HUNTLY and Kangaroo Flat residents will form action groups to lobby Public Transport Victoria about proposed changes to bus routes.
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The decision was made at public meetings in Huntly and Kangaroo Flat on Thursday night and Friday morning.
About 100 Huntly residents attended Thursday's meeting, which was convened by councillor James Williams and attended by Public Transport Victoria workers and a representative from Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan's office.
About 15 people attended the Kangaroo Flat meeting.
Residents from both suburbs have concerns about the new routes, including the fact some users might have to walk further distances to the closest stop. Others said information about the proposed changes was difficult to access.
Huntly resident Dion Costigan said he was hopeful PTV would alter the proposed routes to reflect residents' concerns.
"We hope the PTV representatives will take something out of it from last night," he said.
"There were various concerns from the community, from the elderly to the disabled to school children about changes to the bus network and how it will affect them."
Mr Costigan said his main concern was the fact his daughter would no longer be able to catch a bus directly to Weeroona College Bendigo.
She would now either have to change buses at Epsom Village Shopping Centre, which he said would add another 20 minutes to her journey, or catch a different bus that would drop her 380 metres behind the college, on Finn Street.
He said he didn't want his daughter walking from an isolated, industrial area and crossing the Bendigo Creek.
"I don't have a problem with kids walking but it's a safety issue at the end of the day."
Kangaroo Flat resident Lisa Gellatly said she was disappointed a bus would no longer run along all of Queen Street, Kangaroo Flat, meaning her daughter would have to walk an additional 400 metres to the closest stop.
A PTV spokeswoman said the organisation would consider people's feedback when determining the routes.