COMMUNITY consultations were recently held across Northern Victoria for the Regional Network Development Plan (RNDP). A forum was held in Shepparton and attendees had the opportunity to discuss future planning of regional and country transport, Jaclyn Symes (MLC, Northern Victoria) said. The RNDP is a long-term plan that will take into account the different needs of individual communities and deliver a regional public transport network where trains and bus services work together to get people where they need to go. The plan will identify short, medium and long term transport plans for regional and country Victoria. Ms Symes is leading the Regional Transport Advisory Group (RTAG) as cochair, which will advise the State Government on the development of its Regional Network Development Plan (RNDP). She said the future planning of regional and country transport can only be a success with community input into the development of the RNDP. The RNDP will move Victoria away from ad hoc service improvements, towards a more coordinated regional public transport network where train, bus and other transport services work together to get people where they need to go, she said. The plan will also consider infrastructure upgrades, network extension and rolling stock, including next generation high capacity regional trains to cater for peak demand. All feedback as part of the state-wide consultation will be a critical part of the development of the plan, which will be finalised for consideration as part of the 2016-17 budget. To make a written submission email rndp@ptv.vic.gov.au or post to Public Transport Victoria, PO Box 4724, Melbourne 3001 by September 11.