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Older Australians can't access public transport: NRMA Summit


Older Australians can't access public transport: NRMA Summit

Author: NRMA mediaDate: 28 October 2010

The NRMA and the Tourism & Transport Forum will today hold a Summit to address the transport and mobility needs of ageing Australians, following a new survey which found 23 per cent of drivers have difficulty accessing public transport in their local area.

The NRMA survey of 2,200 Members found 42 per cent don’t use public transport and two-thirds of people aged 60 to 70 have given no thought to how they would get around if they couldn’t drive.

“Population trends in NSW indicate many retirees are moving away from cities and to smaller coastal communities that don’t have the transport infrastructure to move elderly people around,” NRMA Motoring & Services President Wendy Machin said.

“A drivers’ licence offers freedom, self reliance and mobility to older motorists, but we must also ensure there are a good range of transport options accessible for older Australians who can no longer drive.”

Almost 20 per cent (16%) of people over 80 who completed the survey said it would be a long time before they would need to think about life after driving.
The NRMA believes the NSW Government should develop an ageing and transport mobility plan by 2012 that includes:

  • Transport infrastructure projects that take into account the transport and mobility needs of older people;
  • Strategies to allow people to drive for as long as they are safe to do so;
  • Integration of all forms of transport and mobility at a regional level; A strategy to inform older people of their options; and
  • Identifying and reviewing funding sources every three years.

The Summit will be chaired by Alzheimer’s Australia, NSW CEO John Watkins. Keynote speakers include NRMA President Wendy Machin, Minister for Transport John Robertson, Leader of the Opposition Barry O’Farrell, representatives from the Government and NSW Opposition and key stakeholders.

A copy of the NRMA’s Transport and Mobility Needs of Ageing Australians paper can be downloaded here.

Contact: Daniel Stanton 0439 133 092

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