Ballarat Bus Network Review consultation opens with station upgrade and shared mobility extension
Ballarat residents will have input into bus service changes while the station overpass advances and the shared e-scooter and e-bike scheme continues under a new operator.
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The Victorian Government has launched a community consultation for the Ballarat Bus Network Review. The review is funded through the 2025/26 State Budget and the network audit is scheduled for completion by mid-2026.
The review forms part of the transport policy that reflects the 10-Minute City principle in the Ballarat Strategy. The existing bus network currently handles around 120,000 trips per month and caters to only a low proportion of overall trips in the city.
Bus network review details
The Ballarat Bus Network Review aims to make the bus network simpler, faster and more reliable. It targets improved access to growing areas, jobs, shops and train stations while addressing gaps in cross-town travel for residents who rely on buses for daily movement.
Ballarat residents who use public transport for work, shopping or connections to rail services stand to see potential adjustments once the audit is complete. The consultation gives local input into how routes and frequencies might change to better serve these needs.
Station upgrade and shared mobility decisions
The Ballarat station upgrade is proceeding with an accessible overpass between platforms. The overpass is expected to open in 2026 at an additional cost of $3.617 million due to market escalation.
Ballarat City Council has endorsed the continuation of shared e-scooters and e-bikes after a three-year trial. A competitive process will begin in early 2026 to select a new operator for a three-year permit. These measures sit alongside the bus review as active transport decisions affecting movement around the city.
The next steps include the community consultation process for the bus review and the early 2026 tender for the shared mobility operator. The overpass remains on track for opening in 2026 as part of the station works.
Sources:
Source material used in preparing this article is listed below so readers can check the original record.
Covering politics in Ballarat. This article was generated by AI from the linked sources, under human editorial accountability and risk-based review and our reasonable editorial care. Sensitive material is held for human review before publication. See our reasonable editorial care.
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