The NSW Government has announced 2,000 extra weekly bus services will be rolled out across NSW in the next 12 months.
The increased services are part of a $1.5 billion investment for bus services throughout NSW, including regional and metropolitan bus services, school services and financing of new and replacement buses.
100 Extra Non-Peak Services
A Transport for NSW spokesperson advised there will be more than 100 additional weekly services added to the routes operating in the Lane Cove area. The spokesperson also confirmed to ITC the extra services are designed to provide additional capacity on either side of the morning and afternoon peaks. They also confirmed to ITC that there are NO new services scheduled for peak time. A Transport for NSW spokesperson told ITC that the extra services will be in place before 30 September 2018.
More Lane Cove bus services were introduced in Mid 2017, with the biggest change taking place in November 2017. Even after new services were introduced, demand still exceeded capacity on some routes. In March this year bus lines seemed to grow again.
In the last few months, ITC has received the most complaints about the 253 Riverview Bus. In particular that during peak hours the 253 is packed before it reaches Longueville Road.
Still Concerns About the Epping/Chatswood Train Line Closure
ITC previously reported, on 1 October 2018 buses will replace trains when the Chatswood and Epping Train Line is closed. The government announced that the trains will be replaced with 110 bus services running every hour during peak times to accommodate commuters. There will be seven replacement bus routes including Epping to Chatswood, Epping to Chatswood via the M2 Motorway, Beecroft to St Leonards and St Leonards to Macquarie University. The Government estimated that the new buses will add an extra 10 minute travel time to their journey. If you lived in Epping or Macquarie Park would you want to add an extra 10 minutes to your travel time? Why not jump on the 288, 292 or 294 and go straight to the city? The question needs to be asked will these buses be full before they reach Lane Cove.
It does not appear that the extra services will assist in any extra congestion during peak hours. Only last week ITC met with Anthony Robert’s staff to outline Lane Cove’s concerns in relation to extra congestion when the Chatswood/Epping Train Line closes.
Extra services during non-peak period will be added to the following services:
251 Lane Cove West to City via Lane Cove
253 Riverview to City via Lane Cove
285 Mars Road Lane Cove to City via Lane Cove
288 to City via North Ryde
292 Lane Cove North to City
293 Marsfield to City via Epping Road
294 Macquarie University to City via Epping Road
ITC will continue to monitor the public transport in Lane Cove. Please continue to provide us with your photos and comments in relation to public transport issues.
If you are interested, Geoffrey Clifton a senior lecturer in transport and logistics management at the University of Sydney business school wrote an article today in the SMH on why more buses are needed. He mentions in the article that 20 000 vehicles a day use River Road Lane Cove. You can read the article here.
Do you have a local issue you would like help with? ITC is here to help just email us at [email protected]
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