POPULAR WORDS

The Bus Association Victoria wants at least another $10 million funding for buses next year. BAV executive director John Stanley says the $13 million increase this year was good, but pales in comparison to what government spent on planes and trams. He told the BAV conference that adding 2.3km to the Burwood tram service cost $40 million – the same amount as all the government funding for route buses in Victoria in a year. Stanley says buses should more than double their patronage to meet the 20% market share in 2020 for public transport, with modest increases in funding such as about $10 million extra next year.