Wade Noonan
Member for Williamstown
PO Box 524
Williamstown 3016
wade.noonan@parliament.vic.gov.au

Lynne Kosky
The Minister for Transport
lynne.kosky@parliament.vic.gov.au

Martin Foley
Member for Albert Park
357 Clarendon Street South Melbourne 3205
martin.foley@parliament.vic.gov.au

When writing your letters, you might like to include some or all of the following points:

1. Governments (federal, state and local) say that they want to reduce  pollution and protect the environment. Getting cars off the roads and  riding to work is good for the environment.
2. Hobson's Bay and Maribyrnong councils espouse sustainability in  transport.  (Both have appointed Transport Sustainability Officers.)  Supporting the punt would be putting into practice both councils' 
sustainability  policy.
3. Petrol is expensive. Riding a bike is cheap.
4. The State Government has earmarked $112 million for bicycling and  pedestrian programs over the next decade. Punt funding (around  $45000 for 6 months) is a tiny fraction of this. A commuter punt  service is the missing link, connecting the inner west with the city  and the bayside suburbs.Think of the punt as a bike path on water.
5. Alternative bike route through Yarraville/Footscray is  unsatisfactory (heavy truck traffic is dangerous and fumes are  unhealthy). Have you ever tried to ride along Whitehall St at 5.30pm!
6. Rather than axing the service, the stakeholders could plan for an  increase in usage. (This would happen with better promotion and  advertising.)
7. Cycling is good for your health. Cycling for 1/2 hour is better for  your mental and physical health than sitting in a traffic jam!
8. A handful of pedestrians have used the commuter punt and then caught the bus down Lorimer St, thus showing how the punt can be part of the general  public transport system.
9. The punt is a good way to meet people: how many commuters chat on buses and trains?
10. The commuter punt is unique and could become a very special part of Melbourne life.