Business backs better buses

THE AGE: A commercial agent active in the suburban office market maintains he has one way of better boosting the sector - improve public transport connections.

Rob Joyes, director of Colliers International's operations in Melbourne's east, said access to public transport was a key factor in helping businesses attract and retain quality staff.
Urban business parks were a great place to work, but public transport links between business parks and transport infrastructure could be improved.
In Collier's recent office tenant survey, 51 per cent cited proximity to public transport as important. ''Increasing train and bus connections could alleviate many of the current concerns about parking and peak hour traffic congestion,'' he said. ''Train-bus links are a win-win situation.''
Mr Joyce identified the Belgrave-Lilydale and Cranbourne-Dandenong train lines as starting points.
''Bus links would have the potential to increase the frequency with which these train lines were used by people who live and work in these areas.''
Mr Joyce said the state government's Melbourne Metro project should provide improved public transport links in the years ahead. Read more