APT COMMENTS ON PROPOSED CHANGES TO BUS ROUTES IN THE LOWER NORTH SHORE AND NORTHERN BEACHES

General

  1. Service Frequencies: APT is disappointed that proposed service frequencies have not been shown on the leaflet for the proposed changes, as they have been for the proposed changes to Region12 (Shorelink), which was also released recently. This matter was raised in a letter to the editor of The Manly Daily by Norman Rich of Newport on 9 August 2008. APT strongly recommends that service frequencies be included in all future proposed change information disseminated to the public, so that the public can make more informed comment on changes.
  2. Ticketing considerations in Forestville: The proposal to make Route 136 stop "all stops" between Frenchs Forest and East Roseville, while on balance good in itself (see below), once again points to the Government's failure to implement a standard, consistent fare regime throughout Sydney. Passengers travelling between Forestville and Chatswood who wish to take advantage of ticket products which are only available on STA buses, will have to wait for an STA Route 136 bus rather than a Forest Coach Lines' vehicle, thus making a mockery of "rationalizing" the route network.
  3. "Hop, Skip and Jump" bus service: APT notes that no mention is made in this document of the "Hop, Skip and Jump" (HSJ) bus service provided by Manly Council in the Manly-Balgowlah-Balgowlah Heights-North Balgowlah area. We note that in some instances, STA and HSJ routes are operating virtually in competition with each other. APT strongly recommends that the Ministry of Transport and/or State Transit involve Manly Council in planning and rationalizing bus routes in the Manly-Balgowlah-Balgowlah Heights-North Balgowlah area, so that a fully co-ordinated transport service may be presented to the travelling public.
  4. Standard stopping patterns for Express and Limited Stop services: The standarisation of these stopping patterns would appear to improve the ability of the travelling public to understand the stops. APT therefore approves of their introduction.
  5. Strategic corridor route: Previous documents on Bus Reform have referred to a strategic corridor from the City to Mona Vale via Military Road, Spit Road, Condamine Street and Pittwater Road. No mention of it appears in the current document, even though similar references have been made to other corridors in previous regional reviews. Is it still intended to implement that route as a strategic corridor with all the attendant benefits to bus passengers?

Altered Route 135

The lack of information about service frequencies makes it difficult to comment effectively on the proposal to amalgamate Route 135 with that part of Route 146 between Manly and Warringah Mall. Route 135 currently operates half hourly throughout most parts of the day, while Route 146 runs hourly in the inter-peak period on weekdays and on Saturdays. If a more frequent service is planned to operate between Manly and Warringah Mall, that is good for passengers and thus has APT approval.

See also General comment 3 above.

Altered Route 136

While Route 136 passengers will on the one hand be subject to longer journey times by making the service "all stops" between Frenchs Forest and East Roseville, Forestville area passengers will on the other hand derive the benefit of being able to board these buses for travel to Dee Why and Manly. It will also enable Forestville passengers travelling to Chatswood to avail themselves of STA ticketing (TravelTens, etc) - see General comment 3 above.

On balance, therefore, APT supports the lifting of what was previously in effect an arbitrary travelling restriction on Route 136 (which had protected previous operator "territories" , rather than acting in the interests of the passenger).

Altered Route 139

APT supports the elimination of Foam Street loop, as the reduction in journey time for the vast majority in passengers far outweighs any inconvenience for a small minority of passengers in that area.

Replacement of Route 146 by Route 179

APT welcomes the extension of Route 179 to give Wheeler Heights and Collaroy Plateau passengers access to the City throughout weekdays and on Saturdays. However, the elimination of the current diversion of Route 146 buses into the Warringah Mall bus terminal is unwarranted. A large proportion of passengers on this route are elderly, living in the War Veterans Home. The additional walking distance from Pittwater Road into Warringah Mall is likely to cause undue hardship to those passengers.

APT queries whether the operation of these routes via Tennyson Road and Lynwood Avenue, Cromer can be justified in light of one of the stated aims of the review being to provide "more direct services". We understand that the route was altered to travel via those streets in order to have a bus stop outside Dee Why Gardens retirement village. However, we suspect that patronage generated at that bus stop is minimal. APT therefore recommends that Route 179 be altered to travel direct along Carawa Road to Fisher Road for the benefit of longer distance passengers.

Replacement of Route 152 by Route 178

Similarly to Route 179 above, APT welcomes the extension of Route 178 to give Cromer and Cromer Heights passengers access to the City on a full time basis. However, these passengers will suffer the same fate as those in Wheeler Heights and Collaroy Plateau, in that they will no longer have a bus service to the Warringah Mall bus terminal, where present Route 152 currently terminates. Route 152 currently runs past Willandra Village retirement village and passengers living in that facility will be disadvantaged by the additional walking distance from Pittwater Road into Warringah Mall. APT therefore recommends that Route 178 be diverted into Warringah Mall during appropriate shopping hours.

APT also notes that map of proposed changes appears to suggest that these routes will no longer be extended to the Maybrook Manor retirement village in Cromer Heights at appropriate times of the day. That would be an adverse change.

