The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has called for bus stops to return to the city centre, in a submission to a state government review of Geelong’s central bus services.
Geelong Branch Convenor Paul Westcott made the submission after users found out that the Department of Infrastructure had engaged consultants Parsons Brinckerhoff to review bus routes in central Geelong.
Mr Westcott said the PTUA proposed a more efficient and passenger-friendly bus layout that would also make trips across the city centre easier.
Under the proposal, all buses would run through the city centre and the Geelong railway station, and passengers would be able to change between bus services at the Moorabool and Malop Street intersection.
There would be a stop on every city block, near major intersections, to give passengers easy access to all of Geelong’s CBD.
“People will no longer struggle to find the right bus stop, and they won’t have to walk up to two city blocks just to change buses,” Mr Westcott said.
He said the PTUA proposal was intended to demonstrate a better way of serving the city centre and bus passengers. “We hope it will spark public discussion, because we’re very concerned that no public consultation has been scheduled as part of the review.”
The present review comes more than two years after bus stops were “temporarily” moved from Moorabool Street while street construction works were carried out between Ryrie and Malop Streets. Since then, a single ‘drop-off-only’ stop has returned to Moorabool Street.
Under the PTUA plan:
- Buses to the northern and southern suburbs would follow Moorabool and Brougham Streets to a new northern entrance to Geelong station on the Mercer Street corner; and
- Buses from the east and west would serve the Geelong Hospital, and then use Malop Street and Railway Terrace to reach the station.
Full submission (PDF download)