Gerald Lynch
This story was originally published in September 2024 and Star Weekly has chosen to share it again for readers to enjoy.
The state government has come under fire from community advocate Graeme Blore, who has revealed the troubling travel times to key locations in Brimbank for public transport commuters.
“Residents of Brimbank face significant challenges due to outdated and inefficient bus routes, particularly when trying to access critical services like healthcare,” he said.
Sunshine Hospital, the major healthcare provider in Melbourne’s north-west, is only serviced by a single bus route.
For some commuters, such as those in Ardeer, what would be a 10-minute car ride to the hospital turns into an almost hour-long bus journey.
Mr Blore said there were broader systemic issues within the public transport network in Melbourne’s west.
“The region’s bus services have not kept pace with its rapidly growing population,” he said.
“Per capita investment in bus services across Melbourne has decreased significantly since 2012, with the western suburbs receiving less support than the city’s average.
“The lack of adequate public transport has led to a high rate of car ownership in the area, as residents are left with little choice but to drive.
“This, in turn, has created problems such as limited parking space, with many people forced to park on nature strips, leading to fines from local councils.”
The issues extend beyond local travel.
Despite most of Brimbank being just 15 to 25 minutes from Melbourne Airport by car, those without vehicles face a public transport journey that can take up to two hours each way.
“The route requires commuters to take a bus, a train to North Melbourne, another train to Broadmeadows, and finally a bus to the airport,” Mr Blore said.
As reported by Star Weekly, Melbourne Airport has called for an upgrade to local public bus services to better suit the needs of travellers and staff.
The airport described the current services as “woeful”,
In January Melbourne Airport chief of ground transport Jai McDermott said staff and passengers from the city’s north and west are being let down by a lack of local bus services.
Mr Blore has called on the state government, and specifically on Sydenham MP Natalie Suleyman, to address this issue as a priority.
One proposed solution is the introduction of a semi-express bus service from Sunshine station, with stops in Camberwell, St Albans East, and Keilor East, to Melbourne Airport.
Such a service could reduce the travel time to 30 to 35 minutes, providing a much-needed option for workers and residents.
A state government spokesperson said, “We are always looking at ways to improve our public transport network including better connections in and around Brimbank in Melbourne’s west.
“Since 2021, we have improved or added more than 200 bus routes across the state, adding thousands of services to the network including in Melbourne’s growing western suburbs.”
