Monday, 27 March 2017

The Andrews Labor Government has unveiled a major boost to bus services in Warragul and Drouin.

Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing today announced upgrades to local routes, to provide more frequent, direct and reliable buses, that are better coordinated with train services in these growing Gippsland towns.

As part of the new network, new route 80 will replace route 3 and run through growing areas in Warragul’s south west – connecting Fairview and Lifestyle Village, Warragul Regional College and West Gippsland Hospital to Warragul Station.

Route 4 will become route 81 and will be extended along Bowen Street to Maple Way to enable more people in Warragul’s north to get the bus to the station and the centre of town.

Route 1 will be renamed route 82 and extend into new residential areas east of Normanby Street – on Twin Ranges Drive and Sutton Street.

Route 2 will become route 83 and be extended to connect residents on Copelands Road and Sutton Street to Warragul Station.

Route 5 between Noojee and Warragul will be renamed route 89 and continue to run at school times.

All bus routes will run hourly services with routes 80, 81, 82 and 83 now running on both Saturdays and Sundays – a big boost from the old network, which did not provide any services on the weekend.

The existing Drouin to Warragul service will become route 85 and will now cover growing areas in Drouin South.

Drouin’s north will be covered by route 86, which will connect to route 85 and train services at Drouin station. Both routes 85 and 86 will run hourly and also run on Saturdays.

As part of the new Warragul and Drouin bus networks, services will start earlier, finish later and run more often – with buses every hour on most routes. There will also be more low-floor buses operating on the new network, boosting accessibility for people with wheelchairs or scooters, and parents with prams.

Last month, the Labor Government announced a bigger better bus network for the La Trobe Valley with more frequent, reliable services for Moe, Traralgon, Morwell and Churchill will start on 9 April.

The new services are the product of extensive community consultation, are funded through the Labor Government’s $100 million Better Bus Network program and are part of the Regional Network Development Plan – Victoria’s first ever long-term strategy for better public transport in regional Victoria.

The new networks in Warragul and Drouin will start on 14 May. Timetables will be available in late April at ptv.vic.gov.au.

Quotes attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing

“These new West Gippsland networks will provide a huge boost to local services – providing more frequent, reliable travel options, to more places in Warragul and Drouin.

“The new services respond to our growing communities’ needs and will better connect locals to work, education, services and each other.”