Zoe Moffatt and Liam McNally
Melton mayor Lara Carli says buses throughout the municipality aren’t meeting the growing community’s needs and the council is seeking a comprehensive review of bus networks to boost use and reliability and take people where they need to go.
“Entire suburbs and many other areas in our community have no access to bus services,” she said. “Frequency is low and unreliable, services are indirect, and travel times are close to twice that of travelling by car.
“We have done the modelling that demonstrates that a no operational cost reconfiguration of our bus network could double frequency of buses and create new routes that would connect areas not currently serviced by bus.”
The comments follow a Hume councillor is calling for the introduction of the SmartBus network into Sunbury that includes Diggers Rest, following community calls for better public transport options.
Councillor Jack Medcraft criticised Transport Minister Ben Carroll over his inaction on the issue, and said his lack of communication is “the height of ignorance”.
“At least two terms on council I’ve raised this issue about SmartBus being extended to Sunbury and surrounds,” Cr Medcraft said.
“I think with the new estates that are going up around Sunbury, we really need to look at alternative routes, especially to the Melbourne Airport.
“I’ve been pushing for years to get them to bring the SmartBus from Cheltenham or Chelsea to the Melbourne Airport to go through Sunbury, Diggers Rest and back that way.
“We are trying to cut down the amount of traffic on the roads and [if people] know there’s a bus to go to and from a place [they] won’t have to drive, they’ll catch a bus.
“If it doesn’t get better it’s going to mean more cars. It’s going to mean more clogged roads.”
Cr Carli said Melton council would welcome any announcements for additional, frequent, reliable bus services in the municipality, including services to Diggers Rest.
“The Smart Bus system provides a frequent, turn up and go system that make buses more attractive as a transport option,” she said.
A Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) spokesperson said the department regularly reviews the public transport network to identify where improvements can be made and welcome feedback from the community.
DTP has previously told Star Weekly it’s investigating transport options to connect the growing western suburbs.
Mr Carroll was contacted for comment regarding Cr Medcraft’s criticisms.
