Waiting for a bus on a weekend/public holiday? Thanks to infrequent services, it may be quicker to walk.

PTUA’s Daniel Bowen wanted to get from East Bentleigh to Southland Shopping Centre on a Sunday afternoon. It’s about 5 kilometres, but the bus only runs once an hour. Might it be quicker to walk?

This is a problem with many trips in suburban Melbourne and our big regional cities. Most people who have a choice won’t wait for an infrequent bus, and they won’t walk — they’ll drive their cars, adding to traffic congestion and car park pressure.

We look forward to hearing from politicians in this month’s state election on how they’ll upgrade bus services.