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Metro and Regional Buses

Buses are a vital part of Victoria’s integrated transport system, with around 400 regular bus routes servicing metropolitan Melbourne, and local bus networks operating in more than 50 regional towns and cities.

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Victoria’s Bus Network Reform

The Department of Transport and Planning is planning a new style of bus network that is higher frequency and more connected to give more freedom and choice for where you want to go. In some places, unscrambling bus routes to make them more direct also means journeys will be faster, more frequent and more reliable.

To deliver bus network reform, the Department of Transport and Planning plans to pilot this new style of bus network by testing and providing new and innovative ways of delivering bus services. To do this we need to ensure we’re designing and delivering in a way that listens to local experiences and industry knowledge.

We’ve identified priority pilot areas across the state to learn more about how our communities want to use their bus network and priorities for change.

For more information on bus network reform please visit https://engage.vic.gov.au/busreform(opens in a new window).

Improving safety and accessibility across the network

The Victorian Government is investing $5.0 million in the Bus Network Reform project to improve our bus network and the accessibility of bus stops at priority locations across the state.

Bus stops are upgraded as part of rolling maintenance programs to ensure our bus services meet legislation, design and safety standards.

This funding will enable us to upgrade at least 80 more bus stops by June 2024 to increase accessibility and compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) and Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport (DSAPT).

We’re prioritising busy bus stops, especially those servicing vital community, disability services and care hubs across metro Melbourne and regional Victoria.

Our work will complement accessibility improvements underway across Victoria’s public transport network, including train station and tram stops to meet DDA and DSAPT requirements.

Victoria’s Bus Plan

Victoria’s Bus Plan is the Victorian Government’s long-term strategy to deliver holistic reform to the bus network across the state.

It sets out how we will start to deliver a more modern, productive, environmentally sustainable bus network that increases the number of people choosing to take the bus by delivering simple, safe, reliable and comfortable journeys.

It doesn’t focus on just bus network changes but on the bus system as a whole, bringing together opportunities across the networks, bus assets, performance, commercial, innovation and customer experience.

The Victorian Bus Plan also sets out a framework to achieve these objectives.

Victoria’s-bus-plan-bus-reform-roadmap PDF 6.82 MB (opens in a new window)

Zero Emission Bus Trials

Go here for more information about Zero Emission Bus Trials and Transition

Transport

Updated 19 March 2024

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