Thursday, 22 February 2024

Western Metropolitan Region

Trung LUU (Western Metropolitan) (12:47): (700) My question is for the Minister for Transport Infrastructure regarding Victoria’s bus network reform. Can the minister please release the report and inform my constituents what substantial steps have been taken to provide Melbourne’s west with a fast, frequent, well-connected network served by clean electric buses? We are approaching 1000 days since Victoria’s bus network reform plan was announced back in 2021, with minimal progress being made. Submissions closed in October 2022. Since then the bus network reform team has been reviewing feedback and failed to deliver their report, with a reported release of early 2023. The need for better buses is growing more and more urgent, especially in my region, the west. The broken and outdated bus network system is having severe, negative impacts on the community in the west. Families are having to travel great distances to the nearest bus stop, with social isolation for people who cannot drive.