BUS DISQUIET
I am among one of many people who travel on the ballarat buses regularly who have become frustrated with what the new routes will be like. I understand there is a need for changes. What is frustrating me and many of my bus travelling friends is the lack of buses that will get up Sturt street. I have been informed there will only be an occasionally bus up the hill to Sturt Street to Myers, Target and Central Square. The hill for many of us gets steeper every few weeks, I am sure. If the weather is bad, the hill becomes very hard to climb. Many of us like to shop at those places, also many of us have appointments between the hospital block and Bridge Mall. I, for one, need to go for appointments at least once a week.
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Besides Central Square being inaccessible to us, how do we get to our necessary appointments? A taxi is not an option for me. I am writing on behalf of many travel buddies who are all concerned about the same thing. I also have a daughter with an intellectual disability and who will not be able to attend her appointments. This is the same for so many of her friends. Most of us knew nothing about the change. As bus travellers, we should have been given some kind of input into this. We were not aware of the meetings that were held and those that did go were ignored anyway. The idea of all buses meeting in Little Bridge Street is funny. It is always packed with people as is, and there is not enough shelter from the cold or wet, and never enough seating. The fumes from so many buses that pull in there already cause issues to the health of seniors. I feel it is badly thought out. I am disappointed and frustrated with this issue.
Gayle Bird, Delacombe
THe future demands better
Geoff Howard, Member for Buninyong, writing in last week’s Courier is perpetuating the usual cry of politicians of both parties, by trying to draw attention to past problems, in an effort to avoid the real issue. This is to ignore the current voice of voters by looking backwards and pointing out the failings of the other team in the past and not acknowledging the call for a proper solution to the Rail Precinct issues by the current team. I am not a member of any local group, I can therefore only speak of my own disappointment at the future misuse of funds, and specially the permanent loss of irreplaceable land and the historic shed. Surely the issue is that having decided the Rail Precinct and commuter parking is in urgent need of bringing into line with current and future user needs, why then isn't the Government listening to those same users? Please don't saddle Ballarat with an out of town consultant's dream. Please listen to local leaders.
Neil Sinclair, Lake Wendouree
Prevention investment needed
The current crisis in the juvenile detention system, which has seen detainees rioting uncontrollably, underscores the great difficulties our schools face in supporting families to bring up children from socially disadvantaged circumstances. Only with a massive injection of funds into our schools will this current trend be turned around. More support staff and more professional allies from the social welfare and mental health sector are desperately needed. Instead, a focus on punitive measures is not only wasting funds but creating recidivist offenders who go on to cost the community millions in legal fees and further imprisonment.
Patrick Hockey, Clunes
Beware for the dog
As temperatures soar please remember that dogs should never be left in parked vehicles which can become death traps in a matter of minutes. Even on a mild, 25-degree day, the temperature inside a car parked in the shade can soar to between 37 and 50 degrees in minutes. With only hot air to breathe, dogs can succumb to heatstroke in as little as 15 minutes, resulting in brain damage or death.
Ashley Fruno, PETA Australia