend Transport andPerson appointments accompanying respondent when shopping Almost 80% of respondents are accompanied when they attend FIGUREappointments 15: RESPONDENTS (see Figure ACCOMPANIED 16). These respondents WHEN SHOPPING may beBY accompaniedPERSON by ACCOMPANYINGcarers (41% of THEM occasions), (N = 192) parents (27%), ‘other’ (27%), siblings (20%) or Transportfriends (14%) and appointments (see Figure 17). AlmostAbout 80% 60% of respondentsof respondents are accompaniedattend appointments when they at attend least appointmentsonce per month, (see Figureand 16).over These 25% respondentsof respondents may indicated be accompanied that access by carers to transport (41% of occasions), limits parentstheir ability(27%), to 'other' attend (27%), appointments. siblings (20%) Indeed, or friends one (14%) of the (see main Figure reasons 17). Aboutrespondents 60% of respondents are accompanied attend appointments is that the personat least accompanyingonce per month, themand over is 25% of respondentsproviding transport indicated to that attend access the to appointment, transport limits as their many ability respondents to attend are appointments. Indeed, one of the main reasons respondents are accompanied is that the unable to transport themselves. A number of respondents indicated that person accompanying them is providing transport to attend the appointment, as many respondentsthe need toare be unable accompanied to transport can themselves. be a significant A number barrier of respondents to scheduling indicated and that theattending need to be appointments. accompanied canThe be high a significant number ofbarrier ‘other’ to schedulingcategory responsesand attending appointments.in Figure 17 The is explained high number by ofreferences ‘other’ category respondents responses made in Figure to community 17 is explained by volunteers,references respondents support workers, made tocouncil community staff volunteers,and other familysupport members workers, councilin staff and other family members in answering this question. answering this question.
Accompanied Not accompanied Not specified
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
FIGUREFIGURE 16: 16:ACCOMPANIED ACCOMPANIED ON APPOINTMENTS ON APPOINTMENTS (N = 282)
100%
90%
80%
70% Transport needs of people with a disability 43 60%
50% 40%
30%
Survey respondents 20%
10%
0% Carer Parent Other Sibling Friend Person accompanying respondent on appointments
FIGURE 17: RESPONDENTS ACCOMPANIED ON APPOINTMENTS BY FIGUREPERSON 17: RESPONDENTS ACCOMPANYING ACCOMPANIED THEM ON APPOINTMENTS BY PERSON ACCOMPANYING THEM (N = 220)
Transport and social outings Almost 80% of respondents are accompanied when they attend social outings (see Figure 18). Figure 19 shows that those respondents who are accompanied may be accompanied by different people; the involvement of friends (32% of occasions) is greater than for appointments. Over 30% of respondents attend a social event at least once a month. Community transport appears to play an important role for some respondents in enabling access to social activities, although private transport is used by two thirds of respondents. About 40% of respondents indicatedTRANSPORT they would NEEDS like toOF attend PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 63 social outings more often than they do at present, while 20% of respondents do not attend social outings very much, and some do not participate in social outings at all.
Accompanied Not accompanied Not specified
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% FIGURE 18: ACCOMPANIED ON SOCIAL OUTINGS (N = 282) 100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50% 40%
30%
Survey respondents 20%
10%
0% Carer Parent Other Sibling Friend Person accompanying respondent on appointments
FIGURETransport 17: RESPONDENTS and social outings ACCOMPANIED ON APPOINTMENTS BY PERSON ACCOMPANYING THEM (N = 220) Almost 80% of respondents are accompanied when they attend social Transportoutings (see and Figuresocial 18).outings Figure 19 shows that those respondents who are Almostaccompanied 80% of respondents may be accompanied are accompanied by different when theypeople; attend the social involvement outings (see Figureof friends 18). Figure (32% 19of occasions)shows that isthose greater respondents than for appointments.who are accompanied Over 30% may be accompaniedof respondents by different attend people;a social theevent involvement at least once of friends a month. (32% Community of occasions) is greatertransport than appearsfor appointments. to play an Over important 30% of role respondents for some attendrespondents a social in event at least onceenabling a month. access Community to social transport activities, appears although to play private an important transport role is used for some respondents in enabling access to social activities, although private transport is used by by two thirds of respondents. About 40% of respondents indicated they two thirds of respondents. About 40% of respondents indicated they would like to attend socialwould outings like to more attend often social than outings they do moreat present, often whilethan they20% doof respondentsat present, do not attendwhile social 20% outingsof respondents very much, do andnot someattend do social not participate outings very in social much, outings and at all. some do not participate in social outings at all.
Accompanied Not accompanied Not specified
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% FIGURE 18: ACCOMPANIED ON SOCIAL OUTINGS (N = 282) FIGURE 18: ACCOMPANIED ON SOCIAL OUTINGS
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
Survey respondents 20%
10%
0% Carer Friend Parent Sibling Other Person accompanying respondent on social outings
FIGUREFIGURE 19: 19: RESPONDENTS RESPONDENTS ACCOMPANIED ACCOMPANIED ON SOCIAL ON SOCIAL OUTINGS OUTINGS BY PERSON BY ACCOMPANYING THEM (N = 220) PERSON ACCOMPANYING THEM
Transport access and travel purpose Respondents reported that lack of access and availability of transport limited their opportunities to attend appointments, go shopping or attend social outings. When asked to what purpose they would apply unlimited transport opportunities, over two thirds of respondents indicated they would use such opportunities to attend appointments and over half of the respondents would go shopping and attend social outings (see Figure 20). Figure 21 shows the different purposes to which respondents would apply unlimited transport opportunities, by three age groups. Two thirds of respondents up to 18 years of age gave equal priority to appointments, shopping and social outings, with travel (48%) and sport and recreation (34%) also featuring. 64 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLEFor respondents WITH A DISABILITY in the 19-to-70 age group, attending appointments (85%), social events (73%), shopping (63%) and sport and recreation (56%) featured. In this age group, 44% of respondents would use available transport to access educational opportunities. Respondents in the 70-plus age group showed less inclination to take advantage of additional transport opportunities than the younger age groups, focusing on the necessities of attending appointments (64%) and shopping (50%) in preference to attending social events (37%) and travel (20%).
Transport needs of people with a disability 45 Transport access and travel purpose Respondents reported that lack of access and availability of transport limited their opportunities to attend appointments, go shopping or attend social outings. When asked to what purpose they would apply unlimited transport opportunities, over two thirds of respondents indicated they would use such opportunities to attend appointments and over half of the respondents would go shopping and attend social outings (see Figure 20). Figure 21 shows the different purposes to which respondents would apply unlimited transport opportunities, by three age groups. Two thirds of respondents up to 18 years of age gave equal priority to appointments, shopping and social outings, with travel (48%) and sport and recreation (34%) also featuring. For respondents in the 19-to-70 age group, attending appointments (85%), social events (73%), shopping (63%) and sport and recreation (56%) featured. In this age group, 44% of respondents would use available transport to access educational opportunities. Respondents in the 70-plus age group showed less inclination to take advantage of additional transport opportunities than the younger age groups, focusing on the necessities of attending appointments (64%) and shopping (50%) in preference to attending social events (37%) and travel (20%).
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
Survey respondents 20%
10%
0%
Work Travel Education Shopping Appointments Social Events
Sport and recreation Transport use
FIGUREFIGURE 20: 20: PURPOSES PURPOSES TO WHICHTO WHICH RESPONDENTS RESPONDENTS WOULD WOULD APPLY UNLIMITED APPLY TRANSPORT OPPORTUNITIES (N = 282) UNLIMITED TRANSPORT OPPORTUNITIES
100% 90% 80% 70%
60% Up to 18 years 50% 19 to 70 years TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLEOver 70 years WITH A DISABILITY 40% 65 30%
Survey respondents 20% 10% 0%
Work Travel
Education Shopping Appointments Social events
Sport and recreation Transport use FIGURE 21: PURPOSES TO WHICH RESPONDENTS WOULD APPLY UNLIMITED TRANSPORT OPPORTUNITIES (N = 282) BY AGE GROUP 100%
90%
80%
70% 100% 60% 90% 50% 80% 40% 70% 30% 60% Survey respondents 20% 50% 10% 40% 0% 30% Work Travel Survey respondents 20% Education Shopping Appointments 10% Social Events
0% Sport and recreation Transport use Work Travel FIGURE 20: PURPOSES TO WHICH RESPONDENTSEducation WOULD APPLY UNLIMITEDShopping TRANSPORT OPPORTUNITIESAppointments (N = 282) Social Events
Sport and recreation 100% Transport use
90% FIGURE 20: PURPOSES TO WHICH RESPONDENTS WOULD APPLY UNLIMITED 80% TRANSPORT OPPORTUNITIES (N = 282) 70%
60% 100% Up to 18 years 50% 90% 19 to 70 years Over 70 years 40% 80% 30% 70%
Survey respondents 20% 60% Up to 18 years 10% 50% 19 to 70 years Over 70 years 0% 40% 30% Work Travel
Survey respondents 20% Education Shopping Appointments Social events 10% Sport and recreation 0% Transport use FIGURE 21: PURPOSES TO WHICH RESPONDENTSWork WOULDTravel APPLY UNLIMITED Shopping TRANSPORT OPPORTUNITIES (N = 282) BY AGEEducation GROUP Appointments Social events
Sport and recreation Transport use FIGURE 21: PURPOSES TO WHICH RESPONDENTS WOULD APPLY UNLIMITED TRANSPORTFIGURE 21: OPPORTUNITIES PURPOSES TO (N WHICH = 282) BYRESPONDENTS AGE GROUP WOULD APPLY UNLIMITED TRANSPORT OPPORTUNITIES
From responses to the survey questions, a picture emerges of limited available, accessible and affordable public and community transport. A comparison of responses to the question as to what purposes respondents would apply unlimited transport opportunities (Figure 21) indicates the impacts of limited transport on the lives of respondents. They have limited opportunities to participate in education, social events, sport and recreation, as well as everyday activities, such as shopping or attending health and medical appointments. The unique geographic dispersal of the residential location of survey responses places limits on descriptions of gaps in the transport network; however, using the available data supplemented by additional written commentary and telephone surveys a map of unmet transport demand can be drawn (Figure 22).
