Hopes for ongoing bus services in Venus Bay and Sandy Point

WHAT’S been achieved during a two-year trial period for electric community buses in Venus Bay and Sandy Point was celebrated on Friday, but while those buses, fondly known as ‘Sunny’ and ‘Sandy’, will continue operating, there is apprehension about their long-term viability.

That has sparked a call for funding assistance.

Venus Bay resident Ada Patestos has found the service transformative.

“The community bus gave me wings and I am able to go places independently,” she said, adding it’s also a great way to meet others in the community.

While the volunteer-run service is considered essential for youth and elderly residents unable to drive or without cars, the pilot program funding has ended, with the costs of continuing to run the service now falling on the Community Houses in Venus Bay and Sandy Point.

Alyson Skinner, Manager of Venus Bay Community House, put the funding figure needed at between $15,000-$20,000 per year, covering expenses such as registration, insurance, maintenance, tyres and safety checks.

State leader for the Nationals, Danny O’Brien, said he gets a lot of calls and emails from those in Venus Bay who have retired to the town and have no public transport.

“It’s something we’ll look at if we get into government next year,” he said of the electric bus funding needs, having listened intently to the importance of the service.

He acknowledged the part the Victorian government’s Department of Transport played in enabling the recently completed bus trial and would like to see further financial support for the Venus Bay and Sandy Point services from the state government.

Ms Skinner explained that a lack of transport is a driving factor in people having to move out of their community, with resultant isolation and loss of a network of friends often triggering negative health impacts.

“There’s funding that goes into helping people stay at home longer through aged care packages and support for in-home care; let’s apply that to transport initiatives as well because it doesn’t take much,” she said.

Arguing those in rural communities such as Venus Bay and Sandy Point are just as important as those in the city, Ms Skinner commented that, “Public transport is heavily subsidised,” and in certain circumstances fare free in Melbourne, but is unavailable in many country locations.

While the Community Houses continue fundraising efforts for the bus services, that competes with the need to fund many other community initiatives they provide.

The bus trial was run in partnership between the two Community Houses, La Trobe University, iMOVE Australia Cooperative Research Centre and the Victorian government’s Department of Transport.

Sentinel-Times heard representatives of those organisations speaking about the project at Venus Bay Community House on Friday.

Harvey Dinelli, Director of Regional Operations at the Department of Transport and Planning spoke of the value of the community bus initiative and said information gained through the trial period will help those implementing similar programs in other locations.

Managing Director of iMOVE, Ian Christensen said the organisation strives to solve transport problems around Australia.

He congratulated those in charge of Sunny and Sandy for succeeding in addressing the challenge faced by most small towns in providing transport services.

“Transport is about human connection,” Magda Szypielewicz of La Trobe University said, like Ms Skinner noting it reduces social exclusion.

The University’s report on the bus trial project for Sunny and Sandy is expected to be released early next year.