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Public transport advocates hope Ballarat's bus network will be reviewed by the end of 2020, in line with other regional centres across the state and matching the new V/Line train timetable. The current network, where routes begin and end outside the train station and loop around the Bridge Mall, was last refreshed in 2017. The new bus interchange project, to be constructed within the Ballarat station precinct near the new multi-level car park, will bring 12 new bus bays even closer to the station. THE CURRENT BALLARAT BUS NETWORK MAP According to Wendouree MP Juliana Addison, that project should be completed by early 2021, while the new train timetables will be released when the Ballarat Line Upgrade is fully completed this year. "Our bus timetable lines up with train departures and train arrivals, and our train timetable will be all changing with the Ballarat Line Upgrade, we're introducing all these different on- and off-peak services, so the bus timetable review will be in line with the new timetable coming out," she said. "It would be foolish for us to change the timetable now, so it's all about getting the order right - let's see what the train timetable looks like." HAVE YOUR SAY BELOW She said the bus network had been consistently raised with her since she began door-knocking as a candidate in early 2018. "This is an issue of significance for Ballarat," she said. "People wanted a bus service that met their needs, and they were concerned about the span of hours and destinations and routes." READ MORE: Ballarat station precinct upgrade: Hotel, goods shed on schedule, bus interchange work to begin The current network includes routes to Creswick and Buninyong, as well as Federation University, Miners Rest, and most suburbs around Ballarat. There are concerns the booming outer suburbs are underserved by the current network, causing more people to rely on their cars and worsening traffic in the CBD. Public Transport Users Association Ballarat convenor Ben Lever said the current network had several other issues which were preventing uptake. "(Its) main weakness is the squiggly, indirect path that buses take through the CBD - buses turn back on themselves in order to hit Bridge Mall and the station in a specific order, which is counterintuitive for passengers and very inefficient," he said in a statement. "The PTUA would like to see routes on opposite sides of town linked together, so that buses can flow in one side and out the other, serving the station and Bridge Mall in whatever order is most logical. "There's also a lot of issues with the timetables. There's a lot of padding in the timetables at the moment, so buses easily make it to timing points earlier than they should, then have to sit idle waiting for the timetable to catch up. This not only wastes driver time and therefore taxpayer money, it makes the bus a slow, unattractive alternative for people who currently drive. "The buses also shut down around 7pm, which means if you catch the 6.23 train home from Melbourne, or any train after it, you're probably stranded - let alone if you want to go out to dinner or the movies in Ballarat itself. "The low frequency makes it unattractive for many people. Increasing frequencies helps cut waiting time and makes the bus more competitive with driving, but it will be particularly important to increase frequencies when the train timetables are updated, so that buses can maintain connectivity with trains." A Department of Transport spokesperson confirmed a review would be tied in with the bus interchange. "We're always looking for ways to deliver better public transport options to keep regional Victorian communities connected," they said. "Any changes to Ballarat's bus network will be timed to coincide with the opening of the Ballarat bus interchange, making it easier for people to access the station precinct and change between transport services." Have you signed up to The Courier's variety of news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in Ballarat.

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