66 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY Dunkeld Skipton
Hamilton
Penshurst Woorndoo To Ballarat Caramut Derrinallum Lismore Hexham Darlington Macarthur Mortlake MUST UPDATEHawkesdale YET Bessebelle Noorat Woolsthorpe Camperdown Codrington Kirkstall Te rang
Koroit Cobden t o Melbourne Yambuk Colac Port Fairy Warrnambool Mepunga Timboon Nullawarre Simpson Nirranda
Port Campbell City of Warrnambool
Princetown Moyne Shire
Corangamite Shire
FIGURE 22: MAP OF TRANSPORT DEMAND BY RESPONDENTS
Transport demand and network gaps The major gap in the transport network is along the Melbourne-to- Warrnambool spine. Additional, timely train services would permit access to a wider range of social opportunities, including education and training available in Warrnambool. (Figure 22 also shows a similar line from Heywood and Portland to Warrnambool. This unmet demand has been demonstrated through another consultation [refer DOT, Service Proposal, 2009, unpublished] and is unrelated to this survey). For many respondents, connection to this spine allows access to the wider transport network, even though timing of services and the duration of journey may presently be impractical in some cases. Secondary gaps in the network relate to medium sized and smaller towns. Mortlake residents desire access to Warrnambool and Terang; Timboon residents desire access to Warrnambool, Terang and Camperdown; and Lismore and Derrinallum residents desire access to Camperdown. The transport connections desired by residents of small towns include Peterborough to Warrnambool, Macarthur to Warrnambool, Port Campbell to Warrnambool and Timboon, and Simpson to Cobden, Colac and Warrnambool.
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 67 4.2 telephone interviews Thirty telephone interviews were conducted, 10 for each of the three age groups: up-to-18, 19-to-70, and 70-plus. All interviewees nominated their availability to be contacted, and all but two (in the older age group) offered commentary of substance. Most of the interviewees in the up-to-18 age group had an intellectual disability, but two people with muscular dystrophy had tales to tell of adverse experiences with wheelchair access and the train. Issues raised included access to and cost of transport. Dependency on parents and carers (and private transport) to access appointments and services was highlighted, and concern expressed about the future, when this support would no longer be available. People in the 18-to-70 age group rely heavily on taxis for transport, but expressed concern about the high cost, even with a Taxi Card. Interviewees offered praise for the way they were treated by taxi services. However, many interviewees indicated they cannot use public transport and rely entirely on parents or relatives. Some interviewees said they were able to go out only once or twice a fortnight. A number of interviewees in the 70-plus age group rely on their son or daughter to provide private transport. Others said they did use public transport but would use it more if it was available more frequently. The lack of availability of a Wheelchair Accessible Taxi (WAT) vehicle was also commented upon. 4.3 Agency perspectives Cooinda Inc Cooinda began operating in 1954 and provides support services to people with a disability in Terang and surrounding areas. This support includes adult training, residential accommodation and respite services. Cooinda has facilities based in both Terang and Camperdown and provides services to 61 individuals. Many of the people accessing Cooinda’s day program rely on the agency to provide them with transport to and from the two locations. Some clients reside in small outlying towns such as Bookar, Simpson, Derrinallum, Timboon and Port Campbell, which may necessitate a round trip of over 70 kilometres. Cooinda has three 14-seater mini-buses and three people movers, one of which is wheelchair accessible. Two of these vehicles are used to transport clients to the day program service from Monday to Friday. Clients residing in Cooinda’s residential accommodation use the agency’s transport for community access, appointments and shopping. This may be a daily need. The lack of public transport infrastructure means many of the people accessing Cooinda’s services are reliant on the agency’s transport. The agency currently spends $190,000 annually on transport. This includes transport costs of $1,200 per month for two clients from Timboon
68 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY and $100 per day for one client from Derrinallum. Cooinda’s current transport costs are met by the agency. This is the situation for many disability support agencies across Victoria. The anomaly is that funding provided by the Department of Human Services does not differentiate between metropolitan and rural regions. The distances travelled, higher fuel costs and overall lack of public transport infrastructure means that rural regions have substantially greater overheads when it comes to servicing the transport needs of local people with a disability. Cooinda is in the process of developing a community transport program, which will use volunteer drivers to alleviate the increasing transport costs it faces. Mpower Mpower Inc is an accredited, community-based agency servicing the south-western region of Victoria. It was established 32 years ago with the aim of developing programs and providing support to individuals with a disability and their families, and assisting other people in the community who were disadvantaged or underprivileged. The agency is based in Warrnambool and provides a range of support services to the Shires of Moyne, Corangamite, Southern Grampians and Glenelg, and the City of Warrnambool. Mpower currently employs 40 staff and offers a range of programs to a client base in excess of 500. Funding is received from government sources, primarily the Victorian Department of Human Services, and donations from philanthropic trusts. Mpower has clients across south-west Victoria, including the Moyne and Corangamite Shires. Mpower has a vehicle fleet of eight cars and an agency bus, which is used to transport clients as part of a respite program. These vehicles are also used for its HACC-funded community transport program, through which Mpower is able to provide transport for some clients, mostly in Moyne Shire (particularly Port Fairy) and to a lesser extent in Corangamite Shire. However, eligibility criteria are strict and the service does not come near to meeting needs. The lack of transport options, both public and community, has a huge impact on clients’ independence and places stress on clients, families and carers. It leads to over-reliance on family, carers and paid helpers to provide private transport to access services, social events, employment, training and education. This in turn adversely impacts on the ability of people with a disability to remain connected to their communities. Hampden Specialist School The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development provides transport for students attending the Hampden Specialist School campuses in Cobden and Terang. Impacts on students and their families resulting from lack of transport options in Corangamite Shire include difficulties
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 69 going on to tertiary study, some students’ only experience of outings being with the school, and difficulties for parents attending meetings at school and collecting children from respite care or after-school activities (for example, they may have to leave work to pick up their child). Cases cited included one mother who lives in an isolated area and doesn’t have a licence, and is therefore reliant on friends, and one family with four children, two of whom have a disability, probably being forced to move into Camperdown. Karingal Karingal provides support to people with a disability in Corangamite and Moyne Shires. Services are provided to clients primarily in-home, but where they are not, Karingal seeks transport cost recovery, for example, from sources such as Community Options, the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) or DHS. Where costs are not recoverable this results in an additional cost to Karingal. On occasion, Karingal brokers transport services to Corangamite Shire. The lack of transport options creates problems for clients in both municipalities, particularly in Corangamite Shire. The ability of clients to get to the main centres is a major difficulty. Aspire Aspire provides mental health services to participants in Moyne and Corangamite Shires from its Warrnambool and Camperdown offices. Because it is an outreach service, Aspire can visit people in their homes; however, to run a group session in Camperdown, for example, it is often necessary for Aspire to provide transport. For Aspire participants, lack of transport options limits access to education, training, employment and some services, such as the Men’s Shed in Camperdown. Participants often need to visit the major centres of Warrnambool and Colac to access Centrelink, employment services or health care services. For people who live in places on the train line, such as Camperdown and Terang, this is not such a problem, although they are often inconvenienced by having to spend hours waiting before and/or after the appointment. But for others, for example residents in Mortlake or the more isolated areas of Corangamite Shire, it is very difficult. Transport is one of the primary needs for people with mental health issues. They often lack the resources to provide their own transport. Aspire may assist on a one-off basis, but it is not a taxi service and people must generally rely on family or friends.
