Tuesday, 16 June 2026

 Katherine COPSEY (Southern Metropolitan) (22:01): (2585) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Public and Active Transport, and the action I seek is for the minister to improve bus route 246 by increasing service frequencies and introducing effective bus priority measures along that route.

Route 246 runs between Clifton Hill and Elsternwick through St Kilda, travelling along Punt Road and Barkly Street. It provides one of Melbourne’s most important north–south public transport connections, filling a big gap between rail and tram corridors. Despite being a high frequency route, the 246 is regularly overcrowded. Passengers report buses arriving already full and leaving with people unable to board. This is particularly difficult for older people, passengers with disabilities, parents with prams, those who need to get to work and anyone who simply cannot wait indefinitely for another service. The problem becomes worse in the evening when services becomes less frequent. At popular destinations, like Point Ormond, large numbers of people can leave at the same time after sunset, only to find that the available buses cannot meet demand. I have personally experienced being left behind by a full bus on the 246 route in St Kilda.

Reliability is also undermined by congestion. A bus carrying dozens of passengers can be delayed behind a small number of private vehicles because it is given no meaningful priority. This is an inefficient use of our road space to get around. It also discourages people, if they feel they cannot rely on being able to get on the bus, from choosing public transport. The 246 needs more frequent services, particularly during the evening and weekend peaks. It also needs practical priority measures, such as dedicated or part-time bus lanes, queue jump lanes, traffic signal priority and better enforcement against vehicles that are blocking bus movements. The government should treat this route as the major mass transit corridor that it is. Minister, will you provide this key route with priority measures like bus lanes, traffic signal priority and increased frequencies to reduce crowding?