TT #158: Craigieburn's new timetables and routes

It's years since we had a comprehensive bus service revamp that added substantial service kilometres to the network in Melbourne. Possibly the last were Geelong and Wyndham in 2015 and Cranbourne in 2016. 

Most others since were smaller scale coverage extensions (mostly new routes every 40 to 60 minutes in growth areas) or 'oily rag' resource shifts such as occurred last year with the Night Network and Transdev timetable adjustments. There was also the Endeavour Hills network revamp. 

All were highly worthwhile low-cost upgrades but have not exactly been transformational. It's not surprising then that population growth has outstripped service growth in Melbourne for most of the last decade as service took a back seat to infrastructure in public transport's policy emphasis and funding. 

Consequently Melbourne added close to a million people yet did not start a single new SmartBus route in this period. Trains also remain underserviced with frequencies every 30 to 40 minutes at times when Sydney and even Perth run them every 15 minutes. 

Next month's Craigieburn bus revamp marks an encouraging revival of interest in service. While there are no new bus routes, some existing routes get modified to extend coverage. Even more significant are the service increases. Four routes will have services upgraded to run every 20 minutes during the day on weekdays. This is a major improvement both on what's there now and the typical 40 to 60 minute frequencies most outer suburbs get. 

The new services will commence on April 24.

Route changes

The Department of Transport / PTV hates publishing maps if they think they can get away without. They may release explanatory network maps if they are consulting on a proposed network (like Healesville that I discussed last week) but mostly considers them unimportant when launching a revised network. Even before COVID encouraging patronage growth was not a high priority for the DoT. Instead it remains a bureaucracy of the 'old school' with its languid leadership disinclined to effectively promote public transport service improvements and their benefits. 

Consequently, while we may read about the Craigieburn network upgrades here and see turn-by-turn changes to some routes, PTV has otherwise exerted only minimal effort to communicate the changes. For example there is no network map to explain how everything fits together. This is even though some residents will be served by different routes under the change. 

It's become habitual; PTV was similarly missing / inaction with regards to network maps for last month's new Mornington Peninsula network too. This weakness  contrasts with the strong promotion done for 'Big Build' infrastructure projects (despite these being more physically obvious and arguably needing it less). 

Until the new Hume local area map is done (much closer the start date) intending passengers will thus need to look at new maps route by route on the PTV website or scroll through the pdf maps linked from Ros Spence MP's media release. (Direct link here). You can then compare these alignments with the network on the current PTV Hume local area map, helped by my annotations below.  

In a nutshell the route changes include: 

* A minor rerouting for the very infrequent Route 511 (starting 11 April, not covered further here). 

*  Route 525 to take a S-shaped bend north and south of Donnybrook Rd, Mickleham. While not direct this will improve coverage. It is also simpler than the current route where buses need to negotiate the same intersection multiple times each direction. 

* Further south, Route 525 will take a more south-western alignment via Highlander Dr. This will extend coverage to an area that didn't previously have it. Passengers in the skipped area will have the 529 and 541 as alternatives. 

* Route 529 (which is Craigieburn's busiest bus route) will have its coverage extended west as far as Highlander Dr. 

* Route 537 will be shortened to terminate at Craigieburn Central Shopping Centre. Its western portion will be replaced by an extended Route 528 with greater coverage. 

Other routes will remain with today's alignment including 533, 541, 544 and the recently introduced 390.

Overall these changes add coverage. They are however a different service model to the 2015 Wyndham network. Whereas the former has a clear two tier network structure, with very direct main road routes operating more frequently than 'coverage' style neighbourhood routes operating in between them, Craigieburn's network has a less defined main road / suburban street hierarchy. Instead even most local route operate at the higher frequency on weekdays (but not weekends) as will be discussed next.  

Timetables

Here it could be said that the deity is in the detail. The abovementioned route changes, if introduced on their own, would not be exceptional. Where this network upgrade really shines is in the weekday service levels. 

No less than four routes (528, 529, 533 and 537) are being upgraded to operate every 20 minutes interpeak. This compares with 30, 40, 40 and 40 minutes respectively at the moment. 20 minute frequencies evenly mesh with interpeak trains at Craigieburn and represents a better service than the more widespread 40 to 60 minutes more often found in outer suburbs (including on new routes like in Tarneit and Clyde North). 

It is a long time since any outer suburban area got one let alone four new bus  routes operating every 20 minutes interpeak. Craigieburn is a good place to start such upgrades due to its high density, favourable demographics and strong patronage of existing routes such as 529 and 533. This excellent targeting should lead to patronage growth that is maybe 10 times better per service kilometre added than with other less well conceived bus service additions such as Route 704's. 

My detailed 2019 look at Craigieburn's network appeared here. This also recommended a revised network with routes boosted to operate every 20 minutes. 20 minute bus frequencies have broader network merits as explained here, especially if run all week and accompanied by complementary train service upgrades. 

Also welcome is the earlier weekend (and especially Sunday) starts on 525, 528, 529, 533 and 537. Start times have historically been much later on weekends than weekdays despite strong travel demand in the early mornings. It is good that this is being fixed. 

Potential enhancements

Where could the changes have gone further? Span is one. Last buses typically leave Craigieburn station at around 9:40pm. This means that you need to be out of the CBD before 9pm to have a chance of catching them. Given Craigieburn's propensity to use buses and the distance most homes are from the station it would be desirable for at least a couple of routes to have extra departures at say 10:40 and 11:40pm. 

Weekend frequency is another. This remains at 40 minutes (mostly like today). This compared with some main routes on the new Wyndham and Cranbourne networks with 20 minute weekend daytime frequencies. While not entirely straight main road routes, the 529 and 533 are possibly the front-runners for a weekend frequency doubling due to their high existing usage and coverage provided.   

Next month's upgrades boost just Craigieburn's local routes only. Those which approach Craigieburn from the south, such as 532 and 544 were not included. Both of these routes operate every 30 minutes interpeak. Because this is is unharmonised with trains every 20 minutes, the result is that the same connections only recur hourly. A simplified local network with the 532 boosted to every 20 minutes for little money was discussed in UN 30. This item also discussed Route 531 which, along with 544, is also getting a minor timetable change on April 24. 

Route 541 also didn't get a guernsey. This is a direct north-south bus corridor feeding into Broadmeadows. It already has a 20 minute weekday frequency. This too may be worthy of a higher weekend frequency and longer hours. Route 541 is even also a candidate for 24 hour weekend service if extra trips on it replace the existing special and less understandable Night Network Route 953. 

Conclusion

This is a significant bus network reform in a part of Melbourne that really needs it. Not so much due to the routes but because of the service levels involved. Let's hope it sets a precedent for similar reform to local bus networks that equally need it such as in the Preston-Reservoir, Clayton - Dandenong, Berwick - Narre Warren and Frankston areas.  

More Timetable Tuesday items are here