Media Release - Peri urban communities left stranded as fuel prices soar

Picture courtesy of Golden Plains Shire Council: Cr Owen Sharkey - Mayor, Golden Plains Shire Council

Peri Urban Councils Victoria (PUCV) are warning some of Victoria’s fastest-growing communities are being left stranded, with poor public transport forcing residents into costly car dependence at a time when rising fuel prices are continuing to squeeze.

PUCV members met with State Government representatives at Spring Street last week to call for urgent investment that gives residents real transport choices, particularly as new housing growth continues to expand beyond existing bus coverage and rail capacity constraints limit commuter access.

Chair of Peri Urban Councils Victoria and Moorabool Shire Councillor, Moira Berry said the reality for many families was stark: there is no viable alternative to driving your car.

“The Victorian Government’s April free public transport initiative is welcome and will ease cost‑of‑living pressures if you can access a bus or train that connects you to work, school or medical appointments when you need to travel,” Cr Berry said

“If you live in a peri urban community, you are very likely one of the 93 per cent of locals who rely on a car because the bus either won’t get you to work or won’t get you there on time,” Cr Berry said.

Almost 40,000 people commute out of peri‑urban municipalities every day for work, yet bus and rail services remain infrequent, poorly integrated and often misaligned with commuter needs.

Many residents live outside walkable catchments, bus stops lack basic infrastructure such as shelters and lighting, and several peri‑urban regions face structural barriers, including single‑track rail, signalling constraints or no passenger rail access at all.

Transport is already the second‑largest household cost after housing, and without reliable public transport, those costs continue to rise. Cr Berry said the mismatch between growth and infrastructure is now impossible to ignore.

“Families are being squeezed from both sides; housing costs on one hand and transport costs on the other,” Cr Berry said

“Peri urban areas are growing rapidly, however this growth is not being matched with more buses and active transport infrastructure which can give people options to jumping in the car,” she said

“We are asking the Allan Labor Government and the Wilson Liberal National Coalition to take this issue seriously and commit to getting public transport in our communities right,” Cr Berry said.

“Otherwise, as a state we will continue to lock in car dependency, higher household costs and growing inequality for communities who really just need a break from almost everything costing more,” Cr Berry concluded.

PUCV is calling on the State Government to:

1. Invest in more frequent and reliable bus services across peri‑urban communities;

2. Better align bus and rail timetables to support seamless commuting without leaving people stranded at the station;

3. Deliver integrated, long‑term transport planning that matches population growth.