Plans for the upgraded Doncaster Park and Ride aim to slash bus travel times along the Eastern Freeway by up to 30 per cent, allowing buses to enter and exit more efficiently.
The project will soon connect to a dedicated busway along the Eastern Freeway, featuring a dedicated entry and exit ramp, with three longer bus platform bays to cut congestion.
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The government is asking for public consultation on the newly unveiled designs, which is on track to begin next year and is planned for completion by 2028.
“This vital upgrade to the Doncaster Park and Ride will make it easier to get to and from the city for the thousands of passengers who use this bus interchange every day,” transport infrastructure minister Danny Pearson says.
A new 435-space multi-level car park will be built, along with upgraded drop-off and pick-up bays, lifts, stairs, 10 motorcycle spaces and 13 accessible car spaces – making it easier for people to catch the bus.
New pedestrian and cycling paths will link into the new underpass under Doncaster Road, while 28 bike hoops and a Parkiteer cage for 26 bicycles will be installed.
The Park and Ride will also feature more than 1,000 square metres of green wall space for climbing plants, more than 20,000 plants and 150 new indigenous and native trees.
“Revitalising Doncaster Park and Ride into a state-of-the-art transport centre will support faster, reliable buses to and from the city and will unlock potential for new routes and services as our city grows,” public and active transport minister Gabrielle Williams says.
The Doncaster Park and Ride upgrade joins the new park and ride at Bulleen to double the number of parks available to commuters using the Eastern Freeway bus services.
These will directly connect to the future Eastern Busway from Doncaster towards the city – offering dedicated high-speed bus lanes for the six million buses that travel along the Eastern Freeway every year.
The Eastern Busway is being delivered as part of North East Link, which will fix the missing link in Melbourne’s freeway network, take 15,000 trucks off local roads every day and slash travel times by up to 35 minutes.
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