Friday, September 03, 2021

UN 104: Connecting the inner north with the new 202 bus shuttle

The average new bus route in Melbourne brings one or two trips per hour to an outer suburb that previously lacked coverage. It costs around a million dollars annually and may use two or three buses. Most often it gets layered over an existing unchanged network. In the last few years we've gained several routes in growth areas such as Tarneit, Craigieburn and Clyde North.   

Other styles of new service are rarer. For example, despite rapid population growth, we haven't added a new SmartBus route in over a decade. And few middle suburbs have had overhauls to their often confusing 30 or 40 year old bus networks. 

The rise of the university shuttle

A bright spot on this otherwise stagnant Melbourne bus scene has been the university shuttle bus. Fifteen years ago there were none. Now some rank as amongst Melbourne's strongest bus routes. These are typically short and frequent routes in inner and middle suburbs that link a major university to a railway line. Services are typically every 10 minutes or better with express running reducing travel time. 

Their patronage performance (when measured by passengers boardings per hour) is often high even though most overlap existing less frequent bus routes. Special liveries and targeted marketing has given the shuttles a higher profile than the unloved, undifferentiated and infrequent mess that is most of the rest of Melbourne's bus network.

A quick summary of these routes (most successful first) is below:

601: Huntingdale - Monash Clayton. Overlaps 630 & 900 (less frequent with more stops). 

401: North Melbourne - Melbourne University

301: Reservoir - La Trobe University. Overlaps 561 (less frequent with more stops). 

201: Box Hill - Deakin University. Poor frequency & duplicates 281, 767 & 768.

768: Box Hill - Deakin University. Even poorer frequency & duplicates 201, 281 & 767.

403: Footscray - Melbourne University: Poor frequency & duplicates more frequent 402.

The first three are very successful. 201 is less so but has potential if merged with the duplicative 768 to form a more frequent service. 403 is an underperformer whose very existence should be reviewed. The lesson from this is that great success is possible with ten minute or better headways but if you can't do this then it's hardly worth starting a new shuttle. Instead it would be better to revamp other routes in the area.  

One more - the 202!

Anyway we're getting another university shuttle. You'd think the timing was unusual given that universities are moving to more online learning with COVID accelerating this. Not to mention the fall-off in overseas students who are big users of university shuttles.

But there is a reason for this. 

Current processes mean it takes years to set up a new bus route in Melbourne. In fact about as long as a large works project like removing a level crossing. This is because bus network reform is like a one-off cottage industry while level crossing removals is a mass project overseen by a dedicated authority.  

Hence what's being implemented now, in late 2021, is largely (but not entirely) the result of planning work and funding decisions from 2018. Examples include the upcoming Night Network bus reform, a new Keysborough South bus and .... today's topic .... the Parkville - Victoria Park bus shuttle. 

Outsiders were reminded of the Parkville - Victoria Park shuttle in this minister's release from Tuesday August 31, 2021. It described two new routes and several bus service upgrades.  The release said this:

Starting 20 September, the new Route 202 bus service will run every 10 minutes between Yarra Bend to the university and Parkville’s medical and research precinct, allowing people to board from Victoria Park Station.

The release went on to say:

Updated timetables are now available at ptv.vic.gov.au or on the PTV app.

They jumped the gun a little here. PTV's online timetables are normally updated weekly on Fridays. Hence you should be able to find details like exact operating hours online sometime today. 

The Department has other channels of communication apart from the PTV website. The main ones are written news items and maps. Information release is not necessarily synchronised. For instance one eagle-eyed watcher found a (then) mysterious Route 202 appear on a map that was viewable at least one day before the minister's release. 

That map is here:

Parkville to Victoria Park wasn't just any bus route. Unusual for an individual route it was specifically recommended by Infrastructure Victoria in 2018 as something that should be introduced quickly to reduce congestion. More recently, its profile was revived as part of Action 3 in Victoria's Bus Plan

A few questions will be clarified by the timetable. 