70 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 4.4 operator perspectives Interviews were conducted with train, coach, bus and taxi owners and operators, as well as staff managing or co-ordinating community transport services. V/Line operations V/Line train and coach operations make up the lion’s share of genuinely ‘public’ transport across the study area, providing long-haul services to Melbourne, major regional centres, including Ballarat, Hamilton, Portland, Mount Gambier and Geelong, and linkages to the wider State and national transport networks. There has been a significant track record of improvements to V/Line train and coach services in recent years. These include wheelchair access to all coaches in the regional V/Line fleet, and wider wheelchair-accessible (automatic-closing) doors and disabled toilets on the Melbourne to Warrnambool train service. Tactile pavement treatments, improved ramps, new signage and improved timetable services have also been introduced. Rail infrastructure improvements include new local services, level-crossing upgrades, platform level alignment (at Terang), and refurbishment of carriage sets. The creation of the new Social Transit Unit and the ordering of additional rolling stock hold promise of further improvements for customers of V/Line services, including improvements in accessibility. In addition to routine surveys conducted with passengers using V/ Line services, V/Line relies on customer advice and feedback to gauge satisfaction with services. Calls to the call centre are monitored and senior staff meet each month to go through individual feedback comments and complaints. All responses are treated in confidence with the respect they
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72 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY deserve, and investigated as required, on the premise that ‘if we don’t know it’s a problem, we can’t fix it’. The capacity of V/Line to make major improvements to the rail and coach services is dependent on the provision of government funding. One of the challenges facing V/Line is expected to be responding to the growth in patronage of services. Another issue is getting information out to customers in an effective way, including knowledge and understanding of new or changed arrangements that benefit customers (for example, reservations and ticket sales at local V/Line agencies. All ticketing and reservation functions are soon to be transferred to the Transport Ticketing Authority). Operational issues in regard to the carriage of bikes and motorised scooters (gophers) on trains and coaches (which do not carry them at all) are significant for customers, as is the issue of capacity to carry a larger number of wheelchairs, gophers or bikes on train services at any one time. Coach and bus operators Five local bus operators were interviewed. Two of these also operate V/ Line coach services under contract. Some of the advice reported below was provided through a group meeting involving three of these operators. The limited availability of useful local public transport connections means that people need to rely on private transport. Bus operators have pointed out that this reliance on private transport means that there is not a local culture of using public transport. Customer attitudes to the use of coach and bus services are often based on outdated knowledge; some bus operators believe that in some cases it is based on the school bus experiences of their childhood. This has resulted in cultural barriers to the use of public transport, where it is associated with disadvantage, for
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 73 example, people outside the workforce such as students, people with a disability, unemployed people and old people, who are not in a position to provide adequately for themselves. Local bus operators see a need to expand local services in order for public transport to provide a viable alternative to private transport. They pointed to the increased demand that will arise from the ageing of the local population as well as through growth in regional tourism and growing responsiveness to environmental issues. Apart from those operators of V/Line coach services (who reported limited but regular intermittent use of lifts by passengers in wheelchairs), operators reported that the matter of wheelchair accessible vehicles had not arisen as an issue for them. One operator reported that he had responded to requests to supply a wheelchair accessible vehicle some years ago, only to find that the facility had not been used at all. The operation of the pilot bus service currently operating between Camperdown and Cobden has highlighted the fact that there are customers with restricted mobility who want to use the service but cannot, due to the difficulty of climbing the steps onto the bus. This fact emphasises the absence of provision of universal access, which means that potential passengers simply do not present to use services they know they cannot access. It argues that future demand cannot be assessed based on current usage – where limited services offer limited access. The efficiency of usage of community transport buses is an area that needs to be examined and addressed, according to several bus operators. They claim that tying up capital in mini-buses that travel very few kilometres per year is an inefficient use of public resources and that an analysis of total operating costs (including depreciation) would show that out-sourcing of community transport to private operators reduces costs and provides for a better standard of vehicles for customers. Operators suggested that some agencies would not fully appreciate the true cost of bus operations. Two operators stated that the most important issue to be addressed in regard to accessibility is wheelchair access to V/Line train services. One operator described the transport of wheelchair-bound passengers in the cargo van as a ‘disgrace’. The fact that V/Line has rectified this past practice again emphasises the point that many people, including some operators as well as potential passengers, are operating on outdated information.
74 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY Taxi service operators Interviews were conducted with all three taxi services based in the Corangamite and Moyne Shires: Camperdown–Terang Taxi Service, Port Fairy Taxi Service and Timboon Taxis. Altogether there are eight sedan vehicles currently operating, with one WAT vehicle based at Port Fairy. Residents of the two Shires who live nearer to Warrnambool also use the services of Warrnambool Radio Taxis, which operates 19 vehicles, including 16 sedans, two multi-purpose vans and one WAT station wagon. Local taxi services provide a vital service to people who do not drive or have their own transport. Taxi services are particularly important in providing assisted transport for older residents who have limited mobility, but the cost of using the service can be too high for some people, even for Taxi Card holders, due to the long travel distances involved. Taxi services are often used by the Department of Veterans Affairs to transport clients to health and medical services. Taxis are also used to provide back-up services to V/Line customers, who for operational reasons may not be able to access train or coach services. In regard to WAT vehicles, the Port Fairy Taxi Service provides an average of around four or five wheelchair trips a day, mainly during the week. It travels to Warrnambool five days a week to transport seven adult passengers to a range of programs and activities. The operator considers a WAT vehicle would be well used in the Terang, Cobden and Camperdown areas. Local operators are currently investigating the financial viability of securing a WAT vehicle for their fleets, although it is difficult to assess or predict potential usage of these vehicles.
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 75 Community transport operators Interviews were conducted with the co-ordinators of community transport agencies based in the Corangamite and Moyne Shires at Camperdown, Cobden, Koroit, Macarthur, Mortlake, Port Fairy, Skipton and Timboon. Feedback from community transport operators indicates that the availability of community transport services in Moyne and Corangamite Shires is inadequate to meet all presenting community needs. Services are limited in all locations and are non-existent in some. The services that do exist generally have stringent eligibility requirements, which many community members are unable to meet. Moreover, existing community transport services are under increasing pressure from fuel price increases, lack of secure funding and growing demand from an ageing population. Some services have a strong volunteer base, while others struggle to find volunteers who are not themselves elderly. Community transport agencies work together to provide vital transport services to seriously ill people and, with their volunteers, do admirable and heroic work in allowing patients to access diagnostic services and treatment in Melbourne and Geelong. In order to make the best use of limited resources, some services concentrate their efforts on supporting clients through medical treatment (such as radiation treatment and chemotherapy). Current community transport options are inadequate to meet the needs of people with a disability in Moyne and Corangamite Shires. Red Cross car The Red Cross has allocated a car that is now shared between Warrnambool and Timboon, with Timboon having the vehicle for the first two weeks of each month. The car is driven by volunteers and is used to
76 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY make long-distance trips to take medical patients from the surrounding area to hospitals, mainly in Melbourne and Geelong. In Timboon the local Lions Club supplies volunteer drivers to maintain the service. Flexible arrangements between Warrnambool and Timboon (and with other community transport providers) enable the service to support those patients who have to travel to visit specialists or receive treatment on a weekly basis. When located at Timboon, the Red Cross car is used for patients from nearby towns and rural areas. Timboon Community Transport Service The Timboon and District Healthcare Service operates a community transport service in Timboon, Cobden, Simpson, Port Campbell and Peterborough and the rural areas around these towns. The service involves some 20 volunteers spread across these towns, who use their own cars. Drivers are allocated jobs according to their location, the location of the client and the nature of the trips required. The service works in with the Red Cross car and other community transport providers to optimise the transport arrangements for clients to access medical services in Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat and/or Warrnambool. The Timboon Community Transport Service also makes use of the bus located at Cobden District Health Services (through a cost-recovery arrangement) and hires local commercial buses when this vehicle is unavailable. Skipton Community Transport Service The Beaufort & Skipton Health Service provides community transport to people living in Skipton as well as Lismore, Derrinallum and surrounding rural localities. The service uses two cars and a station wagon to provide local residents with access to medical and health services. The service currently has seven volunteer drivers.
