Victory on buses, but Scruby says more to be done
The State Government will purchase 50 articulated (bendy) buses, as well as 10 B-Line double-decker buses, to address ongoing service delays and cancellations on the Northern Beaches.
Independent Pittwater MP Jacqui Scruby said the first new bendy bus purchase in 14 years ‘shows that the government has listened.’
Ms Scruby acknowledged the work of Wakehurst MP Micheal Regan, who has campaigned for action over many years.
“It’s a victory for our community campaign and I’d like to thank everyone who wrote, rang and completed my survey. We did this together.”
However, Ms Scruby said commuters needed more measures to alleviate the chaos in the short term. These included better communication on the transport app, better route management by operator Keolis Downer, buses to be borrowed from other areas, more drivers, and full restoration of the 190X timetable (cut from 12 to 9 peak hour services in January).
Ms Scruby said there had been recent improvements to key routes, including the struggling 190X – the only direct peak hour direct city service north of Mona Vale.
“One day last week we saw zero cancellations on the 190X. That’s a huge step forward from the week earlier where cancellations were at over 50%,” Ms Scruby said.
Constituents were still ‘furious and exasperated’ with timetable cuts and cancellations, Ms Scruby stated. “People have told me they’re considering moving because their commute is unbearable. Let’s hope this announcement is the beginning of the tide turning.
“The fight’s not over, but we’ve had a win!”
A spokesperson for Keolis Downer Northern Beaches (KDNB) said: “The frustrations passengers face due to capacity issues in their daily commute are well understood, and we thank all our local MPs and Transport for NSW for the support in getting these buses promised for the Northern Beaches.”
The KDNB spokesperson said driver shortage was difficult to address. “Driver shortages are not new to the Northern Beaches and have been exacerbated in recent times by the cost of living and the mature age profile of bus drivers, many of whom are at retirement age.”
The new bendy buses will begin rolling out in late 2025, while over 40 bendy buses out for repair since October 2024 should begin to return from April.
