The upgrades are key element of the Brumby Government’s Meeting Our Transport Challenges action plan and include improvements to 45 routes which will run seven days a week until 9pm.

“The 58 bus routes being upgraded are in addition to 66 routes that have already benefited from recent similar upgrades,” Ms Kosky said.

“The improvements will vary according to the needs of individual communities and will include extended operating hours, seven day a week running and new services.”

“This is the third round of bus improvements to be delivered across Melbourne as part of a $646 million package to boost metropolitan local bus services over 10 years.

“Delivering these bus improvements is an important part of our plan to make public transport more flexible and convenient for all commuters, including those that rely on their local bus routes to get to work, to school and to access local services.

“Buses are becoming an increasingly popular mode of transport, particularly for people living in the outer suburbs and the Brumby Government continues to invest in local bus upgrades to cater for the needs of commuters.

“They are also a vital part of the transport network as they provide strong cross-town links that complement the train and tram networks.

“The Brumby Government is taking action on roads and public transport to cut congestion.”

Ms Kosky said the comprehensive reviews of local bus services would better highlight the needs of commuters to allow the Brumby Government to plan for further improvements.

“Reviewing services is crucial as it allows us to plan further bus improvements to maximise flexibility so that people can use bus services to get where they want, when they want,” Ms Kosky said.

“To date, these bus reviews have already identified potential service improvement opportunities for extended hours of operation, new bus routes and service frequency upgrades. These types of improvements are included in the package of 58 routes to be implemented.”

Ms Kosky said the latest round of service improvements were part of the $1.4 billion allocated for improving metropolitan bus services under Meeting Our Transport Challenges.

“The 58 bus route upgrades are now in progress and all are due to be completed before the middle of this year,” Ms Kosky said.

Services to benefit with an extension of operating hours to 9pm seven days a week under this round of local bus improvements include:

NORTH

• 508 - Alphington to Moonee Ponds
• 510 – Essendon to Ivanhoe
• 532 – Broadmeadows to Craigieburn
• 533 – Craigieburn North to Craigieburn West
• 534 – Glenroy to Merlynston
• 540 – Upfield to Broadmeadows
• 542 - Broadmeadows to Roxburgh Park
• 552 – North East Reservoir to Northcote Plaza
• 553 – Preston to West Preston
• 554 – Thomastown to Thomastown
• 557 – Thomastown to Thomastown
• 564 – Epping to Bundoora RMIT Interchange
• 567 – Regent to Northcote via Northland Shopping Centre
• 572 – Mill Park Lakes to Bundoora RMIT Interchange
• 580 – Diamond Creek to Eltham

SOUTH

• 781 – Mount Martha to Frankston via Mornington
• 784 – Mornington to Osborne to Mornington
• 785 – Mornington to Mornington East
• 788 – Portsea to Frankston
• 892 – Narre Warren South to Dandenong
• 926 – Pakenham to Fountain Gate Shopping Centre
• 927 – Pakenham to Pakenham North
• 928 – Pakenham to Pakenham South
• 929 – Pakenham to Army Road

EAST

• 688 – Croydon to Olinda
• 690 – Croydon to Boronia
• 734 – Glen Iris to Glen Waverley
• 736 – Mitcham to Blackburn via Glen Waverley
• 742 – Eastland Shopping Centre to Chadstone Shopping Centre
• 753 – Glen Waverley to Bayswater
• 754 – Rowville to Glen Waverley
• 755 – Bayswater to Knox City Shopping Centre via Boronia
• 765 – Mitcham to Box Hill

WEST

• 406 – Keilor East to Footscray via Highpoint Shopping Centre
• 408 – St Albans to Highpoint Shopping Centre
• 409 – Yarraville to Footscray
• 410 – Sunshine to Footscray
• 412 – Laverton Railway Station to Altona Meadows/Altona/Footscray via Mills St
• 432 – Newport to Altona North
• 454 – Sunshine to West Sunshine
• 456 – Sunshine – West Sunshine
• 465 – Keilor Park to Essendon
• 467 – Aberfeldie to Moonee Ponds Railway Station
• 471 – Williamstown to Sunshine
• 476 – Moonee Ponds to Hillside via Watergardens

Further announcements will be made on the other bus service improvements under this round as they are implemented.