Following intense lobbying from community groups such as the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) and Templestowe Road Reference Panel, recent State Government bus service reviews have finally provided two-directional public transport services along Templestowe Road. However, without any bus stops on the northern side of the road, the new service is useless if it cannot serve passengers along the route, and both groups demand their immediate installation.
“Bus services along Templestowe Road were amongst the worst in Manningham for many years, and the community demanded better bus services. Whilst commonsense has finally prevailed and the new ‘Manningham Mover’ now operates along Templestowe Road, the service will continue to be useless until bus stops are installed on the northern side to pick up and drop off passengers who want to use the service”, PTUA spokesman Christopher Trikilis said.
Transport Minister Lynne Kosky announced the new ‘Manningham Mover’ route (numbered 280 and 282) in 2008 amid much hype and fanfare; however the route neither operates:
- to the government’s own ‘minimum service standards’ (operating 7 days a week until 9pm),
- with promised low-floor buses providing universal access, or
- provides adequate bus stops for commuters as Templestowe Road has a gravel shoulders and dangerous, deep open drains for much of its length on the northern side.
“Minister Kosky needs to be honest about the condition of Manningham’s much-maligned bus network. Residents are sick of broken promises and delayed releases of projects in the area, and this is yet another example of botched implementation and design of something so vitally important to our community. Everyone knows that you can’t catch the bus without bus stops”, said Mr Trikilis.
“We need to see the installation of proper bus stops on the northern side of Templestowe Road with hard surface areas to stand on, and pedestrian crossings to ensure the whole community is safe”, said Templestowe Road spokesman Mervyn Hayman-Danker. “The whole road is a serious hazard and as a community we don’t need to see someone seriously injured or even killed before it is finally fixed.”
“Despite repeated requests over the years for an urgent upgrade of Templestowe Road, nothing seems to be done about its critical upgrade or addressing of safe vehicle turning. Lack of bus stops is another example of how the road needs urgent upgrading, and I urge the relevant departments to look into this matter urgently”, concluded Mr Hayman-Danker.