Advocacy groups in Melbourne’s west have responded to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s message to the nation to “catch the bus” amid the fuel price issue, saying the crisis exposes the area’s “broken” bus network.
The Prime Minister urged Australians to use public transport in his address to the nation. He stated “if you can switch to catching the train or bus or tram to work, do so”.
While inner-city communities have access to frequent trains, trams and buses, in the outer suburbs of Victoria – especially Melbourne’s west – advocacy group Sustainable Cities, through its Better Buses campaign, says it’s a completely different story.
A lot of buses only run every 40 minutes, many routes stop early and some don’t even run on weekends. The group says this simply doesn’t work for nurses, people who can’t drive, school students or shift workers travelling outside peak hours.
Sustainable Cities says in its current form, the bus network is not a viable alternative to driving.
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Fuel prices have hit $2.49 per litre, placing further strain on households already facing cost-of-living pressures. Better Buses says the combined impact of expensive fuel and inadequate public transport highlights deep transport inequality in Melbourne’s West.
“We have clear directions from the Prime Minister. Jacinta Allan and Victorian Labor must step in now to implement a fast, frequent and connected network of buses in Melbourne’s West,” Better Buses spokesperson Simon Tran says.
“If we’re serious about getting through this fuel crisis, we need a fast, frequent and connected bus network now. Without it, families will keep struggling.”
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