A long-time St Albans resident is calling on Public Transport Victoria (PTV) to reinstate a bus route popular among elderly locals.
Margaret Sommers said she and fellow residents are angry the former 421 bus route, which included a stop across the road from her Theodore Street home, had been altered last year, with residents first learning of the changes after they came into effect.
The changes were made in July last year when PTV expanded Brimbank’s bus network, adding an extra 310 services a week across the city.
“Now the 421 route goes in a completely different direction and our bus route is the 418, but it doesn’t come anywhere near us,” she said.
Ms Sommers said route 418, which runs between St Albans and Caroline Springs, bypasses Theodore Street, meaning locals now have to walk up to a kilometre to St Albans train station to catch the bus.
The 79-year-old widow, who does not drive and relies on public transport to get around, wants the route to be reinstated or reconfigured to go past Theodore Street again.
“There’s a lot of older people living here and we’ve had our bus stop taken from us.”
PTV spokeswoman Jess Maguire said last year’s changes had resulted in an 85 per cent increase in patronage on the modified route 421 and a six per cent increase on the modified route 418.
“The new network also provides more direct routes and services to parts of eastern St Albans that previously didn’t have services,” she said, adding consultation on the changes had been extensive.
