UN 244: Better Buses to Big Shopping Centres

Executive Summary: Improved buses to major shopping centres are the 'low hanging fruit' of the bus world. They have high patronage gains relative to their cost and often do not need network reform or new bus purchases. Many examples given here.   

Large shopping centres are also major destinations and employers. Especially for young people and students who are major public transport users. Retailing is already getting a higher political profile as new premier  Ben Carroll talks up his K-mart Airport West background. 

Unlike industrial areas or airports, major shopping centres already have extensive bus networks. At least on paper. Look up almost any local area public transport map. You will see many routes converging on shopping centres. It's not uncommon for shopping centres to have 10 or more bus routes feeding them. 

The problem is that many have timetables that are out of kilter with retail activity. For instance buses may start too late and finish too early for worker shifts. And it is common for service levels to collapse down to only every 40 to 60 minutes on weekends - the exact days that major shopping centres are busiest.

Having a weaker position in the labour market, flexible hours is more often on the employers' rather than the employees' terms. And unlike relatively privileged government sector workers, there are no work from home options.

For retail and hospo workers job-ready public transport requires wide operating hours and good frequencies, including on weekends. Compared to cases where new coverage is needed (such as many industrial areas), this is a good problem to have; in many cases improvements are possible just by operating existing routes more frequently for more of the week without needing to buy more buses. And the usage payoffs can be huge; Route 800 between Chadstone and Dandenong for example got a 200% patronage increase on Saturdays when its weekend bus services were improved in 2024. 

Here's my list of Melbourne's major shopping centres and suggested top three bus service improvements for each: 

Melbourne West

Altona Gate
* Boost 411 to every 15-20 min 7 days with longer hours 
* Boost 471 to every 20 min weekends with longer hours # 

Note: Network reform is desirable to simplify complex routes in Altona North area.  

Brimbank Shopping Centre
* Boost 420 bus with longer hours #
* Boost 423 bus to every 20 min with longer hours 
* Boost 424 bus to every 20 min with longer hours

Caroline Springs
* Boost 460 to every 20 min weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 418 to every 20 min with longer hours
* Boost 426 to every 20 min with longer hours

Central Square
* Boost 411 to every 15-20 min 7 days with longer hours 
* Boost 498 to every 20 min with longer hours 
* Boost 415 to operate 7 days with longer hours

Note: Network reform is desirable to consolidate 411 / 412 in Altona Meadows area. 

Highpoint
* Boost 406 bus to every 20 min or better on Sundays with longer hours #
* Boost 408 bus to every 20 min or better on Sundays with longer hours #
* Boost 468 bus to run 7 days with longer hours #

Note: Network reform could consolidate 223 and 406 to provide a simpler 10 min 7 day service from Footscray.

Keilor Central Shopping Centre
* Boost 418 bus to every 20 min and longer hours 
* Boost 421 bus to every 40 min on weekends with longer hours # 

Manor Lakes Shopping Centre
* Boost 190 bus to every 20 min on weekends
* Boost 166 bus to every 20 min 7 days with longer hours 
* Boost 191 bus with longer hours

Pacific Werribee
* Boost 170 bus to every 10 min 7 days
* Boost 166 bus to every 20 min 7 days with longer hours
* Boost 181 bus to every 20 min 7 days with longer hours and merge with 498

Point Cook Town Centre
* Boost 494 and 495 buses to every 20 min 7 days with longer hours #
* Boost 498 bus to every 20 min 7 days with longer hours
* Operate Route 400 to Point Cook Town Centre (instead of Laverton) to improve north-south access

Tarneit Central
* Boost 170 bus to every 10 min 7 days
* Boost 150 bus to every 20 min 7 days with longer hours 
* Boost 152 bus to every 20 min 7 days with longer hours

Watergardens Shopping Centre
* Boost 420 bus with higher evening frequency and longer hours #
* Boost 460 bus to every 20 min on weekends # 
* Boost 425 bus to every 20 min and longer hours 

Williams Landing Shopping Centre
* Boost 150 bus to every 20 min with longer hours
* Boost 152 bus to every 20 min with longer hours
* Boost 151 bus to every 20 min with longer hours

Woodgrove Melton
* Longer hours on all bus routes serving centre
* Revise timetables to a flat frequency across the week

Note: A bus network review to improve directness and frequency in Melton is essential as many routes have been substantially unchanged for decades and have been overtaken by growth. A concept network is here.

