Mt Atkinson Residents Group to host bus advocacy event

Mt Atkinson Resident Group member Girish Khara. (Damjan Janevski) 335768_03

Liam McNally

A community event to demonstrate the need for more public transport in newly developed areas in Truganina is being held by Mt Atkinson Residents Group on Saturday, May 20.

The Group are inviting the community to join them on a “Bus Marathon” walk to highlight the distance residents need to walk to their closest bus stops, along roads that don’t have footpaths.

The Truganina area comprising the Mt Atkinson, Grandview and Olivia estates currently hosts more than 1400 houses, but is yet to be allocated a bus route, requiring residents to walk more than 30 minutes to access public transport.

Mt Atkinson Residents Group member Girish Khara said the lack of public transport is creating “island communities” in new estates.

“Public buses are the last mile connectivity, we don’t have access to basic things like train stations, shops, medical centres or the wider world,” he said.

“This situation is compounded by the surrounding roads in the new estates not being accessible for pedestrians or cyclists.

“This event will help prioritise the need for public buses in new estates so close to Melbourne CBD.”

The walk will begin at 11am from Killara Cafe on Mckinley Drive, Truganina.