More Victorians are returning to public transport as the state reports no new COVID-19 deaths for the second day in a row.

New transport department data shows the network last week experienced its sharpest increase in activity since March 2020, with usage at 63 per cent of the pre-COVID baseline.

The 1.412 million total trips recorded on Thursday was a nine per cent increase from the same time a week earlier.

The state’s Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan said on Monday the numbers were unsurprising as more Victorians returned to normal life.

“No doubt some people will be making their choice on returning to public transport based on the pressures at the petrol pump,” Ms Allan said.

“But we always did anticipate we would see (this) as life begins to return and people get back into the returning to work pattern.”

The transport data came as Victoria recorded 7531 new COVID-19 cases on Monday.

The state reported no further virus deaths for the second day in a row.

There are 248 people in hospital with COVID-19, while 20 people are receiving intensive care and five are on ventilators.

– AAP