Media Release: Giant cardboard bus to be paraded through streets ahead of Werribee byelection
Community members will be parading a never-before-seen giant cardboard bus through the streets of Werribee this Saturday 1st February, a stunt that they hope will draw attention to bus reform as a key issue in the Werribee byelection.
Members of the Werribee community have been calling for years for reform of the broken bus system, with infrequent and unreliable buses leaving residents stranded for an hour at a time waiting for the next bus, or having to walk dangerous routes home when buses stop running in the evenings. An inadequate public transport system leaves most families in Werribee with the cost of living burden of having to own multiple cars. Traffic has been earmarked as one of the top issues for Werribee residents this by-election, with a fast, frequent and connected bus system cited by community members and experts as an obvious solution.|
The Werribee byelection is set to be an important signal for the future of the Labor party in both Victoria and federally. The campaign hopes that widespread interest in the outcome of this byelection will lead to a significant announcement for bus reform that they say is desperately needed.
According to a research paper by Melbourne University’s Dr John Stone and Ian Lawrie, ‘Better Buses for Melbourne’s West’, with a new improved grid-network of buses, the amount of residents within 30-minutes travel time to Pacific Werribee shopping centre would improve by 400%.
Better Buses campaign coordinator, Elyse Cunningham said that “For decades, communities across Melbourne’s west have been ignored by successive governments. It is deeply unjust that the people of Werribee are spending more money and time to get where they need to go, while those living in affluent parts of Melbourne are able to get around with ease.”
The campaign hopes that this family-friendly event will draw a large crowd, and show the local community that there is a platform for them to raise their concerns, and ensure their voices are heard.
The group will gather at 11am at Werribee train station, before parading their giant cardboard bus under the train station and through the main street of Werribee. The event will be attended by local Wyndham councillors, as well as candidates of the Werribee byelection.
Key Facts:
-Never before seen giant cardboard bus will be paraded through streets
-Event start time 11am
-Candidates of Werribee byelection will attend
-Upperhouse MLC David Ettershank expected to attend
Contact details:
Elyse Cunningham - Better Buses Campaign Coordinator
Ph: 0421 559 343
Email: elyse.cunningham@foe.org.au