In recent months Ballarat mayor Des Hudson has been advocating for a review of the bus network after a raft of complaints about the service, spurred by coverage in The Courier. Now he has written to the minster of public transport requesting a personal meeting.

Council has since commissioned a community survey seeking people's thoughts on the system, with early results showing discontent with the frequency and routes of busses across the city.

Cr Hudson said he now looks to meet with state public transport minister Ben Carroll to plead the case for a review of the system, which was last redeveloped in 2015.

"As we know, we have been able to prove through over 200 responses that our system is not good enough," Cr Hudson said. "Meet those people and see the frustration they experience on a daily basis, going around every day activities, getting kids to school - and see just how inefficient the system is.

They deserve better than that." Of the council bus survey responses released so far, it seems there is a consensus of commuters calling for a review of the current system.

In response, a state government spokesperson pointed to improvements at the Ballarat station bus terminal, as well as 2021's Victoria Bus Plan, as signs the state is moving on bus transport. The spokesperson also defended the "spoke-and-hub" model, introduced in 2015, which saw all Ballarat busses use the station as a travel-through point while moving across the city.

"We're working hard to deliver the best services for our passengers on our regional bus and rail networks," the spokesperson said.

"Victoria's Bus Plan prioritises a modern bus network that connects routes and modes of travel."

"Ballarat's bus network gives customers more options with better connections within Ballarat and to train."

This also comes as the state government invests $50 million in upgrades to the Ballarat Station ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Games. However, Cr Hudson said the comments still did not address the central issue of the city's inefficient bus service.

"It doesn't tell us anything, it doesn't commit to anything, and doesn't give us confidence that anything is likely to chance," Cr Hudson said.

"I think it is a really important issue. We have a council have tried to advocate for probably the last five years now about inefficiency, changes that need to happen.

"Five years is a reasonable amount of time, I think we have been more than patient, the time is now."

As part of its advocacy campaign, the council has released a video of the mayor filming film his trip from his home in Winter Valley to a fictional appointment at Stockland Wendouree and time how long it took to complete the trip via bus.

The video shows the trip, which would take 10 to 15 minutes by car, take Cr Hudson more than an hour.

In addition to the video, the City of Ballarat has launched a survey asking for resident's thoughts on the bus network. Cr Hudson said the council was still looking for more survey responses, and encouraged Ballarat bus users to get online and give their thoughts.

"We have plenty of data, we have lots of responses. I am happy to continue to receive information from people who a frustrated with the system," he said.

"They can reach out to me and continue to share their stories, because the more informed I am the better I can articulate their issue.

"If we have to make multiple attempts, I am up for investing time, effort and energy to get a better outcome for our community."

To fill out the survey, visit the City of Ballarat website at ballarat.vic.gov.au