Course Correction – Reforming Melbourne’s buses
Yesterday, we launched our report ‘Course Correction – Reforming Melbourne’s buses’ at Arup and dove into how a reformed bus system can transform the way Melburnians move around our city.
Our members heard from Paul Carter, one of the key contributors to the report, who outlined the challenges, benefits, and recommendations for bus reform in Melbourne.
Panellists Dr Laura Aston from Arup, Peter Kartsidimas from Infrastructure Victoria, and Dr John Stone from The University of Melbourne joined Leanne Edwards, Director Policy & Advocacy who moderated a discussion on the importance of bus reform in a growing metropolis. Panellists highlighted that, despite buses being the mode of transport that most Melburnians have access to, the service is not a viable option for many. More investment is needed to make services safer, faster, frequent and more direct, to get people to transit hubs, shopping centres and amenities.
The bus system no longer adequately meets the needs of the growing population with infrequent services, indirect routes and longer travel times reinforcing car dependency across the city. With 87% of Melburnian households owning a car, a public awareness campaign and the building of social licence are key opportunities in the process of reform.
While the idea of bus reform has been around for some time, collaboration between business, government and community to invest in change and push reform forward, is needed.
We thank all panellists, and our hosts Dr Joseph Correnza and Arup.