Melbourne North 

Airport West
* Boost 902 to every 15 or 20 min weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 477 to every 20 min weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 479 to every 60 min weekends with longer hours #

Note: Network reform is desirable to simplify complex 469 and improve connectivity to Melbourne Airport via 478/479. More here.

Broadmeadows Central
* Boost 901 bus to every 15 - 20 min on weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 902 bus to every 15 - 20 min on weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 541 bus to every 20 min weekends with longer hours #  

Campbellfield Plaza
* Boost 902 to every 15 or 20 min on weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 531 to operate 7 days with longer hours #
* Extend both 536 and simplified 558 to centre

Craigieburn Central
* Boost 529 and 533 to every 20 min weekends #
* Boost 541 to every 20 min weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 525 to every 20 min 

Gladstone Park
* Boost 901 bus to every 15 - 20 min on weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 902 bus to every 15 - 20 min on weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 477 bus to every 20 min weekends with longer hours #  

Greensborough Plaza
* Boost 902 bus to every 20 min on weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 514 to operate every 20 min 7 days between Greensborough and Glenroy
* Boost 517 to operate every 20 min on weekends with longer hours #

Note: The Greensborough - Eltham area has a large number of complex and poorly used bus routes. Scope exists to simplify services while providing better coverage and connectivity with trains.  

Milleara Shopping Centre
* Boost 406 to every 20 min Sundays with longer hours #
* Boost 465 to every 20 min Sundays with longer hours #
* Boost 407 to run 7 days with longer hours #

Mill Park Stables
* Boost 566 bus to every 20 min, longer hours and simplify route
* Boost 382 with longer hours
* Boost 564 with longer hours

Northland
* Boost 527 bus to every 20 min or better on Sundays with longer hours #
* Boost 903 bus to every 20 min or better evenings and weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 556 bus to every 20 min weekends with longer hours and more direct alignment #

Note: Network reform could consolidate 527 and 903 to prvide a simpler 10 min 7 day service between Coburg and Heidelberg via Northland. 

Pacific Epping
* Boost 901 bus to every 15 or 20 min on weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 556 bus to every 20 min weekends with longer hours and more direct alignment #
* Extend 566 bus to centre with service boosted to every 20 min and longer hours

Note: It is desirable that the currently in delivery network reform at Wollert include buses every 20 min or better to this centre with longer hours. 

Roxburgh Village
* Boost 901 bus to every 20 min on weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 541 bus to every 20 min weekends with longer hours #  
* Boost 544 bus with longer operating hours 

Melbourne East

Box Hill Central
* Boost 903 to every 15 min on weekends with longer hours # 
* Boost 733 to every 15-20 min on weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 767 to every 20 min on weekends with longer hours #

Brentford Square
* Boost 765 bus with higher frequency on weekends and longer hours #
* Boost 738 bus with higher frequency on weekends and longer hours # 
* A new Canterbury Rd bus between Box Hill and Ringwood

Chirnside Park
* Boost 670 to every 20 min weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 901 to every 15 min on weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 664 to every 30 min weekends with longer hours #

Doncaster Shoppingtown
* Boost 907 to every 10 min day / 15 min nights #
* Boost 281 with 7 day service and longer hours # 
* Boost 302/304 weekends to every 30 min each with longer hours #

Note: Network reform could consolidate 281 with 293 and remove deviations from 279 to provide a simpler and more frequent service. 

Eastland
* Boost 901 bus to every 15 min on weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 670 bus to every 20 min weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 742 bus to every 30 min weekends with longer hours #

Forest Hill Chase
* Boost 735 bus with higher frequency on weekends and longer hours #
* Boost 736 bus with higher frequency on weekends and longer hours # 
* A new Canterbury Rd bus between Box Hill and Ringwood

Mt Waverley Village
* Boost 733 to every 15-20 min on weekends with longer hours #

Pinewood
* Boost 703 bus to every 20 min on weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 737 bus to every 15 min on weekdays and 20 min weekends with longer hours 

Templestowe Village
* Boost 905 to every 15-20 min weekends #
* Boost 902 to every 15-20 min weekends #
* Boost 281 with 7 day service and longer hours # 

Note: Network reform has potential to consolidate 281 with 293 and provide for a simplified Heidelberg - The Pines route with resources from split 901. 

