Bus services stuck in neutral as Greater Shepparton grows

LIMITED... To support the region's call for improved bus services, please consider signing the petition requesting a bus review be conducted urgently in Greater Shepparton. Photo: Deanne Jeffers

Petition calls for urgent review of bus services

By Deanne Jeffers

GREATER Shepparton has experienced enormous growth in the past 15 years, but public transportation has failed to meet the needs of the growing community. Despite new housing estates, schools and other developments, it has been more than 15 years since the last bus review was carried out in Greater Shepparton. A petition has been filed calling for the Department of Planning and Transport to urgently review bus services.

Currently, bus services in Shepparton and Mooroopna are limited on Saturdays, do not operate on Sundays and several housing estates and other amenities are not connected to bus routes.

For smaller towns outside of Shepparton, public transport options are significantly more limited. Despite being the third largest town in the City of Greater Shepparton and the drive one way taking only 20 minutes, Tatura residents looking to go to Shepparton on the bus face travel times of over 40 minutes to as long as two hours depending on the time of departure.

While regional cities like Mildura and Warrnambool have implemented seven-day services, Shepparton has continued to miss out, despite years of campaigning and Shepparton having a greater population than both cities.

TRANSPORT OPTIONS… Despite ongoing growth, Greater Shepparton’s bus services have not been thoroughly reviewed in over 15 years. A petition has been launched to compel the State Government to review local bus services which was started by Kialla resident Kammy Dhillon (pictured left) and will be tabled by State Member for Shepparton District Kim O’Keeffe (pictured right). Photo: Supplied

State Member for Shepparton District Kim O’Keeffe said that she has been contacted by several operators that have expressed the urgent need for expanded bus services and additional routes across Greater Shepparton.

“They are frustrated, they want to provide increased much-needed services, but their hands are tied until a bus review is completed,” O’Keeffe said.

“I have been constantly calling on the Minister for Public Transport and Active Transport, Gabrielle Williams, to acknowledge the growth of the region and to support the much-needed review and increased services.”

Business owner and Kialla resident Kammy Dhillon, who started the petition, said it is hard to believe that transport options had not progressed alongside the region’s growth. Currently, services are limited to weekdays in Kialla, and new housing estates are not serviced with bus routes.

“Kialla has had significant growth and with that comes the need for public transport,” Kammy said, urging the community to get behind the petition that will be tabled in parliament by Ms O’Keeffe.

LIMITED… To support the region’s call for improved bus services, please consider signing the petition requesting a bus review be conducted urgently in Greater Shepparton. Photo: Deanne Jeffers

Ms O’Keeffe joins a long line of representatives urging action on bus services. The region’s public transport needs and inadequacies have been highlighted by Member for Northern Victoria for years, and it was also an issue that former Shepparton District MP, Suzanna Sheed, had continuously raised.

In 2022, the then-minister for public transport, Ben Carroll, who is now the deputy premier, assured Ms Sheed and the community that the Labor government was committed to improving services, including conducting a bus review.

Responding to questioning by Ms Sheed, Mr Carroll said, “I am very keen to work with her on how we can make the improvements she needs for buses. We do know that they return $5 for every dollar invested in the local community, and they are a very important measure, particularly when it does come to cost of living, and I will continue to work with her on the matter.”

Unfortunately, there was no review of bus services and since 2022 the region has continued to grow and with it, so have calls for improved public transport options.

Ms Lovell said, “I have been advocating for over a decade for a review and upgrade of the Greater Shepparton bus network, and in that time Shepparton and the surrounding towns have grown significantly, increasing the need for more bus services and new routes, but the state Labor government has failed to expand and improve the bus network.”

“Access to public transport is particularly important for groups like the elderly, young people, those with a disability, or people living in smaller towns, but under Labor there has been no improvement at all in services.”

At the time of writing, the petition for a Shepparton bus review has garnered over 100 signatures but more support is needed. You can help by signing the petition at Kim O’Keeffe’s office at 318 Wyndham Street, Shepparton, or signing online: www.parliament.vic.gov.au/get-involved/petitions/shepparton-bus-service-review/