Community Owned Bus Shelters

UPDATE: 6 July 2016 – Media Release

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Petition Here: https://www.change.org/p/community-owned-bus-shelters

HELP!  Bus shelters are great transit points for local people and visitors. They can be a great repository of public art and local community information about events, fire awareness,  community meetings, activities and views. This is good old fashioned social media without the internet or power! At least one shelter in every town can be managed by a local incorporated group who takes an interest  in managing community information, views and activities. Even multiple groups can take on the responsibility in partnership, such as a neighbourhood house and local community radio as we have done.  We could even have a  state wide competition to show community connections, using the arts, community groups and local businesses who work together to manage local spaces. Maintenance can involve the local  Men’s Sheds. This is our successful model for the  last 7 years.

We therefore are looking for support for community owned and managed bus shelters. We don’t want the glass ones that are repeatedly vandalised and are not a good fit for our connected and vibrant community. We ask Public Transport Victoria to meet with us to draw up a Victorian model – a shared responsibility between communities and state government, alleviating local government from the expense and labour of  ongoing maintenance.

This petition will be delivered to:

• Minister for Local Government
  Natalie Hutchins MP
• Cardinia Shire Council
• Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Review
  Michael Brett Young
• Attorney General, Victorian State Government
  Attorney-General Martin Pakula