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78 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY Mortlake Community Transport Service Operated and funded by Terang & Mortlake Health Services, the Mortlake Community Transport Service provides door-to-door assisted transport by volunteer drivers for eligible clients, seven days a week. It is designed to service the needs of those who cannot use conventional public transport, such as aged persons or those with a physical, sensory or intellectual disability. Clients are assessed for eligibility. The service is primarily used by elderly community members, but all groups are welcome to use the service. Users are charged for the transport at 15 cents per kilometre; generally users are charged $3 for trips around Mortlake and $15 for a return trip to Warrnambool. The Mortlake Community Transport Service commenced operation in 2001. The community car is in frequent use, and over the 2007–08 period completed 218 trips requiring 730 volunteer hours and travelling a total of 22,875 kilometres. The service currently has 15 volunteer drivers available, and often helps out the Mpower Community Transport Service in transporting clients to Melbourne, as Mpower doesn’t have any drivers who are able to drive to Melbourne. The Mortlake service occasionally also helps out the Camperdown Community Transport Service. Corangamite users are limited to one trip per month, so sometimes there is a need for the Mortlake service to assist. Corangamite Shire Community Transport Service The aim of the Corangamite Shire Community Transport Service is to provide transport to meet the health needs of the aged and people with a disability where alternative transport is not available. Clients must be assessed as eligible for HACC services. The Corangamite Shire Community Transport Service may be used to access doctor
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 79 appointments, surgery and other specialist appointments. Clients are allowed one trip per month and a fee is charged according to the length of the trip. Drivers are volunteers who use their own vehicles and are paid at the local government mileage rate. Trips may extend as far as Melbourne, Geelong and Ballarat. Local transport options are considered first and sometimes the community transport program will link to a public transport option where clients are well enough. The program currently has a total of eight volunteer drivers averaging six trips per week. In 2008 drivers travelled more than 35,000 kilometres. The program is funded at $34,000 per annum through the HACC program by DHS. The Corangamite Shire Community Transport Service is sometimes augmented by HACC staff drivers using Corangamite fleet vehicles to provide supported transport to individual clients. Macarthur Community Healthcare Transport Service Macarthur Community Healthcare operates a community transport service using a car funded by South West Healthcare. Its primary use is for a social support program (funded through HACC), using volunteer drivers for HACC clients; however, other community members are not refused if the use is deemed appropriate. Advance notice of travel is required. Adequate numbers of volunteer drivers are currently available to provide the service. Volunteer drivers often travel weekly to Warrnambool and Hamilton for medical appointments. The car is also used three days per week by volunteers and day centre staff to transport small numbers of clients to and from their homes for day centre activities. Macarthur Day Centre staff report that community transport is very well suited to a small rural community centre like Macarthur. Mpower Community Transport Service The community transport program administered through Mpower provides flexible transport arrangements for the aged, frail or ill and those with a disability who cannot use conventional public transport to enable them to access health or community support services. Many of the people who use the program are geographically isolated and use it to attend medical and therapy appointments, access community health services, visit friends and relatives, go shopping or participate in social activities. The cost of the service is determined by the coordinator, who suggests an appropriate donation for the particular journey, which is payable to the driver. The program relies on the support of volunteers using Mpower fleet vehicles, without which it would not be possible to provide this service to the community. Community bus operators The Mortlake community bus is the sole community bus operating across the study area. Other buses (listed below) are owned and operated by health services. Some are made available for community purposes or hired out to community groups when not being used for agency purposes. While some of these buses serve significant community transport purposes (for
80 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY example, in Macarthur and Koroit), others (for example, in Port Fairy) are no longer available for such uses. Mortlake Community Bus The Mortlake community bus is a 10-seater Toyota bus with wheelchair access. It is coordinated through the Mortlake office of the Moyne Shire Council. The bus provides a service for senior citizens and is available for hire by other community groups. The community bus provides a monthly shopping trip to Warrnambool on the third Monday of each month, and a weekly shopping trip around Mortlake on Fridays. The bus is reportedly very popular and is often booked out by a range of community and sporting groups, so that bookings need to be made well in advance. Macarthur Community Bus The Macarthur community bus is an 11-seater bus with wheelchair hoist and is managed by Macarthur Community Healthcare. It is used five days per week to pick up and drop home day centre clients. The bus also travels to Hamilton every second Friday and to Port Fairy every Tuesday. It also provides monthly social or shopping outings to regional towns, including Mount Gambier, Warrnambool and Ballarat. Volunteer drivers are used for these longer trips. The community bus provides a fortnightly Friday service to Hamilton for day program transport for HACC clients, but others are considered. Day centre staff believe the community bus is a valuable community resource for Macarthur. Koroit & District Memorial Health Services Inc Day Centre Bus The Koroit community bus is a 12-seater bus used for transporting clients to the day centre and for taking nursing home residents on outings. It does not have wheelchair access, and clients with mobility issues need
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 81 assistance to get on and off the bus. The bus is also used to provide transport for a ‘Men on the Move’ group, which is provided with monthly day trips to regional towns, including Portland, Warrnambool and Port Campbell. The bus is available for public hire on weekends and evenings and is used by a number of other community groups including the local cricket club, Lions Club and Scouts. South West Healthcare Camperdown Campus Bus South West Healthcare Camperdown Campus operates a 12-seater bus with wheelchair access. It is used to transport day centre clients to and from activities and for other hospital programs, but once a fortnight (on Thursdays) it is used by Corangamite Shire to provide community transport for Lismore and Derrinallum HACC clients to visit Camperdown for a social outing and shopping. Cobden District Health Services Bus Cobden District Health Services operates a 12-seater bus with wheelchair access. It is primarily used for transporting health service clients to and from programs and activities. The bus is also available to Timboon and District Healthcare Service on a cost-recovery basis, and has been used on occasion by community groups for social outings. Skipton Hospital Bus The Beaufort & Skipton Health Service operates a modified 18-seater bus with wheelchair access solely for hospital purposes Moyne Health Services Bus Operated by Moyne Health Services, the Port Fairy community bus is now used only for Moyne Health Services clients and internal programs. It is used almost daily for day care and other health service programs, but is no longer available for use by external groups.
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TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 83 4.5 Advocacy representations To round out the advice contributed by service agencies and transport operators, information was assembled on representations that have been made to advocacy agents, which often act as proxies for people with a disability in seeking to address transport issues or problems. This information has been combined from three sources: South West Advocacy, Rural Access and Transport Connections. The South West Advocacy Association (SWAA) is an independent, not-for- profit, community organisation that has provided individual and systemic advocacy for people with all types of disabilities throughout south-west Victoria since 1993. SWAA advocates are able to travel anywhere in the City of Warrnambool and Shires of Moyne, Glenelg, Southern Grampians and Corangamite to provide advocacy assistance to individuals with disabilities and their families. Because of the nature of their work, both the Rural Access Project and the Getting There and Back Transport Connections Project have also become points of contact for people in the community with issues or complaints about transport services and service providers. Members of the general public, people with a disability, managers of aged care facilities and sometimes other transport operators contact the project officers to discuss their issues. The issue of advocacy can be problematic. On the one hand, representations cannot always be taken at face value, with hearsay commentary and reported information occasionally omitting reference to key facts. A focus on complaints may also fail to acknowledge the provision of exemplary service in other areas. Nevertheless, advocates soon become aware of genuine issues of concern in the community through separate representations made to them on common subjects. Some people have been quite distressed over certain incidents, and can be comforted by the mere fact that someone listens to their complaint. When advised of formal avenues of feedback or complaint, or when asked if they would like any action to be taken on their behalf, people are generally reluctant to engage in complaints processes. Two reasons are advanced for this. One is the notion that complaining would be a futile exercise. Some people say they have complained before and nothing happened. The other reason is that people fear that if they complain they will be singled out for repeat or even worse treatment. This especially applies where people are wholly reliant on a transport service to meet essential needs. In country towns the relationship between the customer and the person who delivers the transport services is personal. People know each other, what people do, who they are related to or who they are friends with, where they shop and where they live. Because of the importance of transport to accessing health and medical services, a transport ’failure’ can have a catastrophic impact on the confidence of older people living alone.
84 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY The most common complaints have to do with taxis and with wheelchair accessibility. The absence of a WAT taxi in Corangamite is a perennial complaint, as is the failure of taxis to turn up or to turn up late when bookings have been made. Customers are especially distressed when they miss their train to a far-away destination or where they miss a doctor’s appointment or medical treatment. Problems have also been reported with securing a booking of a WAT vehicle, and there have been complaints by people irate about the treatment of frail or ‘slow’ older people who are urged to ‘get out’ of the taxi by an impatient driver hurrying to the next fare. Complaints have been made about crowding of the train at Geelong, with people in corridors and doorways blocking access for those in wheelchairs, including access to toilets. Another issue is the number of spaces provided for wheelchairs on the train, and claims of passengers (still) being offered the option of travelling in the baggage compartment. Passenger experiences of unsatisfactory (and variable) treatment by individual V/Line staff at stations have been reported by a number of people. Passengers who regularly receive assistance have reported that they have turned up on some occasions and been denied the assistance they believed they could expect. Staff were reported to be inflexible and unhelpful, admonishing wheelchair passengers for failing to give advance notice of their travel plans and displaying a reluctance to assist with ramps. Resentful chiding of passengers about bookings and ticket purchases was another common complaint. Rightly or wrongly, passengers with a disability complain that they have been made to feel unwelcome on the train service. It is appreciated that all customers may not be knowledgeable about travel procedures and their obligations as passengers, and that it may be unrealistic to expect any large organisation to be perfect in every aspect of its operations, however, it would appear that there are opportunities for improvement and for training and monitoring of performance. There is one piece of advice that arises from the advocacy representations, and that is that just because there are no complaints does not mean everything is operating satisfactorily.
