There will be a bus a minute during peak hours on Hoddle Street in Melbourne’s CBD fringe as more bus services are announced in the lead up to Victoria’s November election
September 29, 2010
From October, Collingwood, North Richmond and Melbourne CBD commuters will have access to four new Smart Bus Routes travelling along Hoddle, Victoria and Lonsdale Streets, and are part of the $360 million DART project.
The new high-frequency routes will run seven days a week, every 7-10 minutes during peak times, every 15 minutes between 6.30am and 9pm on weekdays and every 30 minutes at other times.
“This means that, at peak times, there will be a bus along Hoddle Street roughly every minute,” Richmond MP Richard Wynne says.
“I encourage people who live in the inner city and who want to enjoy a comfortable and convenient ride into the heart of the CBD to try these new services when they start next month,” he says.
“These four new Smart Bus routes will provide connections to Melbourne Central shopping centre and trains, RMIT’s city campus, St Vincent’s Hospital, the Freemasons Medical Centre and Dallas Brooks Hall.”
Member for Melbourne Bronwyn Pike welcomed the announcement of a new trial bus service running from the CBD to Moonee Ponds via Parkville Gardens to start early next year.
“This will improve public transport options for the relatively new area of Parkville Gardens, so that residents have access to shopping at Moonee Ponds, the University and Medical precincts of Parkville, and connections to trains and trams, seven days a week,” Pike says.
“We have seen the amazing success of the Route 401 bus which is very popular with university students and also people who work in and around the Parkville medical precinct.”
Transport Minister Martin Pakula says residents of inner Melbourne will benefit from five new routes and improvements to a further two routes following a bus route review across the CBD and inner suburbs.
“Although many of the inner suburbs are well serviced by trains and trams, boosted bus services will help to improve local travel options and provide an alternative to the car for short local trips to the shops or train station,” Pakula says.
The announcement of more Melbourne bus services comes two months out from the Victorian election, to be held on 27 November.