For example the number of stops. Shuttles like the 301, 401 and 601 only have stops near the ends of the route. Whereas the 202 passes through a much finer grained catchment with several north-south tram routes. The release says: 

The high-frequency shuttle bus will also pick up passengers from stops connecting with the 11, 86 and 96 tram routes, providing a more efficient and comfortable way for students and workers to reach the precinct. It will also eliminate the need for people commuting from Melbourne’s northern and north-eastern suburbs to travel into the CBD to get to the university or Parkville-bound services.

As the parallel Nicholson St (Tram 96) and Brunswick St (Tram 11) are so close one might think a stop in between would suffice. However the existing 200 / 207 have stops west of Nicholson and east of Brunswick so aren't quite a 'best fit' for a single stop. There is however a stop near Smith St which will be convenient for the 86. Stops here could be handy for a lot of shorter distance trips involving bus/train/tram transfers. This could make the 202 more versatile than other university routes. 

The location of the eastern terminus will also get people wondering. The mapped route may be so long as places to turn buses around are scarce in the area. It will be interesting to see whether there is a  stop on Studley Park Rd or whether a spot near Victoria Park Station will be the easternmost stop. 

Thirdly there's operating hours and days. I'll guess 5 days, like the other shuttle routes. However as the catchment serves more than just Melbourne University service might continue on university holidays (at the same 10 minute frequency) as well. That's my guess anyway. 

Is 202 still good value or does it present an opportunity cost?

The most obvious thing from the map is that the 202 almost completely overlaps the 200/207 pair. This is a popular all-stops service operating at a 10 minute combined frequency interpeak. It also enjoys long operating hours. Pre-COVID the 200 and 207 got crowded. Reliability also suffered. 

I am in two minds about the merits of the new 202 as opposed to boosting frequency on the existing routes. But one can see why. 202 could relieve some of the crowding pressure on 200/207, making these perform better. Being a shorter route the 202 should be more reliable. Also, as a single route operating more frequently it might be easier to communicate and market. The express nature of 202 is another selling point.

This formula has worked for other university shuttle routes such as the 301 and 601 despite these also overlapping other routes. However continued success partly depends on what universities do post-COVID. However that's not everything due to the hospitals in the area. 202's benefits are also heightened by the unidirectional City Loop which makes some trips from the Clifton Hill group quite long, so give an opportunity for the bus to be useful. The 202 could become even more useful when the Metro Tunnel opens since it could enable a connection from the Clifton Hill group to Footscray with a change at Parkville Station. 

The 202 does sound good but does it carry an opportunity cost?

Let's guess it costs a couple of million dollars per year to run. Let's also assume that the other new route announced, the 816 between Noble Park and Keysborough, requires half a million. The resultant $2.5 million per year (approximate) should permit wholesale bus network reform in the Springvale, Noble Park, Keysborough and Dandenong areas including a doubling or even tripling of service on straightened and simplified key routes from every 60 to every 20 or 30 minutes. This should be beneficial given the area attracts high usage even on current infrequent routes.  

Unlike inner suburbs, the people in this generally low income area are more likely to have jobs that lack work from home options. Hence their relative need for better buses may be higher. Some ideas on reformed Greater Dandenong bus networks are here , here and here. Comparing the patronage potential and social benefits of both options would be an interesting exercise that I'll leave to you. 

Conclusion

What do you think about the 202? Will it bring a new way of moving around Melbourne's inner-north that balances the 401 west of Melbourne Uni? Is it a worthwhile network addition or would you prefer alternatives like improved 200 and 207's frequencies? Or is a separate express route the best way to provide a premium frequent circumferential connection needed in the area? Maybe there's options elsewhere that better suit post-COVID travel patterns? Comments are invited and can be left below. 


See other Building Melbourne's Useful Network items here

6 comments:

Steve Gelsi said...

I like the idea of the 202. I think it will complement the 200 & 207, noting that the 202 at the eastern end should be picking up from the Eastern Freeway buses as well as the Hurstbridge and Mernda trains. The aim here, similarly to the 401, would be to reduce congestion into the City Loop and up Swanston Street.

I caught the 401 when it started as I was working at Melbourne University, as an alternative to the 402 (I think I did a combination of the 216 and 401, as I would need the 216/220/410 to get to Footscray anyway). May well have still done the 402 home. It did take a while for the 401 to attract patronage from memory.