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 85 5. discussion 5.1 number of persons with a disability This study employed a variety of methods to develop a picture of the number of people with a disability in the Corangamite and Moyne Shires and their location. Of the combined population of 33,675 in the Corangamite and Moyne Shires in 2008 (refer Table 1), there are a notional 6,735 people with a disability, according to the background incidence of disabilities across Australia estimated at 20% of the population (see Appendix A). Again, based on the background type of disability across Australia, there are a nominal 3,637 people with a physical disability, 1,200 people with a sensory disability, 291 people with an intellectual disability and 181 people with an acquired brain injury. According to the ABS Need for Assistance profile by postcode (refer Table 5), there were 1,328 reported people with a profound or severe disability living in the Corangamite and Moyne Shires, or 4.1% of the combined population. The Victorian Taxi Directorate records 783 persons in Corangamite and Moyne (2.4% of the population) who are members of the Taxi Subsidy Scheme (refer Table 6) and 122 people with a Wheelchair Type (M31) card (about 60 people in each shire). There are an estimated 2,030 people living in the two shires (6.3% of the population) who hold a current Disabled Parking permit. The various methods of collection of these data (and in some cases the statistical assumptions) do not allow for tidy comparisons; however, they show that at least 10% of the population of Corangamite and Moyne Shires face some form of transport disadvantage as a consequence of a personal disability. The actual figure is something less than 20%, but more than 10% of the population of Corangamite and Moyne Shires. As a working assumption, perhaps 4,000 people (12.5% of the combined population) face transport challenges as a consequence of a personal disability. 5.2 location of persons with a disability According to the ABS Need for Assistance profile (see Table 5), persons with a disability are located in almost all postcode areas contained within or overlapping with the Corangamite or Moyne Shires. It appears that persons with a disability are concentrated in the larger towns, given the lower incidence of reported disabilities in predominantly rural postcodes. This is borne out by information collected in interviews and the telephone survey, where people reportedly face the necessity to ‘move into town’ to be closer to services, including transport. Because urban locations have postcodes that include surrounding rural locations, the data tend to limit the observed trends. All the larger town postcodes have the highest reported incidence of profound or severe disabilities (ranging from 5.1 to
86 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 6.9%), with rural postcodes having low incidence (ranging from 0 to 4%). This phenomenon is undoubtedly linked to the concentration of older people who have retired to live in their local town. 5.3 Public and community transport The survey of public and community transport provision available to residents of the Corangamite and Moyne Shires reveals a disparity in standards and frequency across different towns and rural locations. The existence, non-existence and patterns of transport services can hold consequences for the travel opportunities for all residents, but especially those with a disability. Public transport infrastructure and services In regard to public transport, there have been substantial improvements to the transport network in terms of new services and new and improved infrastructure. The townships of Port Fairy and Koroit have benefited from improvements to the Warrnambool Transit bus services, as other towns have benefited from new intra-city bus services in Colac, Hamilton and Portland. V/Line train and coach services (all with upgraded infrastructure) connecting to these towns from towns within Corangamite and Moyne Shires provide opportunities for residents to have affordable access to more destinations. These improvements in transport services and infrastructure have been made to connect cities with higher population densities, where there are possibilities of operational efficiencies. While few people would question such planning, a consequence of it is that the transport needs of people living in smaller towns and rural areas remain unaddressed. The upshot is that some towns have no effective access or very limited access to public transport to take them to primary destinations.
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 87 Community transport services Community transport across the Corangamite and Moyne Shires provides an essential service, mainly to HACC clients and older residents needing to access health and medical services and treatment. It operates on the contributions of volunteers and limited budgets, and in most cases demand exceeds the supply of transport services, so that social transport is extremely limited, sometimes to once a month or once a fortnight and occasionally once per week. These services are called ‘community transport’, but despite their valuable role in the community they do not service the community at large. Recent experience is that rising costs and demand have further limited the already restricted eligibility to use these services, with some services now restricted solely to health service clients engaged in health service programs. 5.4 the survey The sample The survey of persons with a disability living in the Corangamite and Moyne Shires has some limitations. Given that it was not possible to identify all persons fitting the target group, the survey represents a sample rather than a census of persons with a disability. The distribution of the survey through the four agency channels may have contributed to an over-representation of older persons in the sample. This distribution may have also skewed the sample by type of disability and location. Another limitation was that the distribution also led to an over-representation of respondents from the Corangamite Shire and the towns of Terang and Camperdown in particular. There may have been some filtering of responses where a parent or carer completed the survey on behalf of the respondent (see Figure 4). Nevertheless, the survey achieved its object of giving voice to the views of persons with a disability and capturing their assessment of transport needs and experiences. The sample of 282 respondents included representation across different locations (see Table 12), age groups (Figure 2), gender (Figure 3) and disability types (Figure 5). Mode of transport and purpose of trip The overwhelmingly dominant mode of transport used by persons with a disability is private transport, no matter what the purpose of travel. Private transport usage is highest for shopping (around 90%) and appointments
88 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY (around 80%) and lower for social outings (around 65%). These findings are linked to two other factors: first, they parallel the pattern of persons being accompanied around 80% of the time for appointments and shopping and, second, a large proportion of respondents (20%) reported that they do not participate in social outings (rating transport for social outings as ‘not applicable’). In most cases a person with a disability is accompanied by a carer or parent, especially for appointments. The implication is that the carer or parent provides the private transport to enable these activities. About half the respondents shopped once a week, and 30% would like to go shopping more often, 40% would like to participate in social outings more often and 25% indicated that limited access to transport affects their ability to attend appointments. The highest usage of public transport is for attending appointments, although the modal share is small (around 6%). Public transport usage Only 36% of survey respondents use public transport, taxi being the most common mode (83%), followed by the train (71%) and bus (40%). The most common reason for not using public transport is lack of physical access (49%), the fact that it is not available (44%) and that it does not suit the transport need (29%). Other reasons are that information about public transport is not available, it takes too long and is cost prohibitive. Transport demand by age grouping In answer to the question as to where people would like to go if they had unlimited transport opportunities, over two thirds of respondents indicated they would attend appointments, and over half would attend social events and go shopping. A number of respondents did not answer this question; however, a breakdown of responses by age group shows significant differences. While respondents in all age groups would apply unlimited
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 89 transport opportunities to attending appointments, people under the age of 18 years would like to go shopping and participate in social activities. Those in the 19-to-70 age group had similar wishes, however, they were also keen to participate in sport and recreation as well as education. Those over 70 years were generally less desirous of taking up travel opportunities, but after attending appointments, rated shopping more highly than attending social events. Transport demand by destination While the survey proved useful in answering questions about current modes of transport and location and purposes of travel, the question of where people with a disability would like to travel was more problematic. When respondents were asked where they would like to travel (as opposed to where they do travel) most responses reflected their current travel activities. This could be interpreted as a desire for opportunities for more frequent travel to those destinations, which would be consistent with other commentary on limits and barriers to travel. A majority of respondents travel mainly within their local area. In addition, the Princes Highway between Warrnambool and Melbourne is a key transport route for many respondents, especially for appointments (the incidence and scale of this response may have been influenced by the sampling of respondents). The larger regional centres such as Warrnambool, Camperdown and Geelong are frequented for a variety of reasons by respondents from a number of different locations. It was only the respondents who reside in the far north of the Corangamite Shire who did not nominate Warrnambool as one of their key commuting locations; Ballarat replaces Warrnambool in these instances as it is closer than Warrnambool to the far north of Corangamite Shire. Answers to the questions of where respondents currently travel and where they would like to travel identified a gap in transport access to the major centres of Geelong, Ballarat and Melbourne. Transport accessibility and participation The fundamental observation to be made from the survey responses is that people with a disability are often highly dependent on others to provide them with private transport for all types of travel. Public transport is either not available or, where it is available, it is not accessible to persons with a disability. Around 70% of survey respondents reported that the lack of transport options limits their ability to attend appointments, go shopping or participate in social outings. The lack of transport options limits the potential of persons with a disability to participate in education, sport and recreational activities. 5.5 telephone interviews Telephone interviews with 30 people with a disability (of various ages and disability types) revealed a number of shortcomings in the provision of public and community transport. A shortage of services means that some people go out only once or twice per fortnight. A lack of bus and taxi services also limits opportunities to access services and/or participate in
90 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY community life, it was reported. Low service frequency is also a limitation on the use of current services, with some services being unworkable for local residents of some towns. Dependence on others to provide private transport is a common situation, and one that causes anxiety as to what the future might hold when that private transport is no longer available. Comments made by interviewees have been included throughout this report to provide an insight into the way transport disadvantage impacts on the lives of individuals with a disability. 5.6 Agency perspectives Interviews with agencies that provide services to people with a disability have identified the impacts of limited public and community transport on both individuals and their families and on the operations of the agencies themselves. The most obvious impact appears to be difficulties faced by clients in getting to centres where services and programs are offered. Where agencies provide transport to meet this need, the agencies face difficulties in meeting the costs of its provision. The annual cost of operating agency vehicles and paying for contracted taxi services is rising (with increases in petrol and operating costs) and outlays can be affected, depending on the distances new clients need to travel. Without access to public or community transport, agencies are faced with difficult choices in order to maintain client access to services. Another impact of limited public and community transport is the limited opportunities some people with a disability have to participate in social outings. Transport is one of the primary needs of people with a disability, many of whom lack the resources to provide their own transport. Agencies report that this has a huge impact on clients’ independence and limits access to services, social events, employment, training and education. 5.7 operator perspectives V/Line trains and coaches Interviews with transport service operators revealed that the major share of genuinely ‘public’ transport in the study area is provided by V/Line train and coach services (with Port Fairy and Koroit also well-served by South West Transit bus services). Both operators were able to point to an impressive record of improvement to the accessibility of these services; however, many people are not aware of V/Line service improvements. Customer requests for other improvements, such as access for gophers and bicycles on trains and coaches, could not be met without specific funding from government. Bus operators Some bus operators commented that more services, operating more frequently on a greater number of days, would be required in order to offer viable competition to private transport, and that there is capacity to increase demand from local and inbound customers. They reported
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 91 that they were not aware of any need for provision of accessible vehicles, stating that they had not been approached with requests to upgrade non-DDA compliant buses. Bus operators believe that there are opportunities for community transport services to operate more efficiently in partnership with private operators. They believe there are cultural barriers to the use of public transport and that many people are not aware of the advantages of modern bus travel, dating their notions back to their school bus experiences or associating public transport with disadvantage. Taxi operators Local taxi operators reported different issues, based on the location and scale of their services. Whereas one operator faces difficulties in recruiting sufficient drivers to operate his approved service hours, others say this is not a problem. Operators reported that rural taxi operations can be difficult with high fares due to the long distances travelled and the cost of ‘dead running’ to fares in an adjoining town or district. Subsidised fares through the Department of Veterans Affairs and Taxi Cards are crucial in making taxi travel affordable to the many older people who use taxi services. A decision to take on a WAT vehicle is difficult to justify on business grounds. Community transport operators The main findings arising from interviews with community transport operators are that the availability of community transport services in the Corangamite and Moyne Shires is inadequate to meet all presenting community needs. Limited HACC budgets mean that most services are restricted to transporting people to medical or health services or health agency programs. The forms or models of community transport differ from location to location and agency to agency. All perform a vital function in their communities. Some services appear robust and well-used, while others struggle to recruit new volunteers and rely on dedicated elderly volunteers. Some have inherited vehicles that are approaching the need for replacement, and are uncertain as to how this will be able to be managed. Several former ‘community buses’ are now limited to health agency program use. Across the study area, the use of community buses for ‘community’ and ‘social’ purposes is very limited indeed.
