It has been announced that PTV are implementing new changes to the buses all throughout the Geelong region, with major adjustments to the routes and timetables.

I haven't as of yet been in touch with anyone from other suburbs to enquire about their own changes and finding out whether it's positive or otherwise.

I know personally for myself, being a long term resident of Lara for 23 years, this is a major inconvenience and backwards step. I will no longer be able to get just one bus into Corio, I will need to get 2. If I travel into Geelong, I will need to get 3.

This is not including the weekend, as there are no services taking passengers from Lara into Corio or Geelong, which means residents will have to get one, possibly 2 buses to the Lara train station depending on location. Upon reaching the station, passengers will need to board a train to North Shore, to then get another bus into either Corio or Geelong, whatever their destination of choice may be.

If this is a negative impact on just one person, out of the many thousands that reside in Lara, I could only imagine the difficulty and struggle of residents trying to get to their job, wanting to see friends and family, attend appointments, and any other responsibilities or activities they need and want to do.

Commuters will from now on have to possibly allow double travel time, double travel expenses and double the annoyance for friends and family needing to provide extra lifts to help out the people who rely on public transport.

Lara has so much, yet so little to offer. We are limited on Bank Branches such as Westpac, NAB and Bank of Melbourne, Job Agencies, Centrelink, Hardware/Automotive/Electrical/Clothing retailers, Internet cafes, Medical specialists and services such as medical imaging, psychologists and hydrotherapy.

I'm hoping to get as many people as possible within our community on board to support this petition and having these changes revoked. Please help by signing your name and sharing this around to other concerned residents and get the word out there that this needs to stay the same as it is now.

Please keep an eye out in your local shops for a paper form of this petition.

If we can work together as a community and fight against it, we will be able to stand up for what we, Lara, want and need.