The Allan Labor Government is delivering better access to bus services across communities in Melbourne’s growing north, west and southeastern suburbs – connecting communities and helping Victorians get around easily.
Minister for Public and Active Transport Gabrielle Williams announced Melbourne’s growing outer suburbs will benefit from more than 10 new or improved bus services, backed by $180 million worth of investments from the Labor Government in the Victorian Budget 2024/25 and the Growth Areas Infrastructure Contribution (GAIC) fund.
In Melbourne’s southeast, the new GAIC funding will help extend Route 831 on Bells Road and Route 798 extended to Clyde North via Hardys Road. Cardinia will also get new and extended services on routes 925 and 928 – while Route 543 in Hume will be extended to Craigieburn Central via Greenvale North.
The extra funding will deliver a new service connecting residents in the new Harpley and Cornerstone Estates to the Wyndham Vale station for the first time. In nearby Tarneit, a new service will be introduced to link between Tarneit Station and Laverton North.
Further north, a new Route 524 will be introduced between Olivine and Kalkallo that links with Donnybrook Station and the future Cloverton Town Centre – adding to the Route 501 express shuttle service introduced earlier this year linking Craigieburn and Donnybrook Stations.
Hume and Wyndham will benefit from an additional $6.7 million in GAIC funding for upgrades at Roxburgh Park, Sunbury and Williams Landing stations.
Casey, Hume, Melton and Whittlesea will also receive nearly $22 million to deliver nine projects that will build and improve more walking and cycling paths, and better connections to stations and bus services – while close to $7 million from the GAIC fund was allocated towards upgrading Sunbury, Roxburgh Park and Williams Landing stations.
Introduced in 2010, the GAIC fund is a one-off contribution payable by landowners and developers for essential infrastructure development in growth areas of Cardinia, Casey, Hume, Melton, Mitchell, Whittlesea and Wyndham.
As stated by Minister for Public and Active Transport Gabrielle Williams
“We’re delivering better and more frequent public transport in our fastest growing suburbs, giving passengers more bus services and transport links with trains.”
“These service improvements are another example of how Victoria’s Bus Plan is delivering a new bus network that makes travelling by bus easier and more convenient.”
As stated by Member for Pakenham Emma Vulin
“We’re giving our communities more transport options – whether that’s through better buses, or improved cycling and walking paths, linking them to key destinations.”