92 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 5.8 Advocacy representations The information gleaned from advocacy representations indicates that the most prevalent complaints have to do with V/Line services, taxis and wheelchair accessibility. Issues with V/Line services involve wheelchair access, unsatisfactory treatment of passengers by individual V/Line staff at stations, and bookings and ticket purchases. Taxi complaints included the lack of a WAT vehicle in the Corangamite Shire, taxis turning up late or not at all when booked, and poor treatment of elderly customers. It is acknowledged that representations cannot always be taken at face value and that some complaints may be based on hearsay or made with omitted reference to key facts, however, it would appear that there are opportunities for improvement and for training and monitoring of performance. One important finding was the reluctance of aggrieved parties to engage in complaints processes. Whereas some people consider such processes to be futile, others are afraid they will be singled out for repeat or worse treatment. There are reasons why this should be the case in rural and regional areas. This is an important point – it means that just because there are no complaints does not mean everything is operating satisfactorily.
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 93 94 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 6. conclusion As with the overwhelming majority of people living within the Corangamite and Moyne Shires, persons with a disability depend on private transport to access services and for day-to-day activities, such as shopping and social activities. Given the convenience and flexibility of private transport, this is not surprising. However, many parents and carers of younger persons with a disability live in dread of the day when they can no longer provide for these needs. Many older people also fret about the prospect of losing their independence and their capacity to participate in activities that others are able to take for granted. Without the support of families providing private transport, people with a disability are forced to depend on limited public, community or agency transport. For those people living in urban areas of the Moyne and Corangamite Shires, the most important form of public transport is the local taxi service. Across the study area, there is only one Wheelchair Accessible Taxi (WAT), which is in Port Fairy. Local taxi services are used by persons needing assistance and are more accessible than the few local buses that operate across the two shires. The assistance and personal service provided by some taxi operators to aged and frail clients is highly valued by those clients and the health agencies that care for them. However, the high cost of taxi services to people living in rural areas, due to the travel distances involved, can make taxis unaffordable for the people who need them most. The term ‘community transport’ in the Corangamite and Moyne Shires is something of a misnomer. These services are generally not available to the community but only to HACC clients and/or those who meet strict eligibility criteria. Some community transport services that were once available for community purposes are now limited to clients of health service programs. With ageing vehicles, rising operating costs and inadequate levels of funding to respond to demand, the sustainability of the current limited community transport services is called into question. In the case of those services relying on volunteer drivers using their own vehicles there is the issue of the advancing age of current volunteers and difficulty in recruiting younger volunteers. There are two major priorities arising out of the current situation in relation to public and community transport. One is to extend the provision and upgrade the accessibility of current public transport services. This includes initiatives to ensure that public transport options are financially accessible to those who need them. The other is to formally recognise the importance of developing innovative, flexible and responsive models of accessible community transport that can service both the rural and urban residents of the Corangamite and Moyne Shires. These models of community transport should be inclusive and available to all members of the community regardless of their age, health or disability status.
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 95 7. recommendations This study has assembled information and surveyed the views of persons with a disability, agencies that deliver programs and services to them, transport service providers and relevant advocacy services, with the aim of identifying transport challenges faced by persons with a disability in the Corangamite and Moyne Shires. The issues identified and documented in this report are also applicable to other regional and rural municipalities with low and very low population densities, limited services (including transport) and a population profile where the number of persons over 70 years of age is forecast to double in the coming 25 years. While it is important to acknowledge the intent, effort and expenditure commitments that have been made to improve and extend transport services in regional areas, and especially to note those projects and programs aimed at improving accessibility, this study has identified a number of outstanding transport challenges, which are unlikely to be addressed without the implementation of additional policy initiatives. The following recommendations are advanced to address identified gaps in transport service provision as well as those issues of accessibility and affordability that are presently major barriers to enabling the transport disadvantaged to access necessary services and participate in and contribute to the social and economic life of their communities. 7.1 Planning for universal access The objective of universal access is to optimize the design of facilities and plan the expansion of urban land uses to maximize the percentage of users able to reach important destinations for work, shopping, school, etc. in reasonable safety, and to reduce the public costs of providing access to basic needs (Project Universal Access, 2009). One of the critical issues identified in this study is the impact of cost on both the provision and accessibility of public, community and agency transport to persons with a disability. These costs also impact on the public in general. Agency service providers report that the severe lack of public transport means they are obliged to pick up transport costs through agency transport operations or contracted taxi services. With the distances involved and the added burden of increasing fuel costs, one agency alone currently spends $190,000 annually to take clients to services and transport them home. Another agency reported that the lack of public and community transport options has a huge impact on clients’ independence, placing stress on them, their families and their carers. Transport service operators have suggested the cost of providing specialist transport for selected purposes could be better managed. They believe an audit based on the true costs (capital and recurrent) of operating
96 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY community buses, which travel few kilometres in a given year, would demonstrate that there are better ways to provide more comprehensive services. Through the rational use of existing services (including school buses), where those services are made accessible to all users, it should be possible to reduce the cost impacts on individuals and agency budgets. The adoption of the universal access principle, including making existing services accessible to all, could serve to expand the coverage of the public transport network within the current resource envelope; for example, the daily taxi service from Timboon to Terang and return twice per day currently paid by the State Government (through Cooinda) could become a public transport service at no extra cost to the Government. Such a universal access practice might also go some way towards reducing cultural barriers to the use of public transport in regional areas. Recommendation 1 That the Department of Transport apply the principle of universal access to the planning and future provision of rural and regional transport services.
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 97 7.2 Recognising the community transport sector Under the heading of Social Inclusion the Victorian Government’s Policy Statement Towards an Integrated and Sustainable Transport Future: A New Legislative Framework for Transport in Victoria (2009) states that: The transport system should provide a means by which people can access social and economic opportunities to support individual and community wellbeing by a) minimising barriers to access so that, so far as possible, the transport system is available to as many people as wish to use it b) providing tailored infrastructure, services and support for people who find it difficult to use the transport system (p 12). It also states that: It is not possible for the general transport system to meet all specific accessibility needs of all people. Even with improved accessibility, public transport is not a viable option for some because of the significant barriers to use, such as people in remote locations and the very frail elderly. In these situations a tailored transport response is needed (p 18). The provision of tailored transport infrastructure and services is an established policy response to the design of transport systems serving individuals in remote locations. The use of mini-buses and demand- responsive services has been a feature of public transport in low density rural areas in many countries, including Scotland, Ireland, Switzerland, Greece, Finland and Germany (White 2008, p 169–174). In Victoria, community transport struggles to service ‘the frontier’ beyond the reach of the general public transport system. The many and varied forms of community transport in the study area face sustainability challenges arising from a lack of recognition and therefore a lack of funding support. In no sense could ‘community transport’ be construed as a system. In the area covered by this study the transport services that currently operate under the name of ‘community transport’ are not community transport at all. They are laudable and innovative transport services generally delivered by volunteers, which have been improvised to meet a critical community need for access to health and medical services that would otherwise go unmet. In most cases in the study area, community transport might better be labelled ‘patient transfer transport’. These services are generally unavailable to the community as a whole, and have strict eligibility criteria and service limits. This study has found that services that were once available to the community are being retracted in response to rising costs and now serve solely as health service transport.
