2024's top 5 ideas for better buses in Wyndham (and beyond)

Friends of The Earth Sustainable Cities campaign is running a bus forum for the community in just under two weeks. Why is the West still waiting for Better Buses in 2024 is timely given it's 992 days since Victoria's Bus Plan came out (with not even the Bus Reform Implementation Plan known to be delivered yet). 

The March 14 forum takes place at Williams Landing in the City of Wyndham. Speaking will be community advocates, local government people, MPs and a representative from the Minister. 

To mark the event here's my five point plan on what's needed for local buses. For simplicity I've mainly stuck to Wyndham and kept to buses but an integrated approach across the west involving both buses and train services is desirable, with some ideas for other areas given later. 

1. New bus routes for growth area coverage

Areas like Mambourin and parts of Tarneit North don't have buses. But they should. Existing Wyndham bus routes get metropolitan-beating patronage levels so there's no reason why these wouldn't be as productive. It's known that providing bus routes early in an estate's development reduces car dependence and cost of living pressures. The government needs to improve funding and processes so DTP can be more responsive as Melbourne has a problem in ensuring bus services are there when people move in, with waits of up to 14 years.   

2. Double all day frequency on key routes 

Wyndham has amongst the most productive bus routes in Melbourne, thanks to a reformed and mostly direct network introduced in 2015. However many still drop to every 40 minutes off-peak and on weekends. Also all but one route finishes shortly after 9pm most nights. Boosting off-peak frequency  to every 20 minutes (which meshes with trains) needs more driver hours but is otherwise economical as it makes use of the existing bus fleet. High priority routes for such improvements include 150, 152, 160, 192, 494, 495 and 497. Others like 170 and 180 are mostly every 20 minutes but need longer spans. Together these would deliver a long span, moderate frequency bus within 10 minutes walk of most Wyndham residents. 

3. Connect people and jobs

Laverton North is one of the biggest jobs areas in Melbourne's west. A short distance west are Truganina and Tarneit, both residential growth areas with huge workforces. No bus runs between the two, making existing public transport a multi-leg trip involving often infrequent trains and buses. Tarneit hardly existed when Laverton North's bus network was last reviewed. Hence it's time for new connective routes to jobs, most notably between Tarneit and Laverton North but also potentially involving Williams Landing, Laverton, Sunshine and/or Altona North. More on building job ready networks in the west here. 

4. Scrap FlexiRide / replace with fixed routes

Tarneit North FlexiRide is a dud. It is the public transport equivalent of trying to phone Centrelink, with about as much chance of success in peak times. While introduced with fanfare it is unsuited to the mass transit needs of a dense, diverse, mobile population better served with fixed routes. FlexiRide is geometrically doomed. Its main success is to max out with 'service unavailable' messages while simultaneously carrying fewer passengers per driver hour than a regular fixed route. Hence it is best replaced by regular routes such as which succeed elsewhere in Wyndham. One of them (on Dohertys Rd) could even link to jobs in Laverton North as mentioned above. Similar comments apply to Melton's FlexiRide which also gets oversubscribed. 

5. Tram-like Route 170 SuperBus between Werribee, Werribee Plaza and Tarneit running every 10 minutes

Would run every 10 minutes 7 days per week with bus priority to ensure reliability along Derrimut Rd. Each stop would feature larger high-quality shelter, real-time information and direct pedestrian access across the road. Essentially a 'BRT light' joining key destinations in Wyndham, this would be a precursor to similar upgrades on other corridors in the area, for example Ballan Rd to Wyndham Vale (Route 190) or to Williams Landing via Sayers and/or Leakes Rd (150 or 152).   

Melbourne's west beyond Wyndham

Top priorites here could include 1. Growth area coverage in areas like Mt Atkinson currently without service, 2. Getting popular but underserved bus routes like 423 and 424 up to 'minimum standard' operating hours (ie at least a 9pm finish) along with 7 day service on 414, 415 and 431, 3. Operating hours extensions and/or 7 day frequency boosts on key trunk routes including 406, 408, 411, 418, 420 and 460, 4. Simplification of routes to enable 10 minute frequent corridors (a) between Footscray and Highpoint, (b) along Ballarat Rd and (c) along Millers Rd, 5. Major bus network reviews in Melton townsite and Altona North/Williamstown to simplify the network, 6. Improved connections to jobs, notably in Laverton North and Fishermans Bend and 7. A Bus Rapid Transit corridor along Taylors Rd for efficient east-west transit to growth areas. 

Conclusion

This is my top 5 for bus upgrades in the Wyndham area, along with an outline of priorities for other parts of Melbourne's west. For maximum effect they should be combined with boosted train services, notably weekends on the Geelong line. Together these initiatives would create a vastly upgraded transit network fit to connect the area's growing population to jobs and opportunities.  

If this, or other bus concepts, interests you, visit their website to register for the forum - it promises to be very interesting.