25 Apr 2018 McIvor Times, Heathcote VIC (General News) LOCALS have had their say on the proposed changes to Heathcotes bus services. At a drop-in session at Barrack Reserve last week Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes headed around town to encourage people to have their say. Ms Symes said the project was funded and the latest consultation was to determine the services locals wanted. Its not a matter of if but when Heathcote gets these services, Ms Symes said. This is happening, were getting five weekday services and three weekend services. The question now is route options and timetables. Ms Symes said the consultation provided locals with the chance to view the proposal and submit their ideas. The day started off with a steady stream of people and after a while I took it upon myself to walk around town and gauge peoples interest, she said. I went to the skate park and found some young people who were really interested in the proposed Saturday services. One girl I spoke to said she had parents who had separated one in Bendigo and the other in Heathcote so extra services are going to be a real game-changer for her. Ms Symes said the extra services would benefit everyone, from younger people and families, to the elderly. A lot of kids go to high school in Bendigo, so an extra service at night would give them a chance to stay around in Bendigo and either go to the library or spend time with their friends after school, she said. It also means if they miss their first bus home theres another option. As for route options, locals said they preferred a less direct route which stopped at Strath Village shopping centre only adding about five minutes onto the trip. One of the main points we found was that people thought the 6.45pm proposed services from Bendigo may be too late, Ms Symes said. Go to getinvolved.transport.vic.gov.au/ heathcote-junortoun to see the proposal and comment before April 29.Licensed by Copyright Agency. You may only copy or communicate this work with a licence.