General News
29 October, 2024
Upset over stalled service
The temporary suspension of a vital council-run community bus service has left Bealiba’s vulnerable residents feeling like “dirt” — with some locals left in the lurch as they face the possibility of spending nearly three weeks without fresh food supply.
For a number of residents across the Central Goldfields Shire, the weekly service is the only accessible source of transportation to Mary-borough, and more than just a means of travel, it is solely relied on by some to run errands and socialise.
Without the community bus, the lives of those residents would come to a stop.
Around 10 days ago, passengers travelling from Bealiba to Mary-borough were informed by their driver that the service would cease for two consecutive weeks starting Thursday, October 31.
A letter, handed out to the residents aboard the bus, stated that the lack of driver availability had brought about the stoppage.
“... we wanted to give those affected enough time to plan ahead and seek alternative arrangements for appointments or shopping runs,” the correspondence said.
Among “those affected” by the announcement are community members living with visual im-pairment issues, Alzheimers, intellectual disabilities and old-age.
There is now widespread concern and frustration around how resi-dents, especially the more vulnerable population, will cope.
“It’s absolutely unacceptable,” Bealiba local Heather Cooper said.
“We do understand that problems arise and we might not get a bus for a week but for it to be cancelled for two weeks is atrocious.”
According to Ms Cooper, there is no justification for the situation residents from Bealiba and sur-rounds have found themselves in.
“If there’s no bus, we just won’t have fresh food for that period,” she said.
“We feel like dirt, we shouldn’t be treated this way.
“Council can’t tell us there’s no driver — get the supervisor to drive. The problem is that they don’t think of the service as essential, but it is.
“It must run at all costs, so make it work.”
With the current driver going on leave for the next fortnight, council has been unable to find a replacement.
However, residents have alleged that the driver informed council of his intention to take time off in February this year.
“I’m so angry and upset — it has caused me to put everything aside and complain about the shameless act of knowing that there was no replacement driver for a considerable time and not having the courtesy to arrange some other kind of transport for us,” Ms Cooper said.
The Advertiser understands that council advertised the Community Transport Officer position in July — four months after the driver allegedly gave notice.
“Council has made multiple attempts to recruit to this role over recent months, including advertising both internally and externally,” Central Goldfields Shire general manager community wellbeing Emma Little said.
“However, due to the limited number of hours required of the relief role it is proving difficult to recruit to.”
The letter provided to residents on October 18, regarding the service’s suspension, said: “We are in the process of recruiting a relief driver, to address a driver shortage, and to ensure future runs are not affected and can run uninterrupted”.
While the communication notes council’s efforts to secure a driver, as of print deadline on October 28, no relevant vacancies are listed on council’s website.
“I hope that a solution is found and we get some kind of transport in the following week,” Ms Cooper said.
“It’s very unfortunate that we’re not being serviced by council.”