Thursday, 7 March 2024

Greater Shepparton bus services

Wendy LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (17:53): (774) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Public and Active Transport, and it concerns the failure of the state government to provide reliable, efficient public bus services for the Greater Shepparton community. The action that I seek is for the minister to conduct a review of current bus services within the Greater Shepparton municipality, including the frequency, location, accessibility and consistency of services.

My office constantly hears from constituents about the inadequate public transport services offered in the area. One of the most common complaints is that there are no buses running on Sundays or public holidays and only limited runs on Saturdays. Things are even worse if you do not live in the Shepparton township. Residents of Kialla do not have any services at all on a Saturday or Sunday. On weekdays Tatura residents only have two buses to Shepparton and two buses back home, but because of the timing of the services this effectively provides only one return service for Tatura residents. On Saturday there is a bus from Shepparton to Tatura in the morning and one from Tatura to Shepparton in the evening but no return service starting and terminating in Tatura. There are no bus services for Mooroopna residents on Saturday afternoon or Sunday. The Mooroopna train station has bad lighting and unstable pathways, and it is a long walk from the nearest bus stop.

Since the last review conducted of Greater Shepparton bus services, in 2009, there have been significant shifts in the demographics of the region, with growth expected to continue and accelerate across the municipality. Public transport is particularly important for specific groups, such as the elderly, youth or people with a disability, who often do not have access to a motor vehicle. A lack of weekend buses means some residents are forced to walk long distances to their centres of religious worship on a Saturday or Sunday. It is clear that the bus network in the Greater Shepparton region does not adequately cater for the area’s growing and diverse community, and a review and update is long overdue. When the state government released its 2021 bus plan, Labor declared that it was committed to delivering bus services that better match public transport needs. The minister now needs to back that statement up by conducting a proper review of the Greater Shepparton bus network.