Discontinuance of Route L60

APT is surprised by the proposed cancellation of this route. Observations by APT suggest the route was reasonably loaded. We understand that it was originally introduced as a result of an analysis of Travel to Work data which quantified the numbers of Northern beach residents who work in the Chatswood area. We question whether sufficient advertising of the route among businesses in the Chatswood area has been undertaken to foster patronage on this route. APT recommends that Route L60 be retained for (say) six months and that there be increased advertising of the service among relevant business houses in the Chatswood/East Chatswood area.

Rearrangement of Routes 169, 172, 173, E72 & E73

The proposed changes to these routes have been the subject of considerable correspondence to the letter pages of The Manly Daily. A list of the letters appears immediately below. The letter writers were united in their opposition to the changes they perceive to be planned. An editorial in that newspaper also complained that the STA appeared to be engaging in "spin" to hide what it saw as the adverse changes to these bus routes.
30 July 2008John Portelli, Narraweena
13 July 2006Scott Lea, Frenchs Forest
Chris Rothwell, Frenchs Forest
1 August 2008Anne Salvador-Dunlop, Beacon Hill
2 August 2008Norman Rich, Newport
5 August 2008John Kelly, Beacon Hill
6 August 2008Stephen Brown, Seaforth
7 August 2008Ken Arnold, Frenchs Forest
(Copies of letters on file)

APT takes a more cautious approach, as we do not know if frequencies are being altered on these routes, due to the lack of frequency data in the proposed change document (as referred to in General comment 1 above). Most of the letter writers stressed that these buses are well loaded during peak periods and APT believes that to be the case. If so, we trust the frequencies will be maintained at a level to accommodate existing patronage.

It would also be reassuring for passengers in the Cromer/Cromer Heights area to know that they will not suffer a longer journey time on the proposed Route 178/E78 buses to the City via Dee Why and Pittwater Road compared with the current journey time on Route 172/3/E72/3 buses to the City via Wakehurst Parkway and Seaforth. We hope that bus priority measures along Pittwater Road, Condamine Street and the Burnt Bridge deviation will assist in delivering faster journey times for bus passengers travelling along that corridor, compared firstly with private car occupants and secondly with bus travel via Wakehurst Parkway and Seaforth.

Routes E68 and E71 no longer "expresses"

APT queries why these routes should no longer be regarded as expresses. At the same time, we recognise that the stopping patterns of express buses is being standardised - a move which we welcome, as it removes much of the confusion of express and limited stop bus routes to the travelling public. However, APT would like to be reassured that passengers on the proposed Route 168 and 171 buses will not have their journey times lengthened as a result of these services no longer being regarded as expresses.

Proposed Routes 182 & E83 to Elanora Heights

APT welcomes the extension of a City bus service at least during peak hours to Elanora Heights, as this suburb was the only significant area on the Northern Beaches not to have such a service until now.

APT recommends that at least the City services from Elanora Heights could well be extended from the corner of Kalang and Powderworks Roads to the corner of Cooleena and Powderworks Roads. This would cover an additional catchment area, at no additional expense (assuming that buses travelling to Elanora Heights in the morning peak would have to travel empty up Powderworks Road to take up running; and vice versa in the evening peak).

Altered Route 228

APT accepts that patronage on the part of this route proposed to be abandoned is minimal. The shortened route therefore provides a shorter journey time for Clifton Gardens passengers.

Discontinued Route 229

APT also accepts that patronage on the part of this route beyond Spit Junction (which is proposed to be abandoned) is minimal. However we would like to be reassured that service along Miltary Road and Miller Street to North Sydney and Milsons Point (current Routes 227/8/9/230) will be maintained at the existing levels.

Discontinued Route 233

This is another route on which APT accepts that patronage is minimal. We therefore accept it being discontinued, given that Route 245 will operate between the City and Balmoral at night in lieu.

Proposed extension of Route 245 to Balmoral

APT is not sure what the implication of this proposal is. Route 245 currently operates in weekday peak hours only between Cremorne Junction and the City. However, in the "Summary of Changes by Suburb", it is stated that this extension will operate "every day". Does that mean that the extension to Balmoral will operate seven days and six nights a week? If so, this suggests that Balmoral might be over-serviced, as Routes 238 to Taronga Zoo Wharf and 257 to Chatswood also operate there. The kilometres devoted to this service at most hours of the week might be better utilised on some other routes.

Altered Route 263

While the phrase "more direct" may be a little misleading, the altered route of this service is appropriate given the high density population that exists along that part of Gerard Street, where it will supplement Route 243.

Summary of recommendations

Conclusion

APT is generally in favour of the proposed changes to routes, except where noted under individual routes above. The changes in general meet the objectives of the review, ie to deliver more direct services, simplify express and limited stop services, to improve reliability and for bus services to be accessible to the majority of the community. Whether services will operate at reasonable frequencies is unknown, as the proposed frequencies are not spelt out, as noted already.