The Glen
* Boost 902 bus to every 15 min on weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 737 bus to every 15 min weekdays and 20 min weekends with longer hours 
* Boost 742 bus to every 30 min weekends with longer hours #

The Pines
* Boost 905 to every 15-20 min weekends #
* Boost 906 to every 15-20 min weekends #

Note: Scope exists to provide a simplified Heidelberg - The Pines route with resources from a split 901 to simplify buses in the area. 

Melbourne South-East

Bayside Frankston

* Boost 791 bus to run every 20 min on weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 901 bus to run every 15 min on weekends with longer hours #
* Upgrade 833 bus to run every 20 min or better 7 days with longer hours

Note: Network reform is desirable to simplify bus routes in the Karingal (770/771), Frankston South (772/773/774) and Hastings (782/783) areas. 

Casey Central
* Boost 841 to every 20 min with longer hours
* Boost 892 to every 30 min on weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 835 to every 40 min Sunday with longer hours #

Note: A bus network review to improve bus route directness is desirable in the Narre Warren South area.

Chadstone
* Boost 900 to every 10 min 7 days with longer hours #
* Boost 903 to every 15 min on weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 623 to every 20 min on weekends with longer hours #

Note: Network reform could consolidate 623 with parts of 624 and 693 with part of 742 to provide simpler routes and higher frequencies (every 20 min 7 days suggested).  

Cranbourne Park
* Boost 841 bus to every 20 min with longer hours 
* Boost 791 bus to every 20 min weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 897 bus with longer hours #

Dandenong Market
* Boost 901 to every 15 min weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 811 to every 20 min 7 days with longer hours
* Extend Route 861 to Fountain Gate  

Dandenong Square
* Boost 828 to every 20 min weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 893 to run until midnight with earlier weekend starts #
* Boost 844 to run 7 days # 

DFO Moorabbin
* Boost 828 to every 20 min weekends with longer hours #

Fountain Gate
* Boost 828 bus to every 20 min on weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 841 bus to every 20 min 7 days with longer hours
* Boost 926 bus to every 20 min 7 days with longer hours

Karingal Hub
* Boost 791 bus to run every 20 min on weekends with longer hours #
* Simplify routes 770 and 771 to run the same way both directions with higher frequency and longer hours

Knox City
* Boost 901 bus to every 15 min on weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 737 bus to every 15 min weekdays and 20 min weekends with longer hours 
* Boost 732 bus to every 20 min weekends with longer hours #

Pakenham Marketplace
* Boost 926 bus to every 20 min with longer hours 
* Boost all other routes with higher frequencies and longer hours

Parkmore Keysborough
* Boost 828 bus to every 20 min on weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 824 bus to every 20 min with longer hours 
* Boost 813 bus to every 20 min with longer hours

Note: Network reform could simplify local bus services and enable higher frequencies on key routes. 

Southland
* Boost 828 bus to every 20 min on weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 822 bus to every 30 min on weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 708 bus to every 30 min on weekends with longer hours #

Note: Network reform could realign 822 and 828 to provide a direct Bay St bus to Sandringham. Further simplification with Route 767 could provide a direct Chadstone - Southland bus via East Boundary Rd. 

Springvale Central
* Boost 902 bus to every 15 min on weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 811 bus to every 20 min with longer hours 
* Boost 813 bus to every 20 min with longer hours

Note: Network reform in area is desirable to simplify complex routes 813 and 814 and enable higher frequencies. 

Stud Park
* Boost 900 bus to every 15 min on weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 901 bus to every 15 min on weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 691 bus to every 30 min on weekends with longer hours #

Note: Major bus network reform is needed in the Rowville/Lysterfield area to improve access to Stud Park. This should include the merging of FlexiRide into upgraded regular routes. 

