Bulleen Park & Ride bus station
{{Short description|Bus station in Melbourne, Australia}}
{{Use Australian English|date=March 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox station
| name = Bulleen Park & Ride
| type = PTV bus stop
| style = PTV Bus
| image = Bulleen Park and Ride platform.jpg
| image_size =
| image_caption = Bulleen Park & Ride station platform
| address = Thompsons Road, Bulleen
| borough = City of Manningham
| country = Australia
| coordinates = {{coord|-37.7792|145.0836|display=title,inline}}
| elevation =
| distance =
| line = Eastern Busway
| other =
| bus_routes = 3
| bus_stands =
| structure = At-grade
| platform = 2
| depth =
| levels =
| tracks =
| parking = 370
| bicycle = Yes
| opened = 30 April 2023
| closed =
| rebuilt =
| accessible = Yes―step free access
| architectural_style =
| code = Bay 1: 28355
Bay 2: 28356
| owned = Department of Transport and Planning
| operator = Kinetic Melbourne
| zone = Myki Zone 1/2 overlap
| former =
| passengers =
| pass_year =
| pass_percent =
| pass_system =
| mpassengers =
| services = {{Adjacent stations
|system1=PTV Bus
|header2=Future
|line3=Eastern Busway|left3=Hoddle Street|right3=Doncaster Park and Ride
}}
| web = [https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/stop/19919/bulleen-park-and-ride-bulleen-park-and-ride Stop 28355]
[https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/stop/30502/bulleen-park-and-ride-bulleen-park-and-ride Stop 28356]
| route_map =
| map_state =
}}
Bulleen Park & Ride is an Australian park and ride bus station and future busway station located in Melbourne, suburb of Bulleen and situated next to the Eastern Freeway. It was opened on 30 April 2023 by the Government of Victoria as the first piece of public infrastructure delivered by the North East Link project.{{cite web |title=Eastern Express Busway |url=https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/projects/north-east-link-program/design/eastern-express-busway |website=Victoria’s Big Build |access-date=6 April 2023 |language=en |date=6 April 2023}}
A dedicated busway will be constructed from Doncaster Park & Ride, via this station to Hoddle Street in the city with its own right-of-way. It is expected to be completed by 2028.{{cite news |title=Lowered roads, green bridges to feature in Melbourne's proposed 'missing road link' |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-09/north-east-link-road-project-design-unveiled/10219002 |access-date=20 April 2023 |work=ABC News |date=9 September 2018 |language=en-AU}}
Facilities
The park-and-ride includes a multi-level car park for 370 cars, additional quick drop-off and pick-up parking bays, bike parking cages and toilets. The carpark is covered by a 5,000 square metre green roof, with walking and cycling paths connecting to Koonung Creek Trail and Thompsons Road.{{cite web |last1=Andrews |first1=Daniel |title=Fast Tracking Victoria’s First Green Roof Park And Ride|url=https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/fast-tracking-victorias-first-green-roof-park-and-ride |website=www.premier.vic.gov.au |publisher=Premier of Victoria |access-date=6 April 2023 |language=en}}
File:Bulleen Park and Ride open space.jpg
The station is served bySmartBus route 905, a part of the Doncaster Area Rapid Transit (DART), as well as two other bus routes.{{cite web |title=Making the most of Melbourne’s buses |url=https://www.infrastructurevictoria.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Get-on-board-making-the-most-of-melbournes-buses-discussion-paper.pdf |website=Infrastructure Victoria|access-date=20 April 2023}} All routes via the park and ride runs directly to the CBD via the Eastern Freeway after this station, while route 200 that does not via the freeway only stops on Thompsons Road outside of the station.{{cite web |last1=Build |first1=Victoria’s Big |title=Bulleen Park & Ride opening soon |url=https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/projects/north-east-link-program/design/eastern-express-busway |website=Victoria’s Big Build |access-date=20 April 2023 |language=en |date=12 April 2023}}
As the busway is still under the design and planning phase, an interim design that includes a bus turnaround at the western end of the platforms will be constructed to allow buses to deliver passengers to the stop and return to Thompsons Road. It will be fully integrated with the busway once it has finished construction in 2028.{{cite web |title=Bulleen Park and Ride Urban Design and Landscape Plan |url=https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/527229/Bulleen-Park-and-Ride-UDLP-report-approved-endorsed.pdf |website=North East Link Project |publisher=Victorian Government |access-date=20 April 2023}}
History
