New Torquay, Armstrong Creek bus routes revealed

THE state government has revealed the final version of its planned updated bus network for Torquay, Armstrong Creek and Charlemont, but it does not contain an originally proposed loop to western Torquay.

Earlier this week, the state government announced the three communities would now be able to get access to an extra 500 weekly bus services, including about four buses an hour along the Surf Coast Highway, with new services between Geelong and Torquay, Marshall Station and Jan Juc, and Marshall Station and Torquay.

Links between Torquay, Armstrong Creek and Geelong have also improved with a regular and direct service to Moorabool Street, Geelong, with the expanded network also offering increased evening and weekend hours.

Oberon High School will also receive more services, with the existing service set to connect to the school.

Under the original proposal, rolled out in late 2023, two new routes were to be created and two others modified.

One of the modified routes, Route 53, was to be western Torquay’s first bus route and connect people living there to the town’s centre as well as Armstrong Creek, Charlemont and Marshall Station.

According to the map on the Engage Victoria website set up by the Department of Transport and Planning, the route was to travel along Beach Road, Eton Road and Grossmans Road before looping through Kithbrooke Park Boulevard and returning the same way.

This route upset some residents on Torquay’s Beach Road, who objected to the location of bus stops on hills and the route’s impact on traffic.

According to the PTV’s website, the map for Route 53 does not contain the western loop to Kithbrooke Park – instead ending at Bell Street in central Torquay – nor do the other two new routes; Route 52 and Route 54.

The state government says it had hadded more than 20,000 services to Victoria’s bus network since the launch of its Bus Plan in July 2021.

“Across Victoria we are delivering a modern and more efficient bus network so that more people choose to take the bus,” Minister for Public and Active Transport Gabrielle Williams said.

“The new bus network will provide more bus services, more often, to both existing and new growth areas in Torquay, Charlemont and Armstrong Creek – giving locals and visitors more reasons to leave the car at home.”

For more information on the changes to the bus network, head to ptv.vic.gov.au/footer/about-ptv/improvements-and-projects/bus-and-coach/new-bus-network-for-torquay-and-armstrong-creek