Move, Connect, Live Strategy

The Move, Connect, Live (MCL) strategy is a 10-year strategy to deliver Council’s commitment to:

• supporting a well-connected transportation future for our City
• making it easy for people to move around
• connecting people with places in a way that suits them as our City grows.

As part of this, Council is proposing an improved public transport network map for 2028 to the Department of Transport (DoT). The map will create a more effective transport network by:

• increasing the reliability and frequency of our City’s tram and bus services
• reinvigorating key bus services
• upgrading the tram network
• leveraging the Metro Rail Project to provide better-connected travel options for the Fishermans Bend community.

If approved, the DoT would be responsible for funding, delivery, and communication and engagement of any changes.

More information can be found in the Move, Connect, Live Strategy (PDF 4.9 MB).

Increase reliability and frequency

Our City’s network of 11 bus routes appears to provide good coverage, with most residents having a short walk to a bus stop. However, when examined closely, some of these bus services are indirect and infrequent, especially in the evenings and on weekends.

Most respondents to a 2017 transport survey said they would prefer to walk 10 minutes to frequent bus service rather than have a bus stop closer to home with the existing level of service.

Council proposes DoT shift resources to the more direct and reliable services, train stations and key destinations. Our target is to increase public transport trips to 56,000 each day in 2028, a 35 per cent increase from 2016.

A more frequent and reliable public transport network will encourage more people to use public transport and relieve some of the growing pressure on our roads.

While it may seem counter-intuitive to reduce traffic capacity in some locations, creating attractive public transport is the best way to allow those in our community who really do need to drive to so.

Changes to roads

Priority lanes separate trams and buses from general traffic to allow these services to operate in a more predictable and reliable way.

Priority lanes would be more effective if complemented by ‘T’ and ‘B’ priority traffic lights for trams and buses at some intersections, with changes to road designs at a few additional locations.

Further work would need to be done with DoT to prioritise projects and mitigate any negative impacts on traffic, parking and bike riders. This should be led by the Victorian Government, with Council providing local knowledge and input as a partner.

Only some of these proposed priority lanes and locations could be put in place by 2028. The MCL Strategy has a target of 3.5 additional kilometres of bus or tram priority lanes by 2021/22, and a total of 5.5 additional kilometres by 2028.

Related policies and strategies