Photos released today by the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) have revealed large hordes of students at Monash University bus interchange and very few actual buses in sight.
“Once again Monash students are being left behind by the Department of Transport,” said PTUA outer east convenor Jeremy Lunn. “These photos clearly show consistently high demand for buses at Monash University, yet most bus routes servicing the university operate on a meagre half-hourly interval or worse.”
“Even the Smartbus services are a lousy offering for Monash students typically operating every 15 minutes. By comparison University of Melbourne students have trams every minute or two on Swanston Street, every 4-6 minutes on Elizabeth Street and buses every three minutes to North Melbourne.”
“Clearly Monash students are the poor cousins when it comes to public transport.
“The end result is that many of the 26,000 Monash students and staff members[1] give up on public transport altogether and instead purchase cars and drive to the university each day. This is a financial burden that we shouldn’t be imposing on students, while it is also adding to congestion on roads leading to Monash University.
“Since the Department of Transport have failed to address the lack of buses at Monash, we look forward to an early solution from the new public transport authority that was recently announced by the Victorian government.
“Ultimately, the long awaited Rowville railway line would fulfil the transport needs of thousands of Monash students and staff and needs to be completed as soon as possible. A comprehensive reform and upgrade of bus services is also extremely urgent.”
“Universities are supposed to be about excellence. The buses here at Monash are not excellent,” Mr Lunn concluded.
[1] There are 26,689 students enrolled at Monash University, Clayton campus based on 2009 figures. Monash University furthermore employs 15,262 full-time staff members across all Victorian campuses. See: www.monash.edu.au/about/stats.html
Appendix
Route/Interval
630 – Elwood to Monash University: 20 minutes (12 mins in peak)
631 – Southland to Monash University: half-hourly
691 – Boronia to Waverley Gardens/Monash: 4 services per a day (morning peak only)
693 – Belgrave to Oakleigh: Hourly (20 mins in peak)
703 – Middle Brighton to Blackburn: Partial Smartbus (approx 4-5 buses per hour)
733 – Oakleigh to Box Hill via Monash: half-hourly (approx 15 mins peak)
737 – Croydon to Monash University: 40 minutess
742 – Eastland to Chadstone via Monash: half-hourly
802 – Dandenong to Chadstone via Mulgrave, Monash University: 45 minutes
804 – Dandenong to Chadstone via Wheelers Hill, Monash University: 45 minutes
862 – Dandenong to Chadstone via North Dandenong, Monash University: 45 minutes
900 – Rowville to Caulfield, via Monash: Smartbus (every 15 minutes)
