Make of it what you will, but the pledge to make Maryborough’s trial buses permanent is on the table – if John Brumby and his Labor team return to office
November 11, 2010
A bus trial in regional Victoria will go permanent if the state’s Labor-led Government is returned to office at the end of this month.
The trial in Maryborough to the north-west of Melbourne near Bendigo has so far been hailed a success, and an extra $1.65 million will be provided for an extra 120 weekly town services – if Labor wins government.
Local member Joe Helper says the extra Maryborough services had so far been funded out of the Transport Connection Program.
“Responding to the success of the popular Maryborough town bus trial service which was funded through the Transport Connection Program, we will make this a permanent bus service for the community,” Helper says.
“This service will also be extended to run between 6am and 7pm on weekdays to provide connections to the train services at Maryborough and operate on Saturday between 9am and 3pm.”
Helper says the Labor Government’s pledge would build on public transport improvements delivered to the region in 2010, mostly centred on the return of passenger rail services to Maryborough and Creswick.
“We understand how important high quality transport connections are to liveability and prosperity,” he says.
Transport Minister Martin Pakula says the improvements would build on public transport investment made across regional Victoria.
“It is two years since we released the $38 billion Victorian Transport Plan and already there are more than $10 billion worth of projects under construction or being rolled out,” Pakula says.
Maryborough bus services are operated by Trotters.