Public transport must be accessible to all, but large parts of greater Melbourne lack reliable options. Some areas are completely cut off, or the services are so poor, they might as well not exist.
These public transport ‘deserts’ are not just an inconvenience — they force households to rely more heavily on cars, generating more pollution and adding to traffic congestion.
Our inefficient and unreliable public transport network also:
- Entrenches social disadvantage
- Increases isolation
- Adds to cost-of-living pressures
- Limits access to employment, education, health services, shops, and social activities
BUT, there is a cost-effective solution to our transport woes. BUSES! It’s the only mode of public transport that can quickly adapt for Victorians.
That’s why we’re calling for a departmental review of the bus network in growth areas, as well as investigating the feasibility of making buses free or more affordable to relieve cost-of-living pressures.
only 25% of commuters are satisfied with current bus services
*Melbourne Transport Forum Better Buses Community survey Report to the public November 2023