98 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY Unless recognition is given to community transport as a ‘tailored transport response’ in areas of low population density, residents of such areas will have no access to public transport at all. Recommendation 2 That the Department of Transport formally recognise the community transport sector as a legitimate arm of public transport and develop a policy framework that enables the provision of expanded and sustainable medical transport and community transport services in rural and regional areas. 7.3 developing community transport contracts One of the strengths of community transport can be the involvement of the community in the design and delivery of local transport solutions; however, one of the weaknesses can be the low utilisation of vehicles. Private operators are well placed to support community transport operations with up-to-date vehicles, garaging and fleet management expertise. If community transport is recognised and acknowledged as a legitimate mode of public transport (and perhaps the only viable mode of public transport in areas of low population density), the mechanism of Community Transport Contracts could serve as a model to maximise community involvement and make the best use of local transport infrastructure, whether under public or private ownership. Such an arrangement could provide a mechanism to support community transport operations, enable their expansion and ensure their sustainability. Recommendation 3 That the Department of Transport consider the development of Community Transport Contracts (with parallels to School Bus Contracts) to be tendered out to private operators and/or public agencies to provide for flexible, on-demand social transport services for persons living in remote rural areas.
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 99 7.4 integrating information on all public transport modes The need for comprehensive, up-to-date and accessible information on transport services is widely acknowledged, however, this information is not always easy to locate. The Department of Transport’s recent project aimed at describing services in selected regional areas recognises the essential need to provide integrated information on all services, including taxis and community transport, but, although the brochures provide contact details, they do not provide any content as to what is available locally. Printed information is clearly problematic for conveying up-to-date content. According to the LGA Statistical Profiles based on the ABS 2006 Census, 49.2% of households in the Corangamite Shire and 53.3% of households in the Moyne Shire have an internet connection (compared with the State average of 61%). Although internet connectivity could be expected to be highest among residents of higher socio-economic status, an online transport information system would be a practical way to convey local integrated transport information. Recommendation 4 That the Department of Transport develop an online transport information system that provides localised integrated information in accessible formats on all public transport modes, including trains, coaches, buses, taxis and community transport.
100 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 7.5 extending accessibility standards to rural and regional transport ‘At present, people with mobility difficulties have limited access to public transport as not all transport complies with the Disability Discrimination Act’ (MAV 2008, p 15). Local buses and community transport in the study area are often not accessible to persons with a disability. This is unfortunate in that people located in the more isolated areas are rendered even more isolated by the lack of accessible transport services. Recommendation 5 That the Department of Transport develop a plan to ensure the implementation of the established Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport for all public transport, including local bus and community transport activities. 7.6 Advising the community about accessibility improvements One of the most striking observations from the conduct of this study was that many people are unaware of the accessibility improvements that have been made to V/Line train and coach services. Their views and opinions are often based on knowledge that has not been updated or on adverse past experiences, which have led to highly critical or damning attitudes and assessments. Given the number and extent of accessibility improvements achieved and planned, an opportunity exists to actively inform relevant publics in a targeted way so that persons with a disability are encouraged to take full advantage of the improvements that have been made. Recommendation 6 That V/Line develop and deliver a structured information program for persons with a disability, transport operators, service agencies and the general public, outlining improvements to the accessibility of transport services, including advice on current options for accessing regional train and coach services.
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 101 7.7 Putting ‘wheels’ on the regional transport network ‘New approaches to transport planning ... [place] it firmly in the context of economic, environmental and social policy objectives of sustainable development (Banister 2002, p 211). There are a number of global issues (climate change, peak oil, carbon trading) and transport planning trends (active transport, modal integration) that are driving renewed interest and investment in public transport and changing cultural attitudes. The current configuration of V/Line coaches and carriage sets (alongside staff occupational health and safety considerations), militates against the carriage of more than a small number of wheelchairs (and a limited number of bicycles) on the train. This is already an issue of contention, but it is set to become a serious pressure point for services into the future. Under the principle of universal access, plans need to be formulated to enable V/Line services to carry bicycles, prams, gophers and wheelchairs, so that provision of wheelchair access becomes not merely an act of minimal compliance but a response to a legitimate customer need. Recommendation 7 That V/Line develop improvement plans that provide for the carriage of wheeled vehicles, such as bicycles, prams, gophers and wheelchairs, on all regional train and coach services, and that where such provision does exist, the current limited capacity be expanded.
102 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 7.8 closing gaps in the regional transport network Under the Victorian Government’s Meeting our Transport Challenges (2006) program and the prospective Victorian Transport Plan (2008), there have been significant extensions to the regional transport network. For residents of the study area, new and/or improved transit bus services in Colac, Hamilton, Portland and Warrnambool have greatly enhanced the practicality of using public transport to access services located in the larger regional centres. There are still some large gaps in the network from a local point of view in gaining timely access to the ‘regional capital’ of Warrnambool. For residents of several towns in the study area existing services do not serve their transport priorities, the need being for additional timely services operating in the opposite direction of travel. Recommendation 8 That V/Line continue the expansion of its regional transport network so that residents in smaller towns have effective access to comprehensive services located in the larger regional centres. 7.9 delivering more WAT vehicles for regional and rural areas The Victorian Government is introducing an extra 330 Wheelchair Accessible Taxi (WAT) vehicles into the greater Melbourne area and is providing a subsidy of up to $44,000 to taxi operators to encourage them to include a Multi-Purpose Taxi (MPT) in their fleets. A quota system is designed to ensure that WAT vehicles give priority to servicing people with a disability. Apart from taxis operating out of Warrnambool and Port Fairy, the vast majority of the study area is not serviced by WAT vehicles. Operators have reported that increased operating costs, the additional investment required and the quota system serve to discourage them from acquiring an MPT licence. Under the principle of universal access, a program to ensure that all regional and rural taxi services have at least one WAT in their fleet would permit the intention of Government policy to be achieved – that persons with a disability be able to remain connected with their communities. A program of encouragement, incentives and support (for example, adjusting quota restrictions in rural areas, or small one-off establishment or change-over grants) developed in conjunction with rural taxi operators would radically improve accessibility for persons with a disability living in rural and regional areas.
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 103 Recommendation 9 That the Victorian Taxi Directorate develop a policy program which provides encouragement, incentives and support for each regional and rural taxi service to have at least one Wheelchair Accessible Taxi (WAT) in its fleet. 7.10 making rural taxi use more affordable Taxis in rural areas play a vital transport role as they are often the only form of public transport available to local residents, yet the cost of using a taxi is unaffordable for many people in rural Victoria given the travel distances involved. The Victorian Government has recently doubled the trip cap (to $60) and the annual cap ($2,180) for members of the Multi-Purpose Taxi Program in response to the report of the Essential Services Commission. As welcome as this change is for people travelling within or close to their local town, the increased caps offer little benefit for those persons with a severe and permanent disability who have to travel longer distances to access services or attend agency programs. The Mobility Allowance of $40 per week ($2,080 per annum) does not go far in those circumstances, and is not a practical alternative. In the course of this study older people reported that the eligibility criteria for the Multi-Purpose Taxi Card were too restrictive. Based on the ABS reported incidence of persons with a profound or severe disability, there may be around 18,000 people in rural Victoria who are in need of additional assistance to make rural taxi use more affordable. Recommendation 10 That the Victorian Taxi Directorate consider the provision of a Rural Taxi Card based on residential postcode address, which provides differential benefits based on distance required to travel to the nearest centre where comprehensive services are available, rather than the current universal flat- rate system.
104 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 7.11 creating pick- up and set-down disabled parking bays In the course of this study the suggestion was advanced that there is a need for pick-up and set-down disabled parking bays in areas of high priority, such as health centres and day care centres. The observation made was that the few disabled parking bays available can be taken up quickly and that time limits are often not observed or policed. Recommendation 11 That local government consider the provision of pick-up and set-down disabled parking bays in areas of high priority, and provide additional disabled parking bays where needed. 7.12 implementing accessibility standards The established Australian Standards for the form of disabled parking bays (AS 2890) are designed to make them usable by those members of the community for whom they were constructed, yet there are disabled parking bays within the study area which fall short of these standards in terms of width and ramps. Recommendation 12 That local government ensure the provision of wider disabled parking bays, which permit the full opening of car doors and enable the effective use of walking frames and other mobility aids, in line with Australian Standard 2890.
