Box Hill: Route changes, more services within 12 months as part of Government package

Bus users are set to get more services in and around the area dubbed Melbourne’s second CBD – but details of when they’ll be introduced remain sketchy.

Commuters are set to get more services on realigned bus routes in booming Box Hill, but could be waiting up to a year to enjoy the benefits.

And the state government is yet to confirm any action on improving the suburb’s run-down underground railway station below its bus interchange, which hasn’t been upgraded in more than 30 years.

Public Transport Minister Ben Carroll and Box Hill state Labor MP Paul Hammer spruiked the government’s $109m state budget investment to improve bus services throughout Victoria at Box Hill Central on Tuesday.

It includes introducing more services on four high-demand routes from Box Hill, the 767, 733, 903 and 201, some of which service Deakin and Monash universities.

The changes will cater to an expected boom in local patronage, particularly students and workers, and to also support the eventual Suburban Rail Loop, which will open in 2035 and include new underground stations near both universities.

Mr Carroll said the changes were also aligned with objectives in the government’s bus plan, unveiled in June 2021.

He was unable to say how much funding had been allocated for the Box Hill improvements in the package, or confirm how many extra services would be introduced on the routes.

But Mr Carroll said planning had commenced and the changes would be in place within 12 months.

“There will be more frequency, but I can’t give you the exact figure until some of that planning has been worked out,” he said.

“It’s a multimillion commitment to Box Hill, and we will have further detail on that … certainly in the next 12 months.

“Under me as Minister, they (buses) will not be the third cousin of public transport, they are as vitally important, and more than important than ever before coming out of Covid-19.”

The bus interchange is above Box Hill’s railway station, which has been plagued by years of complaints about its connections and run-down amenities.

Mr Carroll said discussions were ongoing about improvements to the station and its connections to the bus interchange.

“When you think about buses, trains and trams, we want whatever your choice is to be seamless and integrated,” he said.

“We have lots of plans for trains stations as well, and we are working with Paul for what we need to do here at Box Hill.

“We will need to continue to ensure all high frequency routes, disability access and compliance continue to be investigated.”

Mr Hamer said he would “obviously” like to see improvements to the railway station, particularly with the arrival of the new Suburban Rail Loop station, and had raised issues with Mr Carroll about disability compliance, bus interchange links and amenities.

“It’s a 40-year-old facility, obviously the SRL is coming on board, and over time as there is more infrastructure investment, obviously I’d like to see some improvements,” he said.

“These things all take time and need to be planned through, and the investment in bus services at the moment, that can be something that is done in the short term and is really necessary … it is so important in the east to have those additional services.

“And obviously, there’s ongoing conversation about amenity improvements and accessibility to the station.”