Frank Marr, David Buckingham and Marcia Marr are doing their bit to ensure the Waterline communities of Coronet Bay, Corinella and Tenby Point keep their all-important bus service. Frank uses the service to get to medical appointments in Grantville. By Joy Button
THE townships of Coronet Bay, Corinella and Tenby Point are isolated with regard to public transport, so residents were alarmed in June when Public Transport Victoria decided to reduce the services of the feeder bus for these townships by half, namely from six services a day to three.
THE townships of Coronet Bay, Corinella and Tenby Point are isolated with regard to public transport, so residents were alarmed in June when Public Transport Victoria decided to reduce the services of the feeder bus for these townships by half, namely from six services a day to three.
A few years back the V/Line bus used to come into Coronet Bay, Corinella and Tenby Point and then back onto the highway. The feeder bus service was introduced as a trade-off to reduce travel times to the Island.
The proposed reduction meant residents without a car wouldn’t be able to get to medical appointments in Grantville, go to the chemist or shop in nearby towns. Those using the remaining bus services, at 7am and 8am, could not return home until 5.20pm, a very long day for the elderly, the young and the ailing.
The repercussions were disturbing. Without access to suitable public transport, residents could be forced to leave their homes in our townships. We need this basic, small service to maintain a level of independent living for residents who rely on public transport for medical services, shopping and social interaction.
Residents from the Corinella, Tenby Point and Coronet Bay ratepayers and residents associations organised an urgent meeting with Public Transport Victoria, which agreed to reinstate the 10.30am service to Grantville and the return service at 1.15pm.
But there was a proviso: Public Transport Victoria said it would maintain the service only if passenger numbers increased from the existing average of one passenger per bus service to four within three months.
Could the three small townships quadruple use of the service in three months, or was it Mission Impossible?
Everyone agreed these isolated townships deserved better. The communities accepted the challenge and sprang into action. Flyers were quickly distributed to the towns advising residents of the change to the timetable and the need to increase numbers. Surveys have been distributed on the bus to establish exactly why people use the bus. A sign is being printed for the bus.
We urge all residents to use the service so we can keep the bus service and ensure it is there when we need to use it, whether that’s tomorrow, next month or next year.
The bus service also provides a link to V/Line services for teens to access activities in nearby towns during school holidays. Sadly, reduced weekend services to the towns – one at 8am and another at 7pm, returning from Grantville at 8.40am and 7.33pm – will have a large impact on weekend activities for teenagers.
We love where we live … we are here because of the support we receive from one another to live independently and to enjoy the fantastic sense of community that exists in small townships.
There is now an urgent need to help each other by utilising the bus to access V/Line services. V/Line timetables will be distributed next week to shops, community groups, the school, etc., to encourage all residents to think about ways to use the feeder bus which links into many V/Line services.
The return concession fare from Coronet Bay to Grantville on the feeder bus is $3.80 and $2.20 from Corinella and Tenby Point to Grantville. Linking to V/Line services in Grantville enables residents to travel to Wonthaggi, San Remo, Inverloch, Lang Lang and Melbourne. Return fares are just $4.40 concession to Wonthaggi, $3.80 to San Remo, and $10.80 to Melbourne.
Passengers travelling via V/Line to Melbourne can also use the ticket on public transport throughout Melbourne at no additional cost. No parking fees and no battling the traffic congestion and angry drivers!
Our mission is to increase passenger numbers from one to four by the end of September. Mission impossible? Bet we can!
Joy Button is a member of the Coronet Bay Ratepayers and Residents Association.
The proposed reduction meant residents without a car wouldn’t be able to get to medical appointments in Grantville, go to the chemist or shop in nearby towns. Those using the remaining bus services, at 7am and 8am, could not return home until 5.20pm, a very long day for the elderly, the young and the ailing.
The repercussions were disturbing. Without access to suitable public transport, residents could be forced to leave their homes in our townships. We need this basic, small service to maintain a level of independent living for residents who rely on public transport for medical services, shopping and social interaction.
Residents from the Corinella, Tenby Point and Coronet Bay ratepayers and residents associations organised an urgent meeting with Public Transport Victoria, which agreed to reinstate the 10.30am service to Grantville and the return service at 1.15pm.
But there was a proviso: Public Transport Victoria said it would maintain the service only if passenger numbers increased from the existing average of one passenger per bus service to four within three months.
Could the three small townships quadruple use of the service in three months, or was it Mission Impossible?
Everyone agreed these isolated townships deserved better. The communities accepted the challenge and sprang into action. Flyers were quickly distributed to the towns advising residents of the change to the timetable and the need to increase numbers. Surveys have been distributed on the bus to establish exactly why people use the bus. A sign is being printed for the bus.
We urge all residents to use the service so we can keep the bus service and ensure it is there when we need to use it, whether that’s tomorrow, next month or next year.
The bus service also provides a link to V/Line services for teens to access activities in nearby towns during school holidays. Sadly, reduced weekend services to the towns – one at 8am and another at 7pm, returning from Grantville at 8.40am and 7.33pm – will have a large impact on weekend activities for teenagers.
We love where we live … we are here because of the support we receive from one another to live independently and to enjoy the fantastic sense of community that exists in small townships.
There is now an urgent need to help each other by utilising the bus to access V/Line services. V/Line timetables will be distributed next week to shops, community groups, the school, etc., to encourage all residents to think about ways to use the feeder bus which links into many V/Line services.
The return concession fare from Coronet Bay to Grantville on the feeder bus is $3.80 and $2.20 from Corinella and Tenby Point to Grantville. Linking to V/Line services in Grantville enables residents to travel to Wonthaggi, San Remo, Inverloch, Lang Lang and Melbourne. Return fares are just $4.40 concession to Wonthaggi, $3.80 to San Remo, and $10.80 to Melbourne.
Passengers travelling via V/Line to Melbourne can also use the ticket on public transport throughout Melbourne at no additional cost. No parking fees and no battling the traffic congestion and angry drivers!
Our mission is to increase passenger numbers from one to four by the end of September. Mission impossible? Bet we can!
Joy Button is a member of the Coronet Bay Ratepayers and Residents Association.