COLLEEN Gates hopes a new bus service for Laverton North will be bustling with commuters when it begins in April.

The 34-year-old spent years campaigning for the bus service to be introduced, along with other Laverton Community Association members, residents, the Werribee-based Heathdale Neighbourhood Association and employment agencies.

Ms Gates, who recently became chairperson of the Laverton Community Association, said the bus route idea began in 2008 when the State Government announced a metropolitan bus services review.

Two public feedback sessions were held for residents of the Hobsons Bay and Wyndham areas.

“Several people said there was no service into Laverton North industrial area,” Ms Gates said.

However, at the second meeting, the idea was not mentioned by government consultants as a future bus route.

This spurred Ms Gates and eight other residents on into establishing their own group to begin a bus campaign.

“We spent 12 months doing research and we sent 400 surveys out to Laverton North employers, asking how many workers would use public transport,” she said.

One hundred of the businesses replied and said they would like more public transport in the area.

“We proposed a possible bus route, starting at Laverton station so that people from Werribee could access it too,” Ms Gates said.

A trial of the route is scheduled to begin on 19 April and last for two years.