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United effort wins far-reaching new bus service for coastal townships

A strong united effort involving Wellington Shire Council, local residents and community groups has won the coastal townships of Loch Sport, Paradise Beach and Golden Beach a significant new bus service, funded by the Victorian Government.

By Wellington Shire Council - 23rd May 2005 - Back to News

Minister for Transport, Peter Batchelor, has announced that the Sale to Loch Sport bus route will be upgraded to include an extra bus service and an enhanced timetable from 30 May. It means residents from these more remote coastal communities will be able to spend extra time (over five hours) in Sale for medical appointments, shopping and social activities.

For the first time the route, operated by Little’s Gippsland Coaches, will run on Mondays, as well as Wednesdays and Fridays. Another significant first will be the connection provided to V/Line train services that run from Sale to Melbourne and from Sale to Bairnsdale – putting the whole Gippsland public transport network within reach of Loch Sport, Paradise Beach and Golden Beach. It is hoped that this in turn will help stimulate more tourism along Wellington’s Ninety Mile Beach area.

This is a great outcome for the council-backed Let’s GET Connected Transport Project – a community partnership initiative established to press for better transport links between the shire’s more remote communities and major centres. It has been achieved by working closely with representatives from the Loch Sport Community House, Community Health Service, District Advisory Network, senior citizens, the local business community, service clubs and Little’s Gippsland Coaches to put together a compelling case for the new service.

The Victorian Government has also said that early next year will see the introduction of the first new, low–floor bus in Wellington Shire, which will operate on the Sale to Loch Sport route and provide better access for everyone in the area including older people with increasing mobility issues.

Said Wellington’s Mayor Peter Gault: "We greatly welcome the Victorian Government’s announcement which is a fantastic outcome for the communities of Loch Sport, Paradise Beach and Golden Beach, and owes much to the effort put in by all those who have worked so hard on this project.

"Initiatives such as this are very important in addressing the isolation identified in some of our more remote communities and as highlighted in our Population Analysis. We wish the bus service every success for the future."

Timetable information about the Sale to Loch Sport bus route can be obtained from the website www.viclink.com.au

Note to Editors:

Loch Sport/Golden Beach – Sale Bus Service

Timetable effective 30 May 2005

Services do not operate on public holidays

For further information contact the operator LITTLE’S GIPPSLAND COACHES – Telephone 5144 2623

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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