Getting to and from school is about to get easier for students at Bannockburn P12 College and St Mary MacKillop Catholic Primary school with the introduction of an extra school bus service from next week.
The extra service has been introduced from the start of Term 3 supporting both the primary and secondary schools in the town and helping reduce pressure on the town's existing school bus services.
The service will start or finish at Geelong Road Terminus and service pupils in Bannockburn township to the east and south-east of the two schools including along sections of Kelly Road, Burnside Road, Macrossan Avenue and Charlton Road.
The two schools are some of the many Victorian schools benefitting from the new services under a $25 million investment announced in the Victorian Budget 2022/23 to introduce, modify and extend school bus services across the state, with a focus on growth areas.
The additional services are initially targeting recently opened schools in growth areas where student demand is high and school bus services can be introduced, expanded or rerouted to take in these locations.
Ballarat High School, Siena Catholic Primary School and Lucas Primary School will also benefit from new school bus services in term three.
The additional services are part of Victoria's Bus Plan to meet demand, enhance accessibility and performance, and deliver value for money for all passengers.
New services under the School Buses initiative will be rolled out progressively with most new services to start in the 2024 school year.
As stated by Minister for Public Transport Ben Carroll
"We're giving Victorians parents and students what they want with better school bus services in the metropolitan and regional growth areas like Bannockburn where there is high demand and they are needed most."
"Through Victoria's Bus Plan we're delivering a modern, productive, environmentally sustainable bus network that increases the number of people choosing to take the bus."
As stated by Member Geelong for Christine Couzens
"Students attending St Mary MacKillop Catholic Primary School and Bannockburn P12 College are among the first in the state to benefit from this initiative to improve school bus services which is great news for local families."
