Wednesday, 16 October 2024

 Wendy LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (13:01): (1163) My question is for the Minister for Public and Active Transport. Will the minister reopen the Zurcas Lane bus stop that serviced the Harmony retirement village and the Shepparton East bowling club in Shepparton? Bus route 7 in Shepparton used to run along Zurcas Lane and make a stop right outside the Harmony retirement village, where there is a purpose-built bus shelter. The stop was frequently used by residents, who caught the bus as their main form of transport into town. The East Shepparton Bowls Club – which is also in Zurcas Lane – and its members also utilise this stop. The bus stop was closed without warning in May 2023, and now residents of the village are forced to walk up to a kilometre without protection from rain and sun to catch the bus at Shepparton Marketplace, and the bowlers who do not have access to a secure gate that allows village residents access to Marketplace are forced to walk even further. For many retirees that distance is just too far due to their age or their infirmity, and it is a struggle to carry a bag of bowls that far. I urge the minister to reopen the bus stop outside Harmony village in Zurcas Lane, Shepparton.

The PRESIDENT: Can I just clarify for the sake of Hansard that Mrs McArthur got cut short and she did not really ask the question. I think she meant to ask, ‘Minister, will you redesign the road?’, so we will put that down as her question.

Sitting suspended 1:02 pm until 2:02 pm.