I think the 403 was brought in around the same time as RRL and regional trains no longer stopped at North Melbourne? So probably has limited appeal - and presumably won't be needed once the Metro Tunnel gives a train connection to that precinct (and also reduce the 401 catchment as Sunbury passengers will have a direct service and Werribee/Williamstown passengers will probably change trains at Footscray).

Craig Halsall said...

I think the merit of the route is sound, even post-COVID

Victoria Park allows transfers from buses or trains from countless north-east suburbs, and then once you add in the tram corridors from the north, you are giving over 50 suburbs faster access to the uni & hospital precinct (a further extension would be warranted once the Metro Tunnel works on Grattan St are complete)

The 401 seemed ridiculously ambitious when it was introduced, but within a few years the 3 min peak service was struggling, I can't see why this won't be successful too

Craig Halsall said...

From 1999 to 2014 there was a 205 Melbourne Uni - Doncaster route but removed in the Transdev Greensfields stage 1 changes. Peak only and only half hourly.

From my occasional rides on it it only ever had a handful get on or off at the uni

Old timetable here - https://web.archive.org/web/20060819092544fw_/http://www.nationalbus.com.au/205.shtml

There was also a 203 service that used to travel along the Eastern Fwy (instead of through Kew Junction), again deleted in 2014.

When the 903 SmartBus was introduced in April 2009, 203 was truncated at Bulleen (as was 200) but 205 still ran through to Doncaster Shoppingtown (partly serving a couple of dozen Marcellin College boys going to school)

Old timetable here - https://web.archive.org/web/20060819092544fw_/http://www.nationalbus.com.au/203.shtml

Kilby Rd in North Kew also had the 313 & 315 freeway buses that ran into the MMTB-era Russell St terminus, while 201 ran via Belmore Rd & Johnson St to Melbourne Central. Overall a very complex corridor!


Old 201 timetable - https://web.archive.org/web/20060819092544fw_/http://www.nationalbus.com.au/201.shtml

Old 313 timetable - https://web.archive.org/web/20060819092544fw_/http://www.nationalbus.com.au/313.shtml

Old 315 timetable - https://web.archive.org/web/20060819092544fw_/http://www.nationalbus.com.au/315.shtml

Craig Halsall said...

The timetable and map with stop locations is now available on the PTV website - https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/route/13797/202-yarra-bend-melbourne-university

A few thoughts:
1 - there seems to be a new stop for 202 towards Melbourne Uni at Victoria Park Station opposite Lulie St - this makes some sense but those getting off the train just to go towards central Collingwood have to choose between 200/207 or 202 which is not ideal

2 - Stop location means the connection with DART is not ideal, as there will be a 150m walk from the stop on Hoddle St (currently the 200/207 stop is on the corner, 20m walk).

3 - In the opposite direction passengers will need to cross Hoddle St to reach the DART stop, so that turns a 20m walk (200/207 stop) to nearly 5 minutes (bus waiting to cross Hoddle St then you having to cross back as a pedestrian)

4 - Given the low volume passengers using the bus east of Victoria Park, I would have it stop all stops to maximise coverage in Abbotsford

Mat said...

I wonder whether once Melbourne Metro opens (and hence Grattan St reopens) they might consider combining and through running the 401 and 202. Similar service frequency/operating pattern, but with the benefit of connecting NM with the N-S tram routes and directly connecting NM with CH group (would probably still be quicker to interchange in the loop though for rail-to-rail connections). Would simplify the dead running loops both services need to do.

Or would through running risk undermining the performance of both services so they end up lumpy, in practice?

Anonymous said...

The eastern turning movement is supported by a road that goes left off Studely Park Road, loops right and then underneath S P Rd to emerge facing the up direction.

In 1978 there was a regular AEC Mk 4 which did this, and laid up before heading back towards the city. Every weekday.

Of course, the old route 207 was the Collingwood-Clarke St shortworking which I think only ever had the odd meal shift tabled there.

There was a MMTB meal room, which was a left over from the cable car days I think.