It is time for the government to listen to the public and act.
A recent survey from the Committee for Melbourne, an apolitical, not-for-profit, member-based organisation that brings together over 140 organisations from Greater Melbourne’s business, academic and community sectors, has shown that 66% of Melburnians support bus reform, compared to only 50% who support the North-East Link.
(image courtesy of Committee for Melbourne 'Living in Melbourne 2024 report')
Melburnians are growing tired of a seemingly endless stream of road projects which do not solve the root cause of congestion and are looking for better solutions. Whilst in the past bus reform was not at the forefront of public attention, the failure of the government to provide adequate services in both established and growing areas is leading to an inevitable climb in support for bus reform.
Beyond buses, the rail based SRL and the Airport Train projects are also significantly more popular than expensive road megaprojects. However, to spread the benefits of these projects more widely beyond the wealthy inner and eastern suburbs, substantive bus reform must be done. Public transport is at its best when it is a network of direct and high frequency corridors regardless of the type of vehicle, whether that be a train, tram or bus. This allows passengers to easily transfer and reach a much larger range of destinations than if they are confined to one train line.
Buses are also much cheaper and quick to bold, and can provide huge benefits to the community in the short term, whilst major rail projects are in the works.
If you want to read more, check out this article from The Age, or this video from Channel 9 which includes an interview with Better Buses campaign coordinator, Elyse Cunningham.
Written by Adam Bain - Sustainable Cities Collective