By Casey Neill
A new bus route is giving 10,000 people a chance to ride.
Keysborough South Action Group spokeswoman Nina Kelly said the Route 709 bus served residents who previously had no public transport access within four kilometres.
She was pleased to see eight passengers on the second bus heading west on the route’s first day, Sunday 28 August.
“Keysborough South Action Group encourages residents to hop on the bus to ensure that the route will be extended further down the track to the lower half of the new estates,” she said.
Ms Kelly said there were “still a few things to tweak”.
“The group is continuing to lobby the council to install bus shelters at both stops at the north end of Perry Road near Church Road,” she said.
“These two locations are extremely exposed, as high winds funnelling down the road from the Dandenong Bypass and Melbourne Water land.”
Greater Dandenong councillor Matthew Kirwan said he still had concerns over the coverage and frequency.
“The initial route does not link the new shopping centre and already-built bus stops in the south part of Perry Road and instead uses the narrow stretch of the eastern part of Keylana Drive.
“I have already had complaints!” he said.
“But the frequency was better than expected and better than many bus routes in Greater Dandenong.
“Hopefully it will whet the appetite of residents and provide a case for a re-routed or second bus route along the south end of Chapel Road, along Hutton Road and up Perry Road.
“A route along Hutton Road also has the potential to link to jobs in Dandenong South.”
The new Route 709 runs from Noble Park station to Mordialloc station via Keylana Drive, Westwood Boulevard and Perry Road in Keysborough South, and Bloomfield Road in Noble Park.
