Hume City Council calls on Victorian government, Ben Carroll to solve bus routes issue

There are calls for a fix to the “extremely embarrassing” bus routes in Melbourne’s north as students face massive uni commutes. SEE OUR POLL.

Naim Kurt labelled Hume’s lack of tertiary education options “not sustainable” at the recent council meeting. Picture: Kylie Else

A northwest council wants to fix its “extremely embarrassing” bus routes situation as Labor announces a major rollout of next generation trams for the west.

New low-floor trams are set to be delivered from 2025 with residents in Footscray, Moonee Ponds, Essendon, Maribyrnong, North Melbourne, Ascot Vale and Niddrie to benefit.

The new trams — along routes 57, 59 and 82 — and Maidstone’s tram maintenance and stabling facility will cost $1.85bn.

Public Transport Minister Ben Carroll said: “Melbourne’s west will see a significant improvement to services in the area, delivering the more modern, accessible, and reliable services that passengers deserve.”

Construction of the Maidstone Centre will begin in 2023.

While the government splashes the cash, Hume City Council is preparing to write to Mr Carroll and Higher Education Minister Gayle Tierney seeking to improve transport options in the area.

Public Transport Minister Ben Carroll believes the new trams will provide better accessibility for residents. Picture: Brendan Beckett

Public Transport Minister Ben Carroll believes the new trams will provide better accessibility for residents. Picture: Brendan Beckett

The motion — introduced by Deputy Mayor Sam Misho — sought to bring new routes to Craigieburn, Coolaroo and Upfield to help students access Latrobe University and Victoria University.

Cr Misho explained how he travelled two-and-a-half hours one way to get to Deakin University in Burwood two decades ago.

“After all this time, there are people in my shoes who still do the same thing, if anything that is extremely embarrassing,” Cr Misho said.

“There are certain suburbs in Hume which are the most disadvantaged in Victoria, to change any of that, we need to focus.

“Perhaps getting a university in (Hume) is out of reach at this stage but at least we can facilitate the process of students getting to university.”

The state government is running a survey into bus options in the north which concludes on October 16.

The letter will also ask the state government for its plans on providing university courses and campuses in “suitable proximity” to Hume residents.

It comes as the council discussed advocating for a potential university campus in Hume, something Cr Naim Kurt said was urgently needed.

“As world travel comes back to Australia, as students come back to Australia, I think it’s one that we should be getting back in front of the universities,” he said.

“We’re having the population of Canberra moving in (coming years) from Broadmeadows up to Wollert … we’re going to need some universities out here.

“It’s not equitable, it’s not logical and it is not sustainable to have our community travelling all the way out to Bundoora, travelling all the way out to the CBD, travelling all the way out to the eastern suburbs … we need a campus out here in the northwest.”