A LONG-awaited public transport link between Lara train station and Avalon Airport will be delivered within months, in a major breakthrough for workers in the northern suburbs who have for years called for a connection to the growing employment precinct.<\/p>\n
The Victorian government last week announced that a new seven-day bus service \u2013 Route 18 \u2013 will be established by March.<\/p>\n
It will run between Lara train station and Avalon Airport and the surrounding employment precinct, providing the first direct public transport link to the site.<\/p>\n
At present, what should be an eight-minute trip between the two sites is instead a two-hour public transport maze.<\/p>\n
Workers must catch a Melbourne-bound train, which travels past Avalon, to Wyndham Vale.<\/p>\n
There, they must transfer to a bus to Werribee Station and then board a Skybus back to Avalon Airport.<\/p>\n
Many resort to taxis and other rideshare services to bridge the gap, sometimes spending up to $60 a day during a time when many jobseekers are already battling rising living costs.<\/p>\n
The bus service commitment follows more than two years of community campaigning, led by the Real Deal Geelong Alliance.<\/p>\n
The alliance has been working to raise awareness of the significant financial and logistical barriers caused by the absence of a direct public transport link.<\/p>\n
Unemployed workers supported by Northern Futures \u2013 which is now part of Meli \u2013 first identified transport as a critical factor preventing people from taking up jobs at Avalon.<\/p>\n
More than 400 signed Real Deal Geelong’s petition calling for action.<\/p>\n
The alliance’s community organiser, Sally Fisher, said the decision would have an immediate impact on jobseekers and workers across Corio, Norlane and Lara.<\/p>\n
“This will make a big difference for a lot of people and help more people access jobs in Geelong,” she said.<\/p>\n
“This result shows how our community can win solutions to problems we are facing by advocating together for just outcomes which benefit everyone.”<\/p>\n
Alongside the new bus service, the state government announced that international flights would return to Avalon Airport for the first time in about six years.<\/p>\n
Jetstar is planning to launch a new route to Bali in March, with the airline operating five return flights per week.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A LONG-awaited public transport link between Lara train station and Avalon Airport will be delivered within months, in a major breakthrough for workers in the northern suburbs who have for years called for a connection to the growing employment precinct. The Victorian government last week announced that a new seven-day bus service \u2013 Route 18 […]<\/p>\n