Council will write to the Minister for Transport supporting a community petition for urgent improvements to the frequency and reliability of the 606 bus service, which connects Elsternwick Station to Fishermans Bend via St Kilda.
Resident Jenni Roper told TWISK that countless residents and students are left waiting, or stranded, due to the inadequate service frequency and reliability of bus route 606.
‘However, during peak times, buses are routinely overcrowded, delayed, or fail to arrive at all – forcing passengers, including children, to wait in uncertainty or miss vital connections like school start times or medical appointments.’
Jenni petitioned the council to take up the issue with the Minister for Public Transport and the local MP, calling for:
* Increasing the frequency of bus route 606, especially during peak school and commuter hours.
* Ensuring buses run on time and reliably.
* Providing safe, accessible public transport for all, especially vulnerable users like students and older residents.
‘No child should be left behind. No elderly resident should be left waiting.’
Councillors Back the Call
The council voted unanimously to support the petition and write to the Minister and local MP.
Cr Makin said, ‘This is a service that connects not only major activity centres, but schools, other recreational and employment opportunities across this route.’
‘This is a service that is woefully inadequate, does not meet the needs of our community, [and] does not meet the needs of our future community.’
A very concerned Cr Cunsolo said the current service was leaving students stranded.
‘The 606 is a fantastic bus. It connects many, many assets in our area, but it doesn’t show up.’
‘[This week] some young students were travelling back from sports class at the last period of the day from Murphy Reserve.’
‘The bus didn’t take on or let off anybody for three stops around the school. And they didn’t know what to do.’
Cr Jay said it’s pretty embarrassing that we don’t have a more connected system.
‘I’d like to think that this is the first step forward for connecting our community both with and buses, especially connecting Port Melbourne with St Kilda, and this is imperative in joining our communities together.’
The 606 operates at 30- or 40-minute intervals Monday – Friday, hourly on weekends.
