A PROPOSED bus stop on Prince St in Mornington will go ahead despite strong opposition from residents, with Mornington Peninsula Shire expected to fund and build a new footpath to support the change.
The decision follows months of community concern from Prince St residents who argue the narrow residential road is unsuitable for buses due to safety, accessibility and amenity concerns.
Their objections were first aired publicly last year, with residents describing the proposal as “a catastrophe waiting to happen” and citing a lack of consultation.
Residents with mobility issues/wheelchairs are forced to use the Prince St roadway to travel despite there being no footpaths (Residents say proposed bus route a ‘catastrophe waiting to happen’, The News 19/11/25).
The Prince St stop forms part of a broader reconfiguration of Mornington Peninsula bus services, including a new route connecting Hastings and Mornington and upgrades to the 784 and 785 services. While widely welcomed across the community, the decision to route buses along Prince St has proven controversial.
Mornington MP Chris Crewther said he supported the expansion of bus services but not the Prince St alignment.
“We’ve been advocating to get services to Beleura Village, Peninsula Grange, Mornington Holiday Park, St Macartan’s Primary School and the racecourse,” he said, but added, “these other changes around Prince St – most if not all of Prince St residents are opposed to it.”
Crewther said residents had inundated the Public and Active Transport and Transport Infrastructure Minister Gabrielle Williams with objections, however he confirmed the state government had written to the shire saying the new bus stop would go ahead and would need council investment to build a footpath.
He said residents had consistently argued there were alternative nearby routes that would avoid Prince St altogether.
“It’s good they are rerouting into other areas but it’s not necessary that they had to go along Prince St – there were other alternative nearby routes and that’s what residents were advocating for,” he said.
In Parliament on 12 November last year, Crewther raised the issue directly with Williams calling for an update on timeframes for the new 886 Mornington–Hastings service and the 784 and 785 upgrades and urged the government to listen to Prince St residents.
“I have been contacted by many, many residents along Prince St in Mornington who will be impacted by the new route for the 784 going down their street,” he told Parliament.
“It is a street that has little to no disability access. It has no footpaths… They received zero consultation. They received no direct mail. The first they found out about this was in the last couple of weeks.”
Despite the objections, the Department of Transport and Planning has indicated the changes are progressing, but council infrastructure will be required to support the stop.
A letter obtained by The News from Williams to mayor Cr Anthony Marsh, dated 9 January, stated Bentons Rd and Prince St “were selected as part of the proposed route to better spread coverage across the local area and avoid duplication with existing bus services that already operate along the Esplanade”.
“By designing the network to serve different streets rather than running multiple routes in the same corridor, the new proposal delivers a larger and more equitable catchment providing additional residents with the opportunity to walk to a bus stop closer to home,” the letter read, noting affected resident were notified and all feedback received.
“Concerns around the lack of a footpath network near proposed bus stops does not preclude the necessity of a bus stop for residents to access public transport, however footpaths on Bentons Rd and Prince St are the responsibility of the appropriate road authority, in this case the Mornington Peninsula Shire,” the Minister wrote.
Earlier this month a Department of Transport and Planning spokesperson said, “We are planning improvements to Mornington Peninsula bus services, including a new route connecting Hastings and Mornington for the first time.”
“Public consultation on a range of improvements was completed last year with any changes to the local network to be finalised and announced in coming months,” the spokesperson said.
Mornington Peninsula Shire deputy mayor Cr Paul Pingiaro said while improved bus services were welcome, the cost burden on council was a concern.
“I absolutely welcome new bus stops and services in the Mornington area but I do always worry when councils are expected to pick up the new infrastructure bill,” he said.
The state government committed $36m in the 2023–24 Victorian Budget to improve bus services in growth areas, including the Mornington Peninsula. The changes form part of Victoria’s Bus Plan, which has already upgraded more than 126 bus networks and delivered more than 11,000 extra weekly services statewide.
For Prince St residents, however, the focus remains on the immediate impact of buses on their street.
With the route now set to proceed and council preparing to construct a footpath to address accessibility issues, many say they feel their concerns have been acknowledged too late, and only after the decision was effectively made.
The government has been contacted for comment.
First published in the Mornington News – 20 January 2026