Regardless of where you live in our city you should be able to readily access jobs and services and contribute to the social and economic life of Melbourne. Approximately 13 million trips are made by Melburnians each weekday with the average daily distance being 30km per person.

For some time now much needed improvements to Melbourne's transport system have not kept pace with population growth and the needs of business. Melbourne's transport challenge is not just about creating more capacity within the current transport system but ensuring good accessibility by road, public transport, cycling or walking to places with concentrations of jobs and services.

A focus on building a highly functional, multi-modal and integrated transport network across the whole of the metropolitan area is fundamental to our city's productivity, competitiveness, liveability, ecological sustainability and the health and wellbeing of our citizens. Across town, as well as radial travel movements towards Central Melbourne, need to be addressed in order to create a transport 'network'. Within this context public transport will play a much greater role connecting people to local, suburban and metropolitan destinations. In achieving this outcome, considerations of efficiency and sustainability are important, as is the relationship between transportation and city form and structure.

It asks the following passionate Melburnians what their vision is for Melbourne:

• Chris Lowe, Executive Director, Bus Association Victoria Inc
• Danae Bosler, Manager, Transport Not Traffic Campaign
• Janine Young, Public Transport Ombudsman
• Griff Davis, Director of Advocacy and Communications, City of Whittlesea

The MC will be Michael Short, Editor of The Zone in The Age newspaper.