Western Newcastle residents "left five days without transport"

Tranzwatching in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia

There is a push to introduce Sunday bus service in western areas of Newcastle, following the conjunction of Anzac Day and Easter which left some residents without public transport for as long as five days. 

Local Member of Parliament Clayton Barr  commented ""Five days, that's a long time to be without transport." According to this news report from ABC Newcastle he is worried some people are left house-bound because of the patchy bus service. "Mr Barr says many people are often forced to pay hefty cab fares or simply stay at home. "The most important thing that people can do and that we can offer people is the opportunity to get out and mix and mingle within their community".

Comment

In New Zealand the last census returns showed 8.1% of people do not have access to a car, though this number is typically higher in metropolitan areas, and amongst older persons and those on low incomes.

A secondary group of independent children and teenagers, and spouses, or aging relatives who have access to a car that is dependent, and often partial, time (or mood) limited by the car's prime owner/user work hours etc would probably double the figure for reduced or impaired motorised mobility.