Many Aurora Estate residents moved in because of the promise of a bus stop within walking distance of every house. But while the bus stops exist, there are no buses.
Developer Places Victoria is bailing out after building about 1000 of the planned 8000 houses in what was to be a transport-rich and environmentally sustainable estate.
It built many bus shelters and bus stops without shelters, but Public Transport Victoria had no plans to run buses in the estate, according to Aurora Community Association president Toni-Marie Wuelfert.
“We feel betrayed,” she said. “A single mother without a car recently bought into the estate because she saw the bus shelters and has only now found out there are no buses.”
She said it forced families to run two cars because the nearest buses were up to 40 minutes away by foot.
PTV spokeswoman Helen Witton said the authority had started “preliminary planning” to improve the bus network in Epping North, but it would be subject to government funding approval.
She said bus route 575 “now travels into Epping North, including Aurora Estate, with services until 9pm seven days a week”.
Ms Wuelfert said bus 575 ran alongside Aurora but did not service any bus stop inside it.
Places Victoria chief executive Peter Seamer said bus shelters were built because of its “obligations” as a developer, but it was up to PTV to decide to run buses.
