Australians are being urged to use public transport as the country faces a worsening fuel crisis. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called on people to switch to trains, trams and buses wherever possible to reduce fuel use.

But for many people in Melbourne’s west, that simply isn’t an option.

Unlike inner-city areas with frequent and reliable public transport, communities in the west are left with a broken bus network:

• Buses run as little as once every 40–60 minutes
• Many services end early in the evening
• Weekend services are limited or non-existent
• Routes are slow and indirect, often taking three times longer than driving
• Train station car parks fill up before 7am

Fuel prices have hit $2.49 per litre, placing huge pressure on families already struggling with the cost of living.

Yet with this broken bus infrastructure, many families are with no real choice but to drive and see their household costs skyrocket.

People in Melbourne’s west are being asked to stop driving during a national crisis without any feasible alternative.

We call on Jacinta Allan and the Victorian Government to urgently deliver a fast, frequent and connected bus network for Melbourne's west, with services coming every 10 minutes.

Everyone deserves access to reliable, affordable and sustainable transport choices. As this crisis worsens, communities in Melbourne’s west will be left further and further behind.

Sign this petition to call for better buses for Melbourne’s West!