Transport & Car Pooling

PUBLIC TRANSPORT – COOOMA-MONARO SHIRE AND SURROUNDING DISTRICTS

Issues
(climate change, carbon pollution, energy efficiency/conservation, road safety, immigrants, education and the economy)

Routes
Cooma-Canberra
Cooma-Nimmitabel to Bega or Bombala –Cann River, Cooma-Jindabyne-Snowy Mts

Travellers
Commuters
Disadvantaged (no or limited access, social-economic circumstances), general public

Buses
Currently no public transport suitable for commuter timetables

Disadvantages/Resistance
· Convenience of private car (varying timetables & locations in widespread city)
· Drop-off points
· Connector public transport or possible hire vehicles (electric cars/bicycles)
· Individual work schedules
· Inadequate support for bus service
· Cost (bus fares, city connector costs)
· Park and Ride Facility

Advantages
Decrease
· Level of traffic on highways – less maintenance, improved road safety
· Driver fatigue
· Carbon pollution
· Energy consumption
· Housing stress (families need to move to cities to access tertiary education/jobs)
· Travel expense

Increase
· Productive use of travel time
· Tertiary education opportunities for rural residents
· Housing affordability/increased population
· Economic development

INADEQUATE SUPPORT FOR A BUS SERIVCE

Alternative CAR-POOLING
Means website
Examples shareyourride.net
needaride.com.au
carpool.kyogle.org.au (funded by NSW Ministry of Transport)
canberra.gumtree.com.au
erideshare.com
and many others

Action:

  1: Cooma Unlimited to call a meeting to seek expressions of interest in car pooling from Cooma to Canberra for employment by calling a public meeting

  2: Advertise the meeting through ABC Canberra and Bega plus local news items through radio and
  local press