21 October, 2026
Yesterday Labor committed to a 2 year long $30 dollar weekly fare cap on public transport and toll roads starting from Jan 1 2027.
While The Better Buses for the West campaign welcomes an opportunity to keep public transport fares affordable, the group has raised concerns that without meaningful commitments to service improvements, cheaper fares will do little for those without access to reliable services. With fares this year at half price already, the campaign fears that the equity gap between the western suburbs and the rest of Melbourne will only continue to widen.
‘Labor’s announcement asked us to picture a family where two children get the bus to school, but the reality for many families who live in the West is that the bus is not yet a practical option that will get us where we need to go on time’ said Jaksha Shah, Mt Atkinson resident.
‘Cheaper fares alone do not make a huge difference to my family, and many in our community, when most of us are forced to drive, and high fuel prices add to our financial stress during this cost of living crisis’ said Shah.
‘Buses are an essential service that the government is currently failing to provide to communities’ said Elyse Cunningham, Better Buses campaigner.
‘It’s time that Labor delivers on Ben Carroll’s 2021 Bus Plan by committing to a fast, frequent, connected grid network for the western suburbs’ said Cunningham.
The Better Buses grid network, costed at an additional $190 million for the 1st year of operations, will consist of a frequent grid of direct buses running along major roads, connecting both residents and visitors of Melbourne’s west to essential services and major destinations.
A bus network reform will ensure the West’s public transport network is fit for purpose to allow residents to access all the benefits of long promised major transport projects such as a new station at Mt Atkinson, Melbourne Airport Rail and the electrification of the Melton line.
For comment contact:
Jaksha Shah
P: 0426 014 143
Elyse Cunningham
P: 0421 559 343