Waverley Gardens
* Boost 850 bus to every 30 min on weekends with longer hours #
* Boost 813 bus to every 20 min with longer hours 
* Boost 814 bus to run 7 days with longer hours and higher frequency

Note: Network reform may be desirable to reduce inefficient overlaps on Police Rd and provide a new direct bus to Clayton Station via Centre Rd. 

(#) Possible with existing bus fleet 

Conclusion 

While a large number of upgrades is listed the majority make better use of the existing bus fleet.

Many are also already productive routes whose upgrade would improve bus connectivity for multiple trip purposes including rail feeders. 

An index to all Useful Network items is here

TT 238: The amazing Route 451 timetable

Buses are a write-off for most Melburnians travelling after dark. After 7pm bus frequency is typically down to every 40 minutes and service has often finished by 9:30pm. Trains are a bit more frequent, run longer hours but are frequently replaced by buses. Trams are the best of the three modes but are largely limited to inner suburbs. This is one reason why Melbourne ranks with Brisbane as being the Australian capital with the least equal public transport service provision.

However exceptions exist in unlikely places. Like Thornhill Park, a growth area suburb most Melburnians have probably never heard of. 

On July 26, 2026 new bus route 451 commenced between Cobblebank Station and Thornhill Park. Like what is becoming a welcome trend with growth area bus routes (other examples being 154, 390, 405, 475 and more) its interpeak weekday frequency is a respectable 20 minutes, matching trains in the area.

That's a big advance on the 40 minute frequency that is typical for local bus routes in Melbourne.    

Long operating hours

But that's not all. Two other features in its timetable make the 451 stand out. Firstly its late evening finish. Instead of finishing at around 9:30pm, the last trip from Cobblebank leaves around midnight Monday to Saturday and 11pm Sunday. The Sunday finish is nearly two hours later than any of the SmartBus orbitals - Melbourne's busiest bus routes. 

Frequent to late on weeknights

Secondly there's 451's weeknight frequency. Instead of falling to every 40 - 60 minutes, as is typical for buses (even those that are every 20 min off-peak weekdays), the 20 minute frequency remains until the last service around midnight. This frequency is extraordinary for buses in Melbourne, again exceeding popular main routes like 246, 901, 902, 903, 905, 906, 907 which drop to 30 minutes after about 8 or 9pm. 

Not frequent on weekends 

451's weeknight timetable is extraordinary but its weekend timetable, apart from its wide operating hours, is not. Its weekend service, like most other buses in Melbourne, is every 40 minutes. Though to be fair so is the train that it distributes passengers from due to Melton not yet having the 20 minute weekend V/Line frequency that Geelong enjoys.   

451's 40 minute weekend frequency also matches other recent growth area bus routes like 390, 405, 475 and upgraded Craigieburn routes like 529 and 533 that are nevertheless every 20 minutes on weekdays. However it is inferior to some recently upgraded routes in the Wyndham area (eg 153, 154, 170, 180, 192) that have their 20 minute frequency operating all week. 

A new service template for buses

Not so long ago if a growth area bus was put in it would typically run every 40 minutes until about 9pm. Operating hours would be quite limited with relatively late starts on weekends especially. 

We have since seen three welcome changes in scheduling practice. These mark are an advance on the 2006 minimum service standards (which were 6am - 9pm M-F, 8am-9pm Sat, 9am-9pm Sun with a 60 minute maximum wait, though more often implemented as a 40 minute service). 

The first of these is wider operating hours. While it might only add a couple of hours later span at night and maybe also earlier weekend mornings it still makes buses more useful for trips that would otherwise be impossible. Such wider hours can be applied (as they were on July 26) to new routes like the 451 discussed here, upgraded growth area routes like 511 and upgraded established area routes like 536. The new pattern appears to be an evening finish around 11pm or midnight Monday to Saturday and 10pm Sunday. The latter means that there are now local routes still running in outer suburbs after the orbitals have finished. 

The second is 20 minute weekday frequencies between the peaks. This is now common for new growth area routes and some funded upgrades (eg 476). In some cases where buses are scarce or are used for school services there can be large gaps in the peaks such as seen on routes like 192. As noted with the 451 weekday evening service can remain at every 20 minutes until late rather than falling off as is more usual. 

