Here we have another bunch of people today moaning about the fact that they might have to walk another few hundred meters or another few minutes to get to the next bus stop
And next up for review? M40 in Willoughby please. There are so many stops in that area that are way, way too close to each other (we're talking about perhaps less than 100m between them) it is just stupid. You have the Opal data now - see which stops have the least boarders/alighters, and chop em up!
Plan to remove dozens of inner west bus stops not fair on passengers, say critics
Jim O’Rourke, Inner West Courier Inner City
November 7, 2017 12:31pm
Subscriber only
A COMMUNITY fight to stop bus stops being removed from busy public areas and key routes across the inner west has begun.
More than 40 stops could be pulled up by transport authorities in an effort to improve bus journey times.
The bus stop removals come in advance of the privatisation of State Transit bus services in a large part of the region.
A Submission Report released by Roads and Maritime Services last week indicates stops outside of Marrickville Town Hall will be retained, but 35 stops in Marrickville, Camperdown, Petersham, Stanmore and Dulwich Hill could go.
Commuters may have to walk further to their local bus stop. Picture: Craig Wilson
In a separate RMS proposal, stops across Rozelle, Leichhardt, Lilyfield and Camperdown are being removed. RMS also wants to remove dozens of on-street parking spots as part of the proposed changes to five busy bus routes — 412, 422, 423, 426 and 428. The stops will disappear, or be combined, as part of the State Government’s 10-year Bus Priority program to improve reliability.
State Labor MP for Summer Hill, Jo Haylen, said the bus stop removals are about making routes more profitable for potential private operators following the sell-off of Region 6 buses.
“It will particularly impact the elderly, commuters with disability, and inconvenience each and every person who relies on buses to get around.
“This decision is about fattening the pig for sale.”
Greens MP for Newtown, Jenny Leong (standing left), with a group of Stanmore residents upset with proposed State Government plans to remove bus stops along popular inner west routes.
Balmain Greens state MP Jamie Parker has teamed up with residents and businesses to protect popular stops in the Balmain-Leichhardt area.
Stops will go on Darling St, Balmain Rd, Norton St and Parramatta Rd.
But Mr Parker said the changes would leave many travellers with long distances to walk to their nearest stop.
Businesses on Darling St have been particularly vocal in objecting to the loss of their customers’ parking spaces and less accessible bus stops.
“Residents have launched a Parliamentary petition and I have written to the Transport Minister seeking an urgent review,” Mr Parker said.
“The government is engaging in the worst sort of Orwellian doublespeak by claiming that deleting bus stops is some kind of ‘improvement’,” Mr Parker said
A RMS spokesman said bus stops near schools, aged care facilities and shopping centres have been carefully examined to ensure access to bus services is maintained.
RMS and transport for NSW is now examining submissions before making a final decision.
