Heidi Biggins lives in Alfredton with her husband and two children, twins Max and Freddy, who are both six-years-old.

Heidi has had impaired vision since the age of 22 due to a disorder called benign intercranial hypertension - an excess of brain fluid which eventually damaged her optic nerve.

She is completely blind from her right eye and has around 90 per cent vision loss in her left.

A typical day's commute for Heidi will take her from her home in Alfredton to the children's school in Lucas, to her job in Wendouree and back again.

HOW HAS YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE BUS NETWORK BEEN? LET US KNOW

For 13 years now Heidi has been reliant on several different means to get her from place to place, from cab charge vouchers to catching the bus to getting lifts from other people.

She also gets about town with the assistance of her guide dog Freya.

As part of her disability support program Heidi has free travel on the state's public transport network - however, due to the unreliability of Ballarat's bus network, her Myki card often sits at home.

"Most buses go straight into the CBD and back to their suburbs. I couldn't go into the CBD and then change over at the interchange," she said.

"I don't know when my bus is coming and I can't approach anyone because I can't see them, I just stand there and flounder.

"When I do catch the bus to the CBD I will bus into town and then taxi home, just because I can't see those buses coming, there is too many of them."

The lack of public transport options means Heidi often has to takes taxis, which while subsidised, still burn a deep hole in her pockets.

"It is at least $30 a day to get to work and back," she said.

"If I have to take the kids to Auskick on Friday night, swimming on Tuesday nights, then I catch two more taxis. One to get to swimming in Wendouree and back again half-an-hour later. That is another $30."

Heidi is now in the process of moving from her "dream home" in Alfredton to Lucas, to be closer to her children's school, making the morning commute more convenient.

Even still, Heidi said Lucas' lack of bus options still presents a problem in getting around town.

"We are moving to Lucas in three weeks, we have sold and bought. The closest bus stop is 950 metres away and it is in the opposite direction of school as well," she said.

"If I was to need to go into town in the morning, I need to walk nearly a kilometre to school, and then a kilometre back to get to the bus stop, just to go into town, which is crazy.

"I am happy that I get to walk the kids to school every day, but I am giving up a bus stop."

Heidi's cause has been championed by the City of Ballarat, who are using it as a case study into why the system needs a rethink.

A reconsidered bus network for Ballarat has loomed large in the council's agenda, as the city's western growth suburbs, such as Lucas, Winter Valley and Alfredton attract more residents.

City of Ballarat mayor Des Hudson said Heidi's story was a common one among those living in the new estates, many of which do not have a single bus stop within 500m.

"In areas such as Lucas and Winter Valley there is very little to no regular bus service for people to access," he said.

"Our current bus network and routes need and urgent review to make sure it keeps pace with our growing city, so we can get more people on buses and less reliant on cars."

Lucas was a masterplanned suburb designed by Integra, and has been one of the key areas subject to Ballarat's recent residential housing boom.

Integra general manager Matt McCabe said in the early stages of development, bus stops were designed and integrated into the Lucas masterplan.

He said it was a decision by the Department of Transport as to where and when the buses would run.

"The bus network is fully provided for. When we developed the estate, and in fact any growth area, it requires us to incorporate facilities for the bus network," he said.

"PTV have their responsibility to either move ahead with running public transport through a system or to not do so."

In response to a Courier enquiry about bus lines in Lucas, a Victorian government spokesperson pointed to the plan to build a new school bus service from Cardigan Village and Lucas to Lucas Primary School and Ballarat High School.

The new bus service will be introduced in July, and will see the construction of eight new bus stops in Lucas to accommodate for the service.

There was no update on bus services for the general public.

"From next school term we're introducing a new school bus service to give students in Lucas and Cardigan Village better access to primary and secondary schools in the area by public transport," the spokesperson said.

Cr Hudson said poor patronage numbers on Ballarat's buses most likely reflected the poor service offered, not a lack of interest.

"The statistical evidence is not necessarily there to show the demand.

"Also, if the service is not fit for purpose, then you are probably not going to attract the number of people that will ideally then use the bus service as part of their every day planning to get from point a to point b."

The sentiment was shared by Heidi, who has had to fundamentally alter her day-to-day life to cater to the city's public transport shortcomings.

"I absolutely hate relying on others for help. Everything in my life is independent except for this issue. I don't have any choices at the moment," he said.

"I think my lack of choice for how I live life is really affecting my independence.

"I can't think of any other solution than spending all of this money on taxis and asking for help."

Have you tried The Courier's app? It can be downloaded here.