The facility has first been announced in November 2017 as a part of the North East Link project by the Minister for Public Transport, Jacinta Allan. It had been planned for the busway to run along the median in the Eastern Freeway, but has since changed to be built adjacent north of the freeway to better integrate with Bulleen Park & Ride.{{cite news |last1=Jacks |first1=Clay Lucas, Timna |title=Toll road to kill off future Doncaster rail: public transport group |url=https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/toll-road-to-kill-off-future-doncaster-rail-public-transport-group-20180426-p4zbqs.html |access-date=20 April 2023 |work=The Age |date=26 April 2018 |language=en}} The Manningham Council had expressed their support for the facility due to its public space inclusion and public transport benefits.{{cite web |last1=Day |first1=Andrew |title=Bulleen Park and Ride facility welcomed {{!}} Manningham City Council |url=https://www.manningham.vic.gov.au/news/bulleen-park-and-ride-facility-welcomed |website=www.manningham.vic.gov.au |publisher=City of Manningham |access-date=20 April 2023 |language=en}}
Since construction started in 2021, some residents living next to the building site in Bulleen had their driveways blocked, causing hazards in case of an emergency. Although they supported the project itself, they condemned the lack of consultation and bad planning by the North East Link program committee.{{cite news |last1=Livingstone |first1=Tom |title=Locals angry as developers block off their driveways for North-East Link |url=https://9now.nine.com.au/today/bulleen-residents-angry-developers-blocking-their-driveways-for-months/c84ef20f-cfe8-4679-ad28-7b7f81bb710e |access-date=20 April 2023 |work=Nine News |language=en-AU}}
In September 2022, a clash broke out at the construction site where workers were seen punching each other and picking up makeshift weapons. The reason for the fight was unknown, but was speculated to be due to rising tensions between the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) and Australian Workers' Union (AWU). The fight participants had since been banned from the work site after an investigation.{{cite news |title=North East Link brawlers banned from worksite |url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/ugly-brawl-erupts-on-north-east-link-site/news-story/40a23c63ca6cc2b9cab740f9c364a38c |access-date=20 April 2023 |work=Herald Sun}}
On 6 April 2023, it was announced that the station will open on 30 April, along with timetable and route changes to bus routes 200, 305, 309 and 905.{{cite web |title=Changes to bus routes 200, 305, 309 and 905 |url=https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/footer/about-ptv/improvements-and-projects/bus-and-coach/bus-changes-for-bulleen-park-and-ride-opening |website=Public Transport Victoria |access-date=20 April 2023}}
The project cost $69 million AUD,{{cite news |last1=Godde |first1=Callum |date=6 June 2022 |title=Vic to buy more homes near road project |language=en-AU |work=The Canberra Times |url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7768305/vic-to-buy-more-homes-near-road-project/ |access-date=20 April 2023}} and opened on time on 30 April 2023, four years ahead of schedule. It is fast-tracked due to expected impacts to Doncaster Park and Ride, which will be closed during its rebuild for the construction of the busway, and completing the facility early will remove the need for building a temporary park and ride station at the Doncaster interchange.{{cite web |last1=Build |first1=Victoria’s Big |date=15 June 2021 |title=Bulleen Park and Ride fast-tracked |url=https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/news/north-east-link-program/2020/victorias-first-green-roof-park-and-ride-fast-tracked |access-date=20 April 2023 |website=Victoria’s Big Build |language=en}}
Bus routes
File:Bulleen Park and Ride platform with information display.jpg
The station is served by three routes all operated by Kinetic Melbourne, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:
Bay 1 (City-bound):
- {{color box|00acdd|305|white}}: to Melbourne CBD (King Street) (Weekday AM peak only){{cite PTV route|305}}
- {{color box|00acdd|309|white}}: to Melbourne CBD (Queen Street) (Weekday AM peak only){{cite PTV route|309}}
- SmartBus {{color box|015aaa|905|white}}: to Melbourne CBD (Lonsdale Street){{cite PTV route|905}}
Bay 2 (from City):
- {{color box|00acdd|305|white}}: to The Pines Shopping Centre via George Street (Weekday PM peak only)
- {{color box|00acdd|309|white}}: to The Pines Shopping Centre via Reynolds Road (Weekday afternoon only)
- SmartBus {{color box|015aaa|905|white}}: to The Pines Shopping Centre via Porter Street
One additional route stops outside of the facility but does not route through, also operated by Kinetic Melbourne.
Bulleen Park & Ride/Thompsons Road:
- {{color box|8c62aa|200|white}}: Melbourne CBD (Queen Street) – Bulleen{{cite PTV route|200}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/stop/19919/bulleen-park-and-ride-bulleen-park-and-ride Public Transport Victoria (28355)]
- [https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/stop/30502/bulleen-park-and-ride-bulleen-park-and-ride Public Transport Victoria (28356)]
{{MelbournePublicTransport}}{{MelbourneBusInterchanges}}
Category:Bus stations in Australia
Category:Buildings and structures in the City of Manningham
Category:Transport infrastructure completed in 2023