New coach for night riders

Night-time revellers and people enjoying a night visit to the city will now have a safe and easy way home from the big smoke.

A Seymour Night Coach will hit the road next month, giving residents a safer and more affordable way to get home on the weekend.

Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes said the night coach will run on a trial basis from October 14, leaving Melbourne at 2 am and travelling to Seymour — and on to Puckapunyal on demand.

The trial sees Seymour join Bendigo, Ballarat, Geelong and Traralgon as regional communities benefiting from the Victorian Government’s Night Network trial of all-night public transport on weekends.

The inclusion of a Seymour night service is sure to provide extra incentive for residents to spend more time in the city after dark.

‘‘The Seymour Night Coach will give locals a safer and more affordable way to get home on the weekend so they can stay out longer and enjoy the best of Melbourne’s nightlife,’’ Ms Symes said.

‘‘People in Seymour, Wallan, Kilmore, Broadford and Wandong will join the thousands of Victorians and visitors already benefiting from the trial of all-night public transport on weekends.’’

The coach will depart from Melbourne’s Southern Cross Coach Terminal on Saturday and Sunday mornings, dropping off passengers at stations along the line, as well as in Wallan and Kilmore.

People will also be able to board the bus at stops along the way, not just at Southern Cross, allowing them to get home from any of the towns.

The coach is expected to arrive at Seymour just before 4 am, with a final dropoff at Bridges Barracks, Puckapunyal for authorised personnel.

The timetable outlining routes and dropoff locations for the Seymour Night Coach service is now available on the PTV website at www.ptv.vic.gov.au