A community transport group in Dandenong has called on the state government to match its free weekend public transport offer with better bus services across Melbourne’s south-east.
The campaign follows the government’s announcement that public transport will be free on weekends from 30 November 2025 to 1 February 2026, during the Metro Tunnel “Summer Start” period.
Fix Dandy Buses convenor Peter Parker said the initiative would not reach its potential unless bus routes ran more often and across the full weekend. “While those near trains and trams might benefit, many Dandenong area neighbourhoods would not as their buses do not or rarely operate on weekends,” he said.
Mr Parker pointed to Route 814 between Dandenong and Springvale South via Noble Park North as an example. “This operates one bus per hour between 8am and 1pm Saturdays. With a timetable based on 40-year-old shop trading hours, there is no Saturday afternoon or Sunday service,” he said.
Other routes including the 804, 844 and 857 face similar gaps. Despite serving busy destinations such as the Oasis Pool and Dandenong Market, Route 802 through Dandenong North has no weekend trips at all.
Mr Parker said the issue extended beyond Dandenong, with more than 60 residential bus routes across Melbourne still lacking seven-day service. “Six of those routes were in Greater Dandenong with these typically having above average patronage on the days they do run. This means that if you add weekend service on Dandenong buses you will get strong usage, as last year’s Route 800 upgrade demonstrated,” he said.
He added that the most costly trips were those that could not reasonably be made on public transport due to limited service. “Free fares can’t fix this but better service, including improved bus operating hours and frequencies can,” he said.
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