Better Bus Services: Connecting Our Community After 12 Years of Neglect
The North West region of Sydney has among the highest number of families in New South Wales. Often both parents need to commute to work using Metro Stations such as Tallawong, Rouse Hill and Kellyville. The Metro (opened in 2019) was a valuable addition to the North West’s public transport network.
The previous government inexplicably terminated the Metro at Tallawong, failing to terminate the Metro at an interchange with Schofields Station a mere 3 kilometres away. This oversight placed unnecessary strain on the Public Bus system. Bus services taking commuters to Metro stations had not been adjusted to be ‘fit for purpose’ when serving the needs of commuters in the North West wanting to use the Metro to travel to work.
Soon after taking office the Minns Labor Government established the NSW Bus Industry Taskforce. I encouraged as many people as were able to send a submission to the Taskforce. The culmination of 12 months of investigations, engagement and consultation resulted in the Final report being released in May of last year. As result of the findings from the Taskforce report, many bus services in the North West of Sydney were adjusted and received a significant boost.
Buses move more people than any other form of public transport and at the lowest cost to commuters. The previous Government neglected and underfunded Bus services not just here in the North West but across New South Wales. Poor leadership and coordination within Transport for NSW during the tenure of the previous government caused service degradation, while low driver pay, and inadequate safety systems were ignored.
From Monday the 20th of January commuters of the North West will enjoy more buses more often. In the biggest shake-up the public bus system has seen for years. Capacity will be increased, as will bus service frequency for high demand routes to Sydney Trains and Metro stations. There will be extra services and extended hours of services on several routes. Access to bus services will be expanded to two communities getting their first local bus route, the 748 – Melonba and Jerralong Drive, Schofields, connecting thousands of residents directly to train and Metro services.
Bus routes linking the North West to Rouse Hill Metro station will welcome new services including the 643, 740, 742, 746,747 and the 748. In Riverstone and Tallawong the 742 bus will run more frequently across the week, running every 30 minutes in the morning and afternoon peaks, doubling the number of services on the route. Similarly, 747 passengers will see additional services, commuters will enjoy buses running every 15 minutes in the morning and evening peaks.
These timetable changes follow a multimillion dollar investment announced in the 2024-25 budget, providing bus services that the residents of North West Sydney deserve. We know there is more to do. Routes and the frequency of services will continue to be monitored and improved to meet the needs of our rapidly growing population. This Government understands that an efficient public transport system is essential for families, workers, and students, and we will keep delivering on our promise to build a better future for North- West Sydney.
