RMIT planning and development lecturer Dr Paul Mees said the Government still had a strong view that public transport wasn't "the main game" and that it could "spin [its] way out of it".

"They [the Government] have released a so-called major transport plan every 18 months to two years since they were elected in 1999. This is just the latest.

"The same people who produced all the previous ones are in charge of this one. It will be an absolute miracle if anything substantial comes out of it."

Dr Mees said unlike the Government, the public understood improvements to public transport were needed.

"You ask [Premier John Brumby] about EastLink and he'll wax lyrical about it, but you start talking to him about public transport and it's all too hard."

He said it was likely there would be "nothing for [Melbourne's] outer east", although there may be some long-term projects announced.

He called for a string of improvements to public transport in the outer east, including an extension of the Glen Waverley rail line to Rowville.

Bus timetables should be overhauled to ensure commuters had a bus waiting for them when they got off at a railway station, regardless of the time or day, he said.

Monash University Institute of Transport Studies expert Professor Graham Currie said the single biggest problem was rail capacity being overstretched.

"Passengers are voting with their feet and we've got high issues in ridership. Until we can solve that problem I think we're going to be very limited in the future with public transport."

Professor Currie also called for the State Government to make good on its 1999 promise for a feasibility study on a Huntingdale-Rowville rail link.

Spokesman Michael Sinclair said the Brumby Government's "comprehensive transport plan" would respond to Sir Rod Eddington's report and other transport priorities in Victoria.

"Our plan is being developed following extensive consultation with the community and stakeholders and we have received more than 2200 submissions.

Opposition transport spokesman Terry Mulder said he was disappointed with the State Government's lack of progress at a time when it is about to release its fifth transport plan in nine years.

He would not reveal the Coalition's transport policies until the Government's plans were looked at in detail.