Thirdly, and less commonly, are routes that run every 20 minutes across the week. These are concentrated in Wyndham (thanks to recent upgrades) but are less prevalent in areas where they might equally be justified eg in Craigieburn and parts of the south-east. Every 20 minutes on weekends is frequent by Melbourne standards for a bus given that orbital SmartBuses remain with 30 minute gaps and most other local routes are every 40 or 60 minutes, especially on Sundays. 

A backlog

Bus timetables, their frequencies and hours reflect history as much as usage, social need or a route's  network importance. There is no clear hierarchy with back street routes running more frequently and/or over longer hours at certain times as premium SmartBus routes. 451 is an example on weeknights but there are many others like the high frequency of 582 at Eltham on weekend mornings. 

Similar applies for routes that have a strong justification to run more frequently on weekends but do not. Ditto for those without Sunday service or which finish early at night. Backlogs can go back decades.

Most notable is almost the entire bus network in the City of Knox with routes like 757 and 758 to Knox City operating to the same limited weekday only timetables they ran when they started in 1982. Some routes like 536 and 800 that were cut in the early 1990s have only recently had  Sunday service restored. Even more commonly are high usage potential routes that got 'minimum standards' upgrades about 15-20 years ago that justify a 20 minute weekend service but remain with 40 to 60 minute gaps such as Route 828. 

To sum up the wider operating hours and higher frequencies of some recently introduced routes are good but now need to be applied to popular established routes to make the bus network simpler and more useful. 

See other Timetable Tuesday items here

UN 243: Simpler buses for Airport West and Melbourne Airport

Executive Summary: Potential exists to make better use of our existing buses to better connect Melbourne Airport to surrounding suburbs. A cost-effective example with improved airport connectivity for Sunbury, Airport West, Essendon and Moonee Ponds is presented here. 

Last week I covered improved access to Melbourne Airport, with an emphasis on what can be done in the short term. This is important as airport rail is years away and even if we had it tomorrow it wouldn't much improve connectivity from suburbs north and east of the airport. Or for airport workers who need regular fare transit options. 

Surrounding Melbourne Airport are residential and light industrial suburbs, largely built between between the 1960s and 1990s. They were then outer suburbs but would today be regarded as middle-distance. 

They are far enough from rail to make most of their populations dependent on buses as their nearest public transport but they are not so new as to get growth area funding. Thus their bus networks can sit unreformed for years, if not decades as priorities are always elsewhere and their turn never comes (at least without community campaigning - think 527 bus in Coburg North or 536 in Glenroy). 

Northern suburbs of this type include Dallas, Campbellfield, Coburg North, Glenroy, Keilor East and, today's topic, Airport West and Niddrie. Significantly both are sufficiently close to Melbourne Airport to deliver connectivity gains for it and as far north as Sunbury if local bus networks were improved. 

Airport West bus network concept

This doesn't claim to fix everything. But it seeks to simplify existing bus routes to deliver: 

* Simpler connection from the 59 tram to Melbourne Airport with longer hours, higher frequency and just one route number to remember from Airport West with a new Route 480 to replace existing 478 and 479

* Ten times the weekend service from Sunbury to Melbourne Airport with many more trips on the 480 compared to the current twice-daily 479. Longer operating hours too to benefit airport workers    

* One seat ride to Melbourne Airport from Essendon and Moonee Ponds with new 480 to replace part of 469

* Seven day Moonee Ponds to Sunbury service over longer hours with new 480 replacing existing 483

* Simplified Route 469 with a potential Highpoint extension to deliver seven day service to all bus stops in Avondale Heights by merging with existing limited service 407

Simplifying bus routes can be a swings and roundabouts affair with some worse off and some better off. Though the above is likely better off overall for most. 

Least controversial is likely the splitting of the 469 at Airport West. No one would ride it end to end as it is so indirect. The above concept leaves the Keilor East/Airport West half as the 469 (terminating at Westfield) while the Strathmore/Moonee Ponds portion becomes part of the new 480 (effectively an extended/merged Route 478/479).

