Mildura Rural City Council has welcomed the Victorian Government’s announcement that it will undertake a major review of Mildura’s bus network.
Council says the announcement follows more than 12 months of local advocacy, with Councillors endorsing a motion on 28 July last year calling for a comprehensive review of the region’s bus network.
The advocacy campaign was unanimously endorsed by Councillors and followed concerns around “inadequacies and anomalies in the current bus service network.”
Mayor Liam Wood said Council had worked tirelessly, including funding the North West Victoria Regional Passenger Transport Study and advocating strongly for a review of local bus routes.
“The Department of Transport’s Bus Review will help provide an understanding of how people currently use our bus services, what would encourage them to use buses more, and inform future planning for bus reform in our region,” he said.
“I congratulate the Victorian Government for heeding our call, and I look forward to working closely with our community while this important consultation work is carried out.”
Council’s motion also noted at the time that a review of the region’s bus routes had not been undertaken for close to 20 years and was urgently needed.
The State Government review will take place over the next five weeks and will include face-to-face and online consultation with the community, including residents, businesses and bus operators to better understand current travel behaviours.
Consultation will run until Sunday 16 October, and will include an online survey and face-face sessions in the local community. The first face-to-face session will take place this Saturday 17 September at the Sunraysia Farmers Market at Jaycee Park.
More information about the review is available by visiting engage.vic.gov.au/busreform.
Once consultation closes, the Department of Transport will consider feedback and provide a ‘What we heard’ Engagement report in late 2022.
