Making Public Transport More Accessible

The Andrews Labor Government is making public transport more accessible to all Victorians with the extension of the Public Transport Access Committee (PTAC) by a further 2 years.

Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan today announced the committee will continue to provide valuable advice on major transport infrastructure projects including the removal of dangerous and congested level crossings and the Metro Tunnel .

The Committee will continue to work with the Labor Government and Public Transport Victoria (PTV) to make a more accessible public transport network for people with a disability, older persons and vulnerable groups.

The 11 current members of the Committee represent a cross section of relevant sectors, covering people with a direct experience of living with a disability, through to community advocates, social workers and community transport coordinators.

The new franchise agreements with Metro Trains and Yarra Trams deliver stronger contracts that put greater focus on the needs of passengers with accessibility needs.

PTAC will be involved in the annual review of each operator's Accessibility Implementation Plan.

The Committee has provided independent input to help design transport infrastructure and ensure passengers with accessibility needs get the access they need.

PTAC will continue to play a key role in the design of the next generation of High Capacity Metro Trains to make sure all Victorians can get on board.

PTAC has also worked closely with PTV and transport operators to build a stronger awareness of accessibility needs and special circumstances among Authorised Officers, to ensure they can continue to look out for those who need assistance on the network.

By combining the expertise and knowledge of all 11 committee members in the disability and accessibility sector, PTAC is a key figure in ensuring the successful delivery of the Victorian State Disability Plan 2017-2020.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan

“We’re making sure that accessibility remains at the forefront of our thinking about every new station, stop, train and tram that we introduce to our public transport network.”

“The Public Transport Access Committee has provided the valuable insight in its first year and we need to make sure our transformation of the public transport network will take all Victorians with us.”

Quote attributable to Public Transport Access Committee Chair Chris Stewart

“The Committee is looking forward to another 24 months of advocating for accessibility to make sure everybody can get on board with our public transport network, now and into the future.”