UN 222: Wollert/Epping North bus network consultation starts

News earlier in the week with the state government announcing consultation on an expanded bus network for Wollert in Melbourne's outer north.

Funding, service planning and political context

With funding allocated in the May 2025 state budget, this network has a very good chance of actually happening. And of the various funding sources, budget funding is the 'gold standard' as GAIC (ie growth area contribution) is time-limited and highly constrained. 

This is just as well for the state Labor government as its record on public transport services in Melbourne's growing north could be described as mediocre (if you sympathise with the government) or abysmal (if you don't) given the area's fast population growth and densification in middle suburbs.  

Route 390 and Craigieburn local buses have been two of the few bright spots in the last five or so years. Away from Craigieburn buses the more common experience has been expectations raised and then dashed for both train and bus. 

For instance Mernda and Hurstbridge lines got nothing out of the so-called 'Big Switch' despite the premier promising 'new timetables everywhere'. Similarly Craigieburn and Upfield lines were meant to get 10 minute off-peak service under the Metro Tunnel but didn't, though a smaller set of improvements from last year's state budget is proposed for later this year. 

Back to buses the north and north-eastern suburbs got promised large-scale bus reform before the 2022 state election but, with the government safely returned, this was abandoned the following year. Two valuable years was squandered on the stupid Greensborough FlexiRide before they realised that upgraded fixed routes were better after all, though resource allocation was misplaced on the latter with buses on busy Bell Street actually made more complicated. 

Given this patchy record bus advocates should not be satisfied with promises of network reviews from political parties in the coming election campaign - instead they should insist on specific measures whose honouring or otherwise is a yes or no answer. 

Politically Melbourne's north has been dominated by Labor that now has the baggage typical of long-term governments. Greens are competitive in southern inner areas, socialists are competing in diverse working class 'middle north' areas like Broadmeadows and Reservoir and the long-term drift away from the major parties leaves the door open to local independents. The Liberals, racked by disunity and with a weak local membership base, fancy their prospects in some higher income/big house areas like Greenvale but are likely to be most influential in where their preferences flow. 

Given previous disappointments with transport in the north and this being an election year, all eyes will be on this government to make this network a success rather than a fizzer. 

Proposed network

The upgrade is based on extending three existing bus routes north from Epping further into Wollert growth areas (356, 357, 358), adding a new bus route north from Epping (355) and creating a simpler largely east-west route (335) that replaces parts of existing routes 357 and 577 between Thomastown, Epping and South Morang. Serving a fast growing part of Melbourne's outer north, it will add bus coverage to a population of 21 000. 

The new network means that three of the four Wollert/Epping North routes intersect Route 390, as opposed to none before. Route 390 is an east-west bus between Craigieburn and Mernda that has enjoyed several rounds of service upgrades. 

The proposed network is very close to that which I speculated on here. Possibly its most controversial feature is that the east-west Lyndarum Drive loses its buses. Instead people will need to walk to north-south routes for which higher frequency is promised, at least on weekdays. I wrote more on Epping Rd, identifying it as a potential frequent bus corridor, more than 6 years ago. 

Something else that will no doubt be raised is access to Epping Plaza and Northern Hospital from a section of Epping Rd (which contains some low income apartments). Residents there have a choice of Route 356 to Epping Station or Route 357 that not only goes to the station but also beyond to the plaza and hospital. The proposed network replaces 357 with the new route 355 that, like 356 also terminates at the station. Thus bus users will need to change buses to make a relatively short local trip unless there is some sort of through-routing arrangement where arriving 355s and 356s form departing 357s and 358s. 

What is more certain is that those on the existing 577 are undoubted winners with the new 335, with this serving the plaza, hospital and beyond.   

The proposed network, with a handy slider map to compare with with the old, can be found here.

Service levels

Bus routes in the area typically operate every 20 minutes peak periods and 40 minutes off-peak weekdays and weekends. The main exception is Route 577 which has an uneven interpeak weekday service since its two buses per hour cannot regularly connect with the typical 20 minute train frequencies at Epping and South Morang. 

The notes for Routes 356, 357 and 358 have this somewhat vague statement: "We’re proposing to improve the frequency of peak-hour and weekday daytime services."

Thus we can expect weekend frequencies to remain the same. It is not known whether operating hours will be extended like they have recently been on some routes in Craigieburn, Werribee and Tarneit. 

 What will be a higher peak hour frequency for these buses? Trains at Epping are uneven but are roughly every 6 to 9 minutes in the peak. A bus frequency of around 15 minutes will connect with about every second train.

As for off-peak service, the current 40 minute service harmonises with every second train, a 30 minute service would offer recurring connections only hourly while a 20 minute service could connect with every train in at least one direction. 

Epping Road will have both 355 and 356 overlapping south of Hayston Rd to Epping Station. If both are every 40 minutes the ideal scheduling would see them spaced 20 minutes to provide an even headway connecting with every train at Epping. However if both are every 20 minutes then there is either the choice of two buses every 20 minutes to preserve train connectivity or 10 minute spacing to provide a frequent corridor with one route not meeting trains. Upgrading the Mernda line upgraded to run every 10 minutes off-peak would be ideal so this trade-off wouldn't need to be made.  

It has (commendably) become common for growth area bus routes to be upgraded to or even start with a 20 minute off-peak service at least on weekdays. As opposed to the previously typical and unexciting 40 to 60 minute frequencies. 

Examples can be found in Werribee, Tarneit, Craigieburn, Diggers Rest, Cranbourne and Clyde. The treatment of weekends varies for no reason I can discern. 20 minute weekend service is found on some Werribee, Tarneit and Cranbourne routes whereas Craigieburn and Diggers Rest passengers must make do with a 40 minute weekend service. It looks like Wollert will be following the 20 minute weekday/40 minute weekend pattern, with this known for the new Route 335 and possibly also for 355, 356, 357 and 358 (if these get a 20 minute weekday off-peak service). 

Another good feature of some new and upgraded routes is wider operating hours, with buses finishing at around midnight instead of 9pm on most nights of the week. This is most notable in Werribee, Tarneit and Craigieburn. 

The website does not state whether Wollert routes will get similar operating hours extensions. Neither does it mention the fate of Night Network services which currently operate on Route 357. This is particularly interesting as this proposal breaks the 357 up into multiple routes so there is a chance that some areas could gain Night Network while others lose it. Night Network is relevant not just for party goers but also early weekend morning travellers due to most regular bus routes starting late on weekends, particularly Sundays.

Survey

The consultation includes an online survey and meetings. Respondents will be asked about their bus usage and whether this is likely to increase under the new network.  Consultation finishes March 8, 2026.

Wider network implications

This revised network includes both established and new suburbs. In the former is Route 577 which will become a part of the new 335 route which will operate at a higher frequency along Findon Rd. Approximately 600m south of Findon Rd is McDonalds Rd which has the 901 SmartBus. In between is a residential area of indirect streets that is penetrated by the Route 556 dogleg discussed here. 

As well as taking people out of their way and wasting a lot of time the 556's run time has led to it (and possibly other routes like the 555) having an unmemorable and unharmonised with trains 22-24 minute headway. Basically this loop sabotages what could be a simpler, more direct and better connected route running every 20 minutes over a wide catchment. 

It would be desirable if the Wollert changes also simplify buses in this part of Epping. Options might include outright removal of the 556 dogleg, or, noting that the area is quite pedestrian hostile, its replacement by a local coverage-style South Morang to Epping route every 40 to 60 min in the Derby Dr area. 

See other Useful Network items here