Bus stops not welcome
With less than a month before new and expanded intra-town bus services begin in Warragul and Drouin, a number of residents are complaining about bus stops proposed in front of, or close to, their houses.
The new services – there are four routes in Warragul linking residential areas and the central business district and two in Drouin – will start on May 14.
They will run at about hourly intervals from 6am to 5pm on weekdays and there will also be regular services throughout the weekend.
Warragul Bus Lines will operate the new services on behalf of Public Transport Victoria.
The bus company’s Jamie Stow said an extra seven to eight full-time drivers were being recruited for the expanded local networks.
He said he expected detailed route maps, including major stops, to be completed by PTV in the near future.
House owners in both Warragul and Drouin that are directly affected by locations of bus stops were sent letters last month by PTV’s Bus Stop Infrastructure Team.
They pointed out there would be “no parking” areas extending 10 or 20 metres each side of the bus stops and for owners to “make sure that occupants of the property, and visitors, are aware of these rules”.
About half of the frontage of the Albert St, Warragul, home of Doug and Kerry Elliott on the north side of the street will become “no parking” when a bus stop is installed in front of their next door neighbour.
That doesn’t please them but what has them really shaking their heads is “why put a bus stop in Albert St on a route that then travels through the north and north-east of the town and would take 15 to 20 minutes to reach the CBD when you can walk there in five to 10 minutes?”
A detailed response to Mrs Elliott’s concerns made via email to PTV doesn’t build any hopes that changes will be made.
Customer Relations Officer Caroline Maxwell said PTV was not legally required to notify residents if a bus stop is going to be located outside or adjacent to their home but does no as a courtesy.
Ms Maxwell also writes that “unless a compelling safety issue is raised with the physical location of the stop we do not remove or relocate stops based on customer requests” and points out that people living “adjacent to public roads do not own the parking space outside their properties”.
Member for Narracan Gary Blackwood’s office has received complaints from a number of affected residents in both towns stating they’d never been consulted about bus stops being located in front of or next to their houses.
PTV’s website has maps of the planned routes but they do not, at this stage, include any information about the directions buses will travel or where stops will be located.
It states “consultation has now closed” and that “further information will be provided before the network starts”.
The letter to impacted home owners explains the installation of new bus stops will be in two stages, the first to start early next month.
That will involve erection of a pole and “flagstyle” sign.
In coming months a paved standing area with tactile tiles will be added. There are no plans for bus shelters. PTV pointed out that its decisions on where stops are located were made in consultation with Baw Baw Shire and VicRoads taking into account safety, ease of access, visibility and even spaces between stops.
When announcing the expanded intra-town bus services last month Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing said they were the result of extensive consultation sessions with the public”.
Two sessions were held in Warragul and Drouin last July but The Gazette has been informed they did not address possible locations of bus stops.
No details have yet been released by Ms Shing or PTV about how many bus stops will be established to serve the new routes.
Ms Shing was on leave last week and unable to be contacted for further information.