Bus stops short

JUDE Perera’s campaign victory to have the Nightrider bus service extended to Casey has been labelled bitter sweet by the owner of Victoria’s most popular night club website.
The member for Cranbourne successfully lobbied his government to extend the Dandenong route to Cranbourne, Berwick, Beaconsfield and Narre Warren stops.
But Ben Clissold, founder of website Max Moose, said simply extending the route was a second rate service.
“It will take about an hour to get from the city to Dandenong on the Nightrider, then clubbers will have to get off the bus and wait in Dandenong for the connecting bus,” he said.
“Parents don’t want their children waiting in those places in the early hours of the morning.
“The bus will then tour through Cranbourne, Berwick, Beaconsfield and Narre Warren. It could take over two hours to make it home,” Mr Clissold said. Mr Perera believes the $11.4 million funding boost will allow more local patrons to get home safely from the city.
“Extending the Nightrider service to Cranbourne is great news for late night commuters,” he said.
“There has been a long and hard campaign to get the service extended to Casey.”
“On top of that, we already have shuttle buses in Cranbourne for residents who catch the 1:30am and 2am trains home,” Mr Perera said.
Mr Clissold said there were more than enough night owls in Casey and Cardinia to justify a dedicated Nightrider service, direct from the city to Casey.
“A service running straight down the Monash Freeway wouldn’t take two hours, and would be much safer,” he said.
According to government statistics, Nightrider services have experienced a 30 per cent increase in patronage since March last year.