Back in January, Lord Mayor Robert Doyle announced his plans to “activate” Melbourne after dark – to turn it into the city that dines after midnight and gallery-hops until the wee hours. One of the first steps was to trial round-the-clock public transport on weekends for one year, starting from January 1, 2016. On Tuesday the Victorian Government announced the trial will be extended for another six months, until June 2017, and will cost the city an extra $38.7 million.

Mike Roszbach, owner of late-night CBD bar Nieuw Amsterdam, says 24-hour public transport is one of the best things the Victorian Government has done for small businesses like his. He believes the six-month extension serves as a precursor for what will become a permanent service. He says it’s his customers from the outer suburbs who have benefited the most – previously they had to wait long periods for taxis and spend up to $80 to get home. “Twenty-four-hour public transport means our patronage feels safe travelling to and from the city,” Roszbach says.