Help keep our ageing population moving

Published

The NSW Government has begun planning for the extra demand and requirements of an ageing population – with older people to make up around one in five customers of
transport services within the next two decades.

Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance has launched The Older Persons Transport and Mobility Plan, which is a strategy around future transport demands of older people and how their travel needs may change as they age.

“The plan considers all modes and services, from driving and active transport, to public transport and specialist services as customers become less mobile,” Mr Constance
said.

“We are inviting the public to submit their comments and feedback.

“This is a real opportunity to look at how technology will deliver new opportunities in an accessible, safe and affordable manner and what we need to begin planning for,” Mr Constance said.

These include –

  • Continuing trials of flexible and demand responsive services in metropolitan and rural areas and monitor benefits for older customers;
  • Providing dementia awareness training to frontline customer service staff;
  • Designing better rural transport services to provide access to key destinations such as hospitals and medical centres.

Minister for Ageing Tanya Davies said research shows that access to transport and being able to travel independently are top priorities for NSW seniors.

“Planning for an ageing population means that our infrastructure must be accessible, safe, and reliable so that older people feel confident to travel around their communities on day-to-day basis,” Mrs Davies said.

“On top of continuing to offer $2.50 travel all day every day with the Gold Opal Card, the NSW Government has invested over $2 billion in ensuring that 90% of all public transport journeys are accessible, but we recognize there is still more work to do.”

The Plan builds on the NSW Ageing Strategy 2016-2020 and supports the Future Transport 2056 vision of providing more integrated, affordable, safe, accessible, personalised and customer-focussed transport solutions.

Details of the plan can be found at: https://future.transport.nsw.gov.au/plans/draft-plans/older-persons-transport-and-mobility-plan-2018-2022

Feedback can be emailed to transportsocialpolicy@transport.nsw.gov.au

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