NT Bus Security & Service Review

[Merc1107]

Appears bus security and services are finally undergoing some review up in Darwin.

The proposed "solution" to anti-social behaviour appears to be the closure of the Darwin & Casuarina Interchanges, instead dispersing intending passengers at several other locations (e.g. for Casuarina, Bradshaw Terrace, Scaturchio St, Trower Rd) around these centres, which I imagine will make the job of security that much harder than it presently is. Part of the review also continues the operation of the free bus service, which is apparently a security measure - although the lived experience of those in the NT suggests that while the removal of fares reduces a potential threat to drivers, it causes an increase in patronage of an undesirable nature.

Bus service review is naturally long-awaited, but given previous reviews undertaken (presumably at great cost to the Government) have fallen flat (e.g. consultants were brought in to review the network in the mid-2010s, with no changes occurring), I'd be surprised if anything comes of this.

A timeline of the proposed review and its changes are also supplied.

[Gayspie]

Darwin needs more frequent and more direct bus services.

[Merc1107]

Closure of Darwin and Casuarina bus interchanges

To help reduce antisocial behaviour and create a safer bus network, the Casuarina bus interchange and Darwin bus interchange will close on 27 October 2025.

This is to deliver a safer and more reliable public transport system and enhance service delivery for passengers and drivers.

Casuarina passengers will be able to use existing bus stops on Trower Road, Scaturchio Street and Bradshaw Terrace.

Routes 1, 1h, 2, 24 and school buses will depart from the bus stop on Trower Road.

The Darwin bus interchange will continue as a bus stop and the interchange building including toilets will be closed. Departure locations will not change.

See the minor timetable and map changes.

Posts were also made on Facebook by NT Logistics & Infrastructure, as well as the incumbent operator, CDC Northern Territory, advising of the changes. The commentary is quite cynical about the change merely trying to move antisocial behaviour around, rather than properly address its underlying cause.

Further to the above, no major service changes appear to occurring beyond some very insignificant timetable tweaks. Not even an attempt to fix the embarrassingly-unpredictable frequencies that operate on practically all services, resulting in protracted layovers between most trips - good for drivers to decompress, not good from a cost perspective.

Amidst all this, CDC NT drivers are currently set to strike for 24hrs next week. This will be the first time industrial action has been able to grind the entire Darwin network to a standstill for decades, as strikes by the former Darwin Bus Service (who ran approx. 40% of the network) were generally able to be backfilled by CDC's predecessor, Buslink, and vice-versa. There was no industrial action, as far as I am aware, after Territory Transit took over the former DBS operation (local folklore claimed depot politics caused union membership among the workforce to collapse). NT News Excerpt Posted by TWU SA-NT, which states work is "still ongoing" on further network improvements. Given how long network change has been promised, and never come to fruition, I'll believe it when I see it.

[Merc1107]

Darwin's bus network soon to have armed security patrols.

[Merc1107]

Looks like some late night trips on the 70 & 71 (which have something of a reputation for antisocial behaviour) have been canned for good. This changes appears to have taken place on 15th May, judging by a Facebook post made by NT DLI.

Palmerston - last 2 services on routes 70 and 71 cancelled

The last 2 services on both routes 70 and 71 in Palmerston have been cancelled.
Earlier services will continue as usual.

Route 70 - Palmerston to Palmerston via Driver and Moulden:
Monday to Friday departing Palmerston 8:48pm and 9:22pm.

• The last bus is now 8:10pm.

Saturday departing Palmerston 9:15pm and 10:20pm.

• The last bus is now 8:10pm.

Route 71 - Palmerston to Palmerston via Woodroffe and Gray
Monday to Friday departing Palmerston 8:48pm and 9:22pm.

• The last bus is now 8pm

Saturday departing Palmerston at 9:15pm and 10:20pm.

• The last bus is now 8:10pm.