UN 174: How south Dandenong could get 10 times the bus service for $0

When a new road bridge that creates opportunities for better and more frequent bus coverage gets built you'd think that a transport department would leap at the opportunity to exploit its benefits. 

Not so in Melbourne! 

Our Department of Transport and Planning is continually on about about simple connected journeys but their record at doing even the most basic improvements with buses is limited. 

The expectation raised when PTV got folded into the enlarged department was for more integration between roads, public transport and later planning. Thus if a level crossing gets removed or a new bridge gets built there would be thought given to how this could contribute to better bus network coverage, directness or speed. However under Secretary Paul Younis not all such 'low hanging fruit' opportunities appear to have been taken. Old silos appear as tall as they've ever been.     

South Dandenong example

Here's a potential case from south Dandenong in the Public and Active Transport Minister's own seat. When you read it you'll be amazed why this hasn't been fixed. Because there's few places in Melbourne where you could deliver a 10 times uplift in bus service to a neighbourhood for so little money. Especially when you consider this diverse area's high social needs and its distance from other bus routes.

You can see the suburb street layout below. While people associate the southern side of Dandenong with industry, there are many homes just east of Dandenong Creek. These are up to 900 metres from buses on Hammond Rd (which enjoys three routes along it). The residential area is technically still Dandenong but I'll refer to it here as south Dandenong. 

Opinions vary on what's a reasonable walking distance to a bus. But there's general consensus that 900 metres is too far. Especially for a suburb that seems to have a high seniors population. The need for coverage is recognised by Route 857 occasionally deviating via Morwell Av. These two trips per weekday are the only public transport within reasonable walking distance of a large section of south Dandenong. 

Like other 1970s-1990s outer suburbs like Watsonia North and Rowville, south Dandenong was planned in an era when it was not considered important to have an internal road grid suitable for adequate coverage from efficient and direct bus routes. The Dandenong Bypass hasn't helped much either. 

But, as related to me a few days ago, the Allan St bridge could offer a partial fix with some big benefits. A Development Victoria project, it was opened in 2017. It provides a direct connection from Morwell Avenue across Cheltenham Rd to George St and on to Dandenong station. 

The kilometres involved if a bus was to take this path is no higher than run by the existing 857 route without the deviation. And because there are other routes on Hammond Rd, running all 857 trips via Morwell Avenue and the bridge does not result in a loss of bus coverage there. Two stop pairs on Dalgety St would not be served by the redirected route but both are within 200 metres of alternatives that will offer better service. 

Areas with the greatest coverage need, west of Morwell Avenue would be the big winners. Instead of having 2 midday shopper-style trips each way they get 20 trips each way. That's a 10 fold increase in weekday service (map below). And the network is simpler too with all trips going the same way instead of currently confusing occasional deviations. The change would involve a one-off set up cost but it's well worth the coverage gain and annual service kilometres per year would be reduced due to no longer having the indirect deviation.  

Route 857's vastly increased residential catchment has other benefits too. The current timetable finishes at midday Saturday with no Sunday service. Neither is it very good as a feeder for CBD commuters, with the last trip leaving Dandenong at 6:15pm. Serving more homes builds the case for the 857 to get extended operating hours and 7 day service, with benefits spreading as far as Patterson Lakes and Carrum in the south. 

What's your thoughts on this Route 857 suggested reform? Feel free to leave them in the comments below. 

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