Better Bus Services

For many communities across Melbourne’s east, buses are the missing link in the transport network.

Buses provide vital connections to train stations, employment centres, education precincts, healthcare facilities, shopping destinations and local neighbourhoods. Yet too many residents continue to rely on private vehicles because bus services are infrequent, indirect, unreliable or unavailable.

The Eastern Transport Coalition advocates for a modern bus network that is frequent, reliable and easy to use. Better bus services have the potential to deliver meaningful improvements to mobility faster than many major infrastructure projects, while helping reduce congestion, emissions and car dependency.

We support investment in new routes, more frequent services, extended operating hours, improved bus priority measures and stronger integration with train and active transport networks. Enhancing first and last-mile connections is critical to ensuring people can access public transport easily and confidently.

As Melbourne’s east continues to grow, buses will play an increasingly important role in connecting people to opportunities and providing greater transport choice. The ETC will continue advocating for investment that delivers a bus network that better reflects how people travel today.

Public transport should work across Melbourne’s east, not just into and out of the CBD. Improving bus services is one of the most practical ways to achieve this outcome.