By LAURA WAKELY
BEING stranded on a platform at Watergardens station, not being able to board buses and struggling up steep ramps are all-too-common experiences for Michael Dalli.
The Sunshine West resident developed multiple sclerosis 10 years ago and is wheelchair-bound.
He depends on public transport to get around, but it’s a service he can’t rely on.
There are times when he has got off a train at Watergardens station only to find the lifts are out of order, forcing Mr Dalli to wait on the platform until they’re working again.
Then there are the issues at Sunshine station, which will undergo an upgrade in the coming months, because of steep ramps and lack of access to several bus bays.
Buses are a “hit and miss” experience, as not all are wheelchair accessible, adding time to an often long journey.
Mr Dalli was one of the many residents from across Melbourne who joined a protest at Parliament House last week calling for more accessible public transport.
The protest was part of the All Aboard campaign, which aims to raise issues about access to public transport for all abilities and calls on the Government to make improvements.
Mr Dalli said it was previous governments that had “neglected the system”, citing Myki as a project which “siphoned millions of dollars from the transport budget” to replace a ticketing system that wasn’t broken.
But he said the Baillieu Government wasn’t without fault.
“There used to be a disabled transport advisory group,” Mr Dalli said.
“This current Government hasn’t chosen to renew that committee, but that would be a really good committee to use.
“Terry Mulder seems to be the minister you have when you don’t have a minister. He’s there for media opportunities, but he doesn’t consult very well with the community.”
A member of the Brimbank Disability Network, Mr Dalli said there was also a need to improve public transport to help elderly citizens with mobility aids and parents with prams.
He said he would continue to fight for better public transport access.
“There are people who ignore things, and things won’t improve. You’ve got to speak up.”
For more information on the All Aboard campaign, visit www.allaboard.org.au