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 105 8 references Banister, D (2002), Transport Planning, 2nd edn, Tayor & Francis, London Cacioppo, J, Ernst, J, Burleson, M, McClintock, M, Malarkey, W & Hawkley, L (2002), ‘Lonely traits and concomitant physiological processes: the MacArthur social neuroscience studies’, International Journal of Psychophysiology, vol 35, pp 143–154 Casas, I (2007), ‘Social exclusion and the disabled: an accessibility approach’, The Professional Geographer, vol 59, no 4, pp 463–477 Cohen, G (2000), ‘Loneliness in later life’, American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, vol 8, pp 273–275 Department of Human Services (2006), Report on the Implementation of the Victorian State Disability Plan 2002–2012, State of Victoria, Melbourne Department of Human Services (2008), Your Health: A Report on the Health of Victorians 2007, Melbourne, Victoria Department of Infrastructure (2006), Meeting Our Transport Challenges, State of Victoria, Melbourne Department of Infrastructure (2008), Improving Options and Removing Barriers: Addressing Transport Disadvantage: A Status Report, State of Victoria, Melbourne Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development (2005) Moving Victoria Forward: Making Provincial Victoria the Best Place to Live, Work and Invest, State of Victoria, Melbourne Department of Planning and Community Development (2009), A Fairer Victoria: Standing Together Through Tough Times, State of Victoria, Melbourne Department of Transport (2008), Victorian Transport Plan, State of Victoria, Melbourne Department of Transport (2009), Towards an Integrated and Sustainable Transport Future: A New Legislative Framework for Transport in Victoria, State of Victoria, Melbourne Department of Victorian Communities (2005), A Fairer Victoria, State of Victoria, Melbourne Department of Victorian Communities (2006), A Fairer Victoria: Progress and Next Steps, State of Victoria, Melbourne Department of Victorian Communities (2007), A Fairer Victoria: Building on Our Commitment, State of Victoria, Melbourne Douglas, H (1999), Transport in Rural Queensland: Using Community Resources Effectively in Small Communities to Improve Transport Options for Health and Other Needs, presented at the 5th National Rural Health Conference, Adelaide, South Australia
106 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY Gething, L (1997), ‘Sources of double disadvantage for people with disabilities living in remote and rural areas of New South Wales, Australia’, Disability and Society, vol 12, no 4, pp 513–531 Kwan, M (1998), ‘Space-time and integral measures of individual accessibility: a comparative analysis using a point-based framework’, Geographical Analysis, vol 30, no 3, pp 191–216 Marmot, M & Wilkinson, R (eds) (2003), Social Determinants of Health: The Solid Facts, 2nd edn, World Health Organisation, Copenhagen, Denmark Moriaty, P & Honnery, D (2008), ‘Low-Mobility: The Future of Transport’, Futures vol 40, pp 865–872 Morton, B (2008), South West Community Transport Directory, Western District Health Service, Hamilton, Victoria Municipal Association of Victoria (2008), Transport: Position Paper – Examination of the Key Passenger and Freight Transport Challenges Confronting Local Government in Victoria, MAV, Melbourne National People with Disabilities and Carer Council (2009), Shut Out: The Experience of People with Disabilities and Their Families in Australia, National Disability Strategy Consultation Report, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra Project Universal Access (2009), Transportation Policy and Design Issues Affecting the Civil Rights of Pedestrians and Bicyclists, at http:// humantransport.org/universalaccess/index.html, accessed 31/07/2009 Ratio Consultants (2007), Warrnambool Retail Strategy, City of Warrnambool, Warrnambool, Victoria, at http://warrnambool.vic.gov.au/ page/page.asp?Page_Id=473 Richardson, A & Ampt, E (1994), ‘Non-response effects in mail-back travel surveys’, presented at the 7th International Conference on Travel Behaviour Research, Santiago, Chile Sorkin, D, Rook, K & Lu, J (2002), ‘Loneliness, lack of emotional support, lack of companionship, and the likelihood of having a heart condition in an elderly sample’, Annals of Behavioural Medicine, vol 24, pp 290–298 Stewart, C & Cash, W (2003), Interviewing: Principles and Practices, 10th edn, McGraw Hill, New York V/Line (2009), Business Plan 2008–11: Partnering Regional Victoria, V/ Line, Melbourne White, P (2008), Public Transport: Its Planning, Management and Operation, 5th edn, Routledge, London, pp 169–174
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 107 Appendix A The relative incidence and distribution of disabilities by type for the Australian population In the 2003 Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) one in five people in Australia (3,958,300 or 20%) had a reported disability. This rate was much the same for males (19.8%) and females (20.1%). Disability was defined as any limitation, restriction or impairment, which has lasted, or is likely to last, for at least six months and restricts everyday activities. Examples range from hearing loss that requires the use of a hearing aid, to difficulty dressing due to arthritis, to advanced dementia requiring constant help and supervision. After removing the effects of different age structures there was little change in the disability rate between 1998 (20.1%) and 2003 (20%). The rate of profound or severe core-activity limitation also showed little change between 1998 (6.4%) and 2003 (6.3%). The different types of disability impairment can be categorised as follows: Physical disabilities Conditions that result in physical disabilities include spinal cord injury, arthritis, cerebral palsy, acquired brain injury, multiple sclerosis and a number of other conditions of the muscular, nervous and respiratory systems. These conditions tend to result in some degree of restricted activity in mobility and manipulation, such as restricted arm and hand movements and communication. Physical disabilities affect approximately 17% of the Australian population (calculated from data reported in Australian Bureau of Statistics, Disability, Ageing and Carers: Summary of Findings, Report no 4430.0, 1998, p 14). Intellectual disabilities The term ‘intellectual disability’ refers to a group of conditions caused by various genetic disorders and infections. These conditions result in a limitation or slowness in an individual’s general ability to learn and difficulties in communicating and retaining information. As with all disability groups, there are many types of intellectual disability with varying degrees of severity. Intellectual disability affects approximately 2.5% of the Australian population (calculated from data reported in Australian Bureau of Statistics, Disability, Ageing and Carers: Summary of Findings, Report no 4430.0, 1998).
108 TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY Psychiatric disability Commonly termed ‘mental illness’, psychiatric disabilities include conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and clinical depression, which affect a person’s thoughts, emotions, perceptions and/or behaviour. Such disabilities affect approximately 18% of the Australian population. The ABS reports that almost one person in five (18%) had a mental disorder at some time during the 12 months prior to the survey (Australian Bureau of Statistics, Mental health and wellbeing: profile of adults, Australia, Report no 4326.0, 1997). Acquired Brain Injury Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) is injury to the brain that results in deterioration in cognitive, physical, emotional or independent functioning. ABI may occur as a result of trauma, hypoxia, infection, tumour, substance abuse, degenerative neurological diseases or stroke (National Policy on Services for People with Acquired Brain Injury Department of Human Services and Health 1994). Sensory disabilities The two major sensory disabilities are blindness and low vision and deafness or hearing impairment. There are an estimated 300,000 Australians who are blind or have some kind of vision impairment. While some people have a total absence of vision, about 90% of people classified as legally blind have some useable vision. Access requirements of people with vision impairments are therefore widely varied. There are an estimated 30,000 deaf people in Australia who have no useable hearing and whose first language is Auslan (Australian Sign Language). In addition, there are between one and three million Australians with varying degrees of hearing impairment who mainly use oral communication. Learning disability Learning disability is the result of neurological disorder that may cause the learner to receive and process some information inaccurately. The most common learning disability is dyslexia. Other learning disabilities are dysgraphia and aphasia. Students with a learning disability may have significant difficulties in perceiving and/or processing auditory, visual or spatial information. Asperger’s Syndrome and autism Asperger’s Syndrome is an autistic spectrum disorder caused by a neurological dysfunction, which impacts particularly on social functioning. As this is so intrinsic to the way most teaching and learning takes place, students with autism or Asperger’s Syndrome may find the experience of further education and training daunting despite having the intellectual capacity to study at this level.
TRANSPORT NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY 109 Relative incidence of disability by type The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) identifies and defines the following categories of disability as: Physical – affecting a person’s mobility or dexterity Intellectual – affecting a person’s ability to learn Psychiatric – affecting a person’s thinking processes Sensory – affecting a person’s ability to hear or see Neurological – resulting in the loss of some bodily or mental function. Leaving aside the broad and complex category of Psychiatric Disability, the relative incidence of type of disability among the population of those persons with a disability is as follows: Physical Disability 54% Sensory Disability 33% Intellectual Disability 8% Acquired Brain Injury 5% (calculated from the NDCO Service Region 20 and 22 website, hosted by STEPS Disability Qld Inc, at www.ndco.stepscs.net.au/whatIsDisability.asp).
Appendix B Excerpts from Warrnambool Retail Strategy (November 2007) The complete Warrnambool retail Strategy document is available at http://warrnambool.vic.gov.au/page/page.asp?Page_Id=473
Appendix C Progress Towards Accessible Public Transport (June 2008) at http://www.transport.vic.gov.au/DOT
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