The remaining Airport West - Milleara part of the 469 could be merged with another route to improve scheduling efficiency and/or connect to a stronger terminus. The obvious route to join it to is the 407 - a local Avondale Heights route to Highpoint that currently runs limited hours Monday to Saturday only. An extended 469 could operate between Airport West and Highpoint, creating a 7 day neighbourhood style route with stronger termini. 

The new 480 (which would be more frequent and run longer hours than the current 478/479) would provide one-seat access from Moonee Ponds and Essendon Station to Melbourne Airport, restoring a connection that was (infrequently) possible before 2014. As well access between Sunbury and Melbourne Airport would be much improved, especially on weekends. 

Then there's the Moonee Ponds/Essendon to Sunbury connection. This is currently possible on the 483 Monday to Saturday. It doesn't get very strong usage, at least outside school times. The new 480 would perform this role, but at a higher frequency and seven days per week. While the 480 does not operate through Niddrie, the 476, which will soon get a large improvement from every 40 to every 20 minutes on weekdays, does. And further north in Sunbury the 483's unique catchment reduced when the 475, which already runs every 20 minutes on weekdays, commenced.  

This leaves the area with two simplified routes to replace the 407, 478, 479 and potentially 483. 

* 469 Airport West - Milleara SC - Highpoint (after merger with 407)

* 480 Sunbury - Airport West - Moonee Ponds 

The 469 might take about 55 min end to end with the existing 40 min frequency retained. The 480 might take about 70 min for its full length. This makes a 40 minute frequency economical. Short workings between Melbourne Airport and Airport West would be desirable to provide a 20 min combined frequency on this portion. 

A number of service options are possible but it should be possible to do some reform with the existing  number of buses. Not all buses in the area are run by the same operator but there is precedent of multiple companies successfully operating key cross-regional routes such as occurs on the 900 between Caulfield and Rowville. 

Need for a simpler network

The Airport West/Niddrie area has Melbourne's usual fare of meandering bus routes running every 20 to 40 minutes until approximately 9pm. The most recent significant change was several years ago where the meandering 501 was replaced by the almost as perplexing route 469. This was also associated with the deletion of the also complex 475 and its replacement with a rerouted less direct 476.

The only semi-frequent route is the 477 which runs every 20 min on weekdays (though only every 40 min on weekends). This will be joined by the 476 which will be improved to a similar frequency following 2026 state budget funding. 

Key issues with the Airport West and Niddrie bus network include: 

* Limited operating hours (and in some cases no Sunday service) on routes 478, 479 and 483. 
* Limited connectivity north to Melbourne Airport and east-west eg Niddrie - Pascoe Vale
* Complex routes such as the indirect 469
* Weak termini affecting the 469 and in adjoining suburbs routes 406, 407, 465 and 467 also. 
* Inefficient overlaps and low productivity on some routes such as 469 and 483

Sunbury (which shares some routes with this network) is handicapped by: 

* Hourly Route 479 weekday frequency to Melbourne Airport does not mesh with local buses every 40 min and runs just two trips on weekends 
* Route 483 to Moonee Ponds runs hourly, has limited hours, lacks Sunday service but is also weak on unique coverage and productivity 

Many issues are visible on the local area maps for Moonee Valley and Hume. The network concept outlined before seeks to address most of these issues while being economical with bus usage. 

Scope for more

The above cut-price network does not address all concerns with the Airport West/Niddrie bus network. Moonee Ponds Creek, the Citylink freeway and bus operator history limit east-west connectivity. Routes such as 561 and 512 have weak western termini. Extending a route like 512 westward to Essendon North or Niddrie could provide some connectivity not well catered for by existing routes. 

Previously identified issues with the weak termini for routes like 406 and 465 remain in Keilor East. A local train station will provide a logical termination point but in the interim a case exists to extend these to stronger termini such as on the Sunbury line or even Melbourne Airport. 

Airport connectivity could also be improved if a Route 500 airport rail Sunshine - Keilor East - Melbourne Airport precursor bus route commences, with potential for this to extend to Broadmeadows and Doncaster to create a Suburban Rail Loop North precursor bus.  

Also, regardless of when Airport Rail starts, a North West Melbourne Bus Rapid Transit via Keilor East could connect many currently disconnected parts of Melbourne's north-west with each other and to western growth areas. 

See other Useful Network items