Blacktown. Bus service for workers

A new bus route between Blacktown and Mount Druitt to service developing employment areas around Eastern Creek is now in operation. Busway route 723 running via Eastern Creek and Rooty Hill will meet demand from new industrial, warehouse and commercial developments around Wonderland and Honeycomb Drives and also along Peter Brock Drive. The service will run every 30 minutes during weekday peak hours only.

Region. Tenders for bus services

Private bus operators in Sydney will be required to competitively tender for existing metropolitan bus contracts to drive service improvements for customers. “Allowing private bus operators to competitively tender for existing private regions will drive improvements for customers,” Minister for Transport Gladys Berejiklian said.

Parramatta. Free bus services

Parramatta City Council’s CEO, Dr Robert Lang, will commence negotiations to secure the long-term financial support of the NSW government for the provision of the Parramatta Free Shuttle Bus Service. Council will consider the possible extension of the shuttle service to the university campus at Rydalmere.

Council will continue the free Harris Park Hop Service for a further three months in conjunction with a marketing plans with the Harris Park business community, and will make representation to the state government seeking an enhancement of the off- peak public transport services between Harris Park and Parramatta CBD.

Parramatta. City snubbed on free transport

Parramatta Lord Mayor, John Chedid, has slammed the state government over its decision to fund free shuttle-busses in Liverpool, Campbelltown and Gosford, while snubbing one of the first places to introduce the service – Parramatta. “This is a massive slap in the face to the ratepayers of Parramatta who are currently funding their own shuttle bus service, the Loop, out of their own pockets, while every other major CBD in NSW has a free shuttle bus service funded by the state government,” Cr Chedid said.

Region. Free loop buses

The NSW Government will introduce free loop buses in Campbelltown and Liverpool from January 31. The shuttles will provide free transport links between key commuter destinations, including hospitals, transport hubs and shopping centres. The new buses are part of the Government’s Metropolitan Transport Plan to provide families with more transport options closer to home

Liverpool. New service increases bus trips

A new Metrobus route M90, connecting Liverpool, Moorebank, Bankstown, Chullora, Strathfield and Burwood, will begin on December 6, increasing the number of services on this route from 549 to 840 per week. The new service will run seven days a week, every 10 minutes in the weekday peak, every 15 minutes during the day and every 20 minutes in the evenings and on weekends.

Granville. Depot for 100 buses

Parramatta City Council has on public exhibition a DA for the construction of a bus depot, in Ferndell Street, South Granville, comprising a 2-storey building containing mechanical workshop and office space, car park for 107 cars, bus parking area for 100 buses and three refueling bays, for a 24/7 operation.

Region. Bus reformes delayed

Darryl Melish, executive director, of the Parramatta-based BusNSW (formerly the Bus and Coach Association) said delays to the Tcard and fare changes had damaged plans for bus reform. “A number of the milestones are well behind schedule or have proved to be not practical to maintain. Bus operators want the operator benchmarking exercise to which they committed to be introduced as soon as possible and are not concerned about the delay,” he said in The Sydney Morning Herald. The paper said the State Government was failing to measure whether public and private buses run on time, even though it has spent $1.4 million so far on contracts that promised to do so.

Parramatta. EOI for bus depot

State Transit has called for proposals for the establishments of a Western Sydney bus depot within five kilometres of the Parramatta bus-rail interchange. The site, capable of accommodating a fleet of 80-160 buses, should be to the north, east or south east of Parramatta. Other purpose-built facilities include bus wash bay, maintenance pits workshop bays, refueling stations, and an administration and amenities building.

Sydney Olympic Park. EOI for bus services

The NSW Government wants to boost its public transport services to Sydney Olympic Park. The Ministry of Transport has called for tenders for the provision of bus services for a number of routes to support major events held at the venue, which is currently serviced by bus services and a shuttle-train from Lidcombe.