Better buses could cut emissions and ease cost of living
University of Melbourne research has found that a redesigned, high-frequency bus network in Melbourne’s west could significantly reduce emissions, lower car dependence and improve transport equity.
Published by the Melbourne Centre for Cities and authored by transport planning academics Dr John Stone, Dr Páraic Carroll, Nathan Pittman and transport writer Adam Bain, the research Carbon emission reductions from bus reform in Melbourne’s west shows that better bus services could provide a practical alternative to driving — delivering major climate and cost-of-living benefits for the residents of the fast-growing western suburbs.
“Working in the western suburbs over the last four years, we have heard devastating stories of the impacts of life without the essential service of good public transport. Our new research shows that a practical and affordable grid-network of frequent and direct bus routes would not only connect people to the life of our city, it would also play a significant role in the vital task of cutting carbon pollution,” said the report’s lead author, Dr John Stone.
Modelling shows that by 2036 a frequent, connected bus grid could support 151 million bus trips per year, replace 55 to 91 million car trips annually, and avoid up to 1.3 million tonnes of carbon emissions over a decade. Bus networks of this type have been successfully implemented in the suburbs of Auckland, Vancouver and Toronto.
The findings highlight that while zero-emission vehicles are important, the largest emissions reduction comes from helping people drive less.
The authors found that improving everyday transport choices is critical to meeting climate targets.
“Melbourne’s west has been planned around the assumption that most people will drive for most trips. That creates high emissions, high household transport costs, and real barriers for people who cannot easily access a car.
The west is growing rapidly, and the transport choices made now will shape emissions and household costs for decades. Investing in a high-quality bus network is a chance to avoid locking another generation into car dependency,” said Dr Páraic Carroll.
The report examined travel patterns in municipalities including Brimbank, Melton and Wyndham, where limited public transport means many households rely on cars. In these areas, “chauffeuring” trips — such as school drop-offs — account for 42 per cent of car travel, compared with 16 per cent in inner and eastern suburbs.
The research finds that more frequent, reliable and connected buses would enable residents to use public transport for everyday trips, including work, education, shopping and social activities.
The report challenges the assumption that Melbourne’s west is inherently car-dependent, showing instead that reliance on cars is driven by a lack of viable alternatives.
It concludes that investing in frequent, connected bus networks is a practical, cost-effective solution to reducing emissions while making transport fairer and more accessible.