Public Transport Victoria (PTV) are considering timetable changes and an additional afternoon service to the Kinglake-Whittlesea (via Humevale) 384 bus route.
Improved connectivity to the 385 Whittlesea/Mernda North to Greensborough service is also planned.
The Victorian Government is considering the changes in line with the completion of eight kilometres of new rail line and three new railway stations at Marymede, Hawkstowe and Mernda due to open in 2019.
‘As a result, people’s travel patterns will change and the Plenty Valley bus network needs to be reviewed to reflect changes in travel patterns,’ a PTV statement says.
The revised bus network will provide co-ordinated connections to the new train stations, with morning services designed to connect with
Other routes affected include South Morang Station to Diamond Creek Station (381), Whittlesea to Northland Shopping Centre (382), Palisades to University Hill (383), Whittlesea to Mernda North (385), Mernda North to Bundoora RMIT (386 and 387).
New routes 388 and 389 will provide a loop service between Mernda and Doreen linking Laurimar Town Centre, Hazel Glen College, Mernda Village Shopping Centre and Mernda Station.
Route 388 will run in an anti-clockwise direction, seven days a week whilst route 389 will run in a clockwise direction on Monday to Friday only with both routes extending a morning and afternoon run to Mernda Central School.
Routes 388 and 389 will replace existing sections of routes 385, 386 and 387 and connect with train services at Mernda Station.
Commuters are encouraged to attend the information sessions and provide feedback to Public Transport Victoria. Further details can be found here.
The Mernda extension and changes to Plenty Valley bus services are scheduled to take affect after the opening of the railway extension in early 2019.
