Despite years of lobbying from transport groups and Knox Council, and a promise more than 10 years ago that the State Government would conduct a feasibility study, Premier John Brumby this week said there were no plans for a rail line to Rowville.

Speaking in Box Hill on Monday, Mr Brumby said the SmartBus network was "the most cost-effective way of providing improved transport services to people in that area".

"It [Rowville rail] is certainly not on the agenda in the short term.

"We really need to bed down the SmartBus. In some ways it's more flexible than a fixed rail line.

"And then I think it'd be appropriate after that's run three or four years to have a look at whether there are further transport needs."

Mr Brumby said there had been a "huge investment in improved buses".

Eastern Transport Coalition chairwoman Samantha Dunn said that while the introduction of SmartBuses was welcome, they were already "bursting at the seams".

The Route 900 SmartBus from Rowville to Caulfield has been running since October 2006. According to the Government, the route has experienced a 131.8per cent rise in patronage since the service began - the biggest rise in patronage of its five SmartBus routes.

Ms Dunn said heavy rail was the answer to moving large volumes of people.

"While they [buses] are a solution short term, they are certainly not a solution in the long term."

She said the coalition would like a Rowville rail feasibility study conducted now.

RMIT public transport expert Paul Mees said Mr Brumby's comments were almost "daring the electorate to take him to task" in an election year.

He said it had become obvious that a rail line to Rowville was off the Government's agenda since it had not included it in its 2008 transport plan.

Public Transport Users Association president Daniel Bowen said Mr Brumby's comments were disappointing as buses had limited capacity and got stuck in traffic.