Victoria’s buses have just received their biggest funding boost in at least 10 years, with $100 million added in the state budget. CAM has been working with local groups on several bus campaigns. Two have received funding for a substantial upgrade – the 526 and the 508 bus services.

On Tuesday morning, CAM and other local 526 bus campaigners were invited to the media briefing with the Minister for Public Transport Gabrielle Williams and local MPs Anthony Cianflone and Nathan Lambert. It was wonderful to see that our local bus campaign was the face of the state-wide announcement. Maggie Cowling, Convenor of Climate Action Merri-bek attended the media briefing. She said:

“Better buses, more frequent services, longer hours including weekends has huge benefits for the community and climate. With the current economic squeeze on our households, having more public transport options is essential. Users of the 526 bus are thrilled to see their campaign come to fruition. This success shows the power of community action. This campaign has shown that politicians will listen if we can demonstrate community support”.

Here are the details of bus upgrades in Merri-bek. For the whole list, see Premier’s media release, and Melbourne on Transit blogpost.

526 bus route

Climate Action Merri-bek, Safer Walking and Riding for Murray Road, and Darebin Climate Action Now launched the 526 bus campaign in October 2025.

The 526 bus runs from Coburg Station, along Murray Road and Elizabeth Street. It runs every 30 minutes and finishes early. There are no services on Sundays or public holidays. The campaign’s demands were longer hours, more frequent services, 7 days a week, and an extension to Darebin trains and trams.

In late 2025, campaigners letterboxed the area, urging residents to write to the Minister for Public Transport asking for a service upgrade. Then in January 2026, Anthony Cianflone, MP for Pascoe Vale, offered to sponsor a parliamentary petition. The campaign team letterboxed again. To date, over 640 residents have signed the online or paper petition. Thanks to Anthony for his support.

The government’s announcement included “services every 20 minutes on average, 7 days a week – including on Sundays and public holidays”. See link to Anthony Cianflone’s Facebook post with the announcement details. We understand there will be consultation with the community on other aspects (including perhaps an extension of the route?).

The campaign team will now wind up the petition (which was due to run till August 8) and Anthony Cianflone will present it in parliament.

508 bus route

This is an important and popular east-west bus route running, from Moonee Ponds Junction, through Brunswick, Northcote and Fairfield, terminating in Alphington. A campaign for a frequency upgrade on the 508 bus was started in December 2025 by Peter Parker (Melbourne on Transit) and Climate Action Merri-bek. We were quickly joined by Darebin Climate Action Now and Moonee Valley Sustainability. We letterboxed along the route calling on residents to write to the Minster for Public Transport asking for a better bus service. The campaign demands were also raised in parliament by Anasina Gray-Barberio, Greens MLC for Northern Metropolitan Region, and Tim Read, MP for Brunswick.

Currently the 508 runs fairly frequently on weekdays, till late in the evening. But the weekend services are shocking – once every 30 minutes on Saturdays and every 40 minutes on Sundays. The demand was for a 10 minute service, 7 days a week, running till late.

The details of the improvements were announced by Northcote MP Kat Theophanous: “More frequent services – every 15 minutes in weekday peak; Weekend services doubled – every 20 minutes; Running later – extended to midnight Monday to Saturday”.

The weekend upgrades will be much appreciated by the local community.

“That’s so good! I need the 508 bus to get to Moonee Ponds on Sundays for performing arts.” Brunswick Secondary School student

561 bus route

The 561 bus is a key east-west public transport link across Merri-bek and Darebin. It runs from Pascoe Vale Station to Macleod Station. It provides access to four rail lines (the Craigieburn, Upfield, Mernda and Hurstbridge lines), tram route 86 and La Trobe University. It runs up Newlands Road, and CAM is keen to get a footbridge over the Merri Creek so that Fawkner Residents can get access to this important bus route.

This service has now been “upgraded to run every 20 minutes on weekends with operating hours extended to later at night.”

542 bus route

This bus routes runs from Pascoe Vale Station, though Oak Park and Glenroy Werst, to Broadmeadows and then to Roxburgh Park. The northern part of the route has a Sunday service. But in the Merri-bek suburbs there are no Sunday buses. The changes mean that the Merri-bek suburbs will have Sunday buses. plus more evening services. Kathleen Matthews-Ward has provided an update on Facebook.

The losers

Sadly the 506 and 503 bus routes in Brunswick did not get Sunday services. CAM campaigned strongly on the 506 bus petition, with the support of Yarra Climate Action Now. The petition, sponsored by Anasina Gray-Barbario received an amazing 1,151 signatures. Fingers crossed for next year.