Transperth offers multilingual information

Key public transport information is now available in 12 different languages.

Multilingual posters have gone up on buses and trains, and the Transperth website now includes a mix of audio and text translations to help newly-arrived migrants access public transport services.

PTA Managing Director Mark Burgess believes the provision of translated information is an important extension of Transperth’s community education program in cultural and linguistically diverse communities.

“Our community education officers have been delivering Transperth’s Get on Board program – which helps newly-arrived migrants use WA public transport services – through settlement agencies and community groups for a number of years,” he said.

“While working with these groups, the team recognised a need to provide essential transport information in languages other than English. 

“By consulting with the Office of Multicultural Affairs, we were able to identify where the greatest need for translated information existed.

“From this month, key information and audio translations in Amharic, Arabic, Dari, Dinka, Farsi, Karen, Kirundi, Mandarin, Swahili, Burmese and French have been made available through our website.

“There is a panel on our homepage (www.transperth.wa.gov.au) which displays the various language names; clicking on a name links through to a page in which the text is all in that language and an appropriate audio message starts playing automatically.

“We have also installed a dedicated translation phone at the Wellington Street Bus Station and distributed multilingual posters to relevant community groups and centres to promote the Translating and Interpreting Service to access Transperth information.”