Who's the Goose?

Well, it seems I was wrong about the public transport cuts becoming 6% rather than 3% - but the rest of what I said in December last appears to be on the money.

The reported plans to cut public transport services that are ‘used by few commuters’ and to ‘realign services’ to get ‘maximum value for the taxpayer for taxpayer dollar’ (Transport services face cuts, West Australian, Monday 25 May) may make superficial sense but ignore the realities that face an increasing number of people who live in the suburbs of Perth.

Suburban households need more, not less, public transport.

Yes, it will cost money, at least in the short run, but that is a cost we should bear for failing to protect the interests of a large part of the Perth community.

Because public transport does not serve their place of employment, family entertainment outings, higher education or other needs, many outer suburban residents have little choice but to use cars to travel or to do without.

They are caught in the trap of higher fuel prices (as oil production is unable to keep pace with growing global demand), so spend a much larger part of their pay on simply traveling to earn a living.

That income itself is being threatened by the current economic downturn and, for those who do lose their jobs, lack of public transport can prevent their even getting to first base – attending an interview.

It is time that government faced the fact that this situation is the result of continual failures of the planning system in WA to deliver sustainable residential development or employment close to where people live, in the suburbs, in particular.

It has been estimated that every outer suburban residential lot is subsidized to the extent of $85,000. This makes the outer suburbs appear cheap to families, but results in a high cost of transport for those who buy homes on this basis.

The State Government (and its predecessors) is ultimately responsible for the failure of planning that continues to feed the need to travel by car. This system clearly needs to be made more responsive to the long-term needs of the community.

Public transport should not just be about trains and big buses. In many other places, public transport involves small and medium-sized buses, as well as big ones.

Those of us who live in inner areas such as Vincent are lucky, but it’s time to provide all residents of Perth, young and old, with proper access to the good things that the more fortunate among us take for granted.