Residents of Greater Shepparton are sometimes waiting up to an hour for a bus — and want a solution to the problem.
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Shepparton resident Maria Britt catches the number four bus towards Connolly Park every day for work, and said there should be more regular services.
She said it would make it easier for her to get to work, as the earliest bus left at 8.20am, which meant she was rushing to get where she needed to be on time.
"Yeah, it (more services) will make it easier for me to get to work day to day," she said.
A fellow Shepparton resident at the bus interchange on Maude St said she didn’t like catching the bus, especially during summer, due to the long wait times standing in the heat.
"If I cannot be bothered or sometimes it is sweltering, especially in the warmer months, I will catch a taxi due to standing in the heat," she said.
Mooroopna resident and Mooroopna Education and Activity Centre manager Jan Philips said the recent flooding of the shared bicycle and footpath had made it harder for those from lower socio-economic backgrounds to commute to Shepparton for work and appointments.
"Those who are economically struggling in town try to get over to Centrelink in Shepparton, and it is a nightmare because there are not enough buses to go around," Ms Phillips said.
She said it would be fantastic if more buses were put on for Mooroopna's three bus routes, including the route to and from Shepparton, but understood it was a financial challenge to put more services on.
“A more regular bus service would be great, but if they are only getting two people on the bus to Shepparton in the morning, then it would be financially untenable for the bus companies," she said.
She supports state Member for Shepparton Suzanna Sheed's recent calls for an extensive review into the bus routes in Greater Shepparton.
Ms Sheed acknowledged that the situation currently facing Mooroopna residents attempting to catching a bus to Shepparton was “nearly impossible”, especially for those needing to catch one on the weekend or for work in the mornings.
"Yes, in terms of Mooroopna, for example, I think the first bus leaves at 8.30am, which if you're going to work is quite hard," she said.
"So I imagine that makes it very challenging for people to get to work on time, and that is also a real issue that needs addressing.
"We clearly need more buses on weekends, with the last bus at midday on a Saturday. How do kids and people from Moorpoona who want to come over for entertainment and other activities on Saturday afternoon and into the evening come to Shepparton?“
Ms Sheed believes an extensive bus review is needed now, with Shepparton’s population growing quickly.
"For years, we've been calling for a review of the bus services in Shepparton, and one of the real drivers is that there has been a major growth of Shepparton’s population," she said.
"So we've got a lot of new housing estates out on the edge of Shepparton, but the bus services haven't been extended to match them, and while we were able to get free buses for the new school (Greater Shepparton Secondary College), we need to get the bus line extended out to Kialla.“
Ms Sheed argues it is an issue that needs to be addressed, and wants the review done before the VLocity train upgrade due next year.
"So with the nine new VLocity trains expected early in the new year, the importance of reviewing all our bus services so that we get alignment between rail and buses and the railway station in Shepparton is crucial,” she said.
"It's 14 years since we've had a bus review by the department here in Shepparton, and it's time that we have this review.“
Ms Sheed has asked Victorian Transport Minister Ben Carroll to give a timeframe on when the review could happen.
"He (Mr Carroll) certainly gave a strong indication, so I'm hoping, but I don’t anticipate it will happen before an election now because everyone's going into election mode,” she said.
“I want it done properly, so not just a quick study, but a real look — at what the community needs.”
Ms Sheed believes the review will take place early next year if Labor is re-elected.
State Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell is of a similar opinion and believes there should be a review of the bus services, with community consultation to help design the routes.
"I am always advocating for it, and there should be an extensive review of the bus service with community consultation," Ms Lovell said.
She argues there should be an upgrade to the overall bus system, with a call for the buses to incorporate the Myki card used in the Melbourne public transport system.
"We need greater connectivity across public transport,” she said.
“We should have the Myki card system in place. This would be easier for passengers going on buses around Shepparton and Melbourne, so they can travel without having to change tickets.”
A spokesperson for Mr Carroll said: "We continue to monitor all public transport services being provided in regional towns, and welcome feedback from the community about service coverage."