The fight to Save Our Buses continues in Waverley

28 March 2024 | Media Release

Waverley Council will be making a submission this month to Transport for NSW (TfNSW) to help safeguard bus services and passenger safety in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

The Council’s submission will focus on four key recommendations made by the NSW Bus Industry Taskforce in its July 2023 and February 2024 reports that will have implications for the Waverley local government area including:

  1. Possible diversion of funding and resources away Sydney’s eastern suburbs to other parts of Sydney where current bus services are considered inadequate
  1. A proposed restructure of TfNSW to create a single point of responsibility for bus operations, and to improve monitoring and oversight of bus operations to enhance outcomes, including road user safety
  1. A future roadmap for bus simplification. In the short to medium term, this includes service upgrade of route 389 between Bondi Junction and Pyrmont
  1. Proposal for (TfNSW) to delegate wider low-risk responsibilities to Council, improve the process with Local Traffic Committee meetings, and provide training and resources to help Councils build capacity for and participate in public transport planning.

The Mayor of Waverley, Paula Masselos, said the Council was generally supportive of recommendations 2 and 4 but was concerned that Waverley’s residents and millions of visitors would be worse off if funding was reduced and services were cut.

“While we welcome more services in Greater Sydney overall, a reduction in bus services in Waverley risks a vicious cycle of spiraling patronage drops and service cuts,” Mayor Masselos said.

“Given Waverley’s position as a one of the busiest tourist destinations in the southern hemisphere, our dense development, mature street network, and limited road space, our transport strategy relies on buses to help manage congestion and support a sustainable transport system.

“With Sydney’s population continuing to grow, surely resources must be added, not merely rearranged across Greater Sydney.

“The 333 bus from North Bondi to Circular Quay, for example, is said to be the busiest bus route in Australia and regularly operates as a ‘set down only’ service because it’s too full to take on more passengers.

“Other bus services from Bondi Beach and other parts of the LGA taking similar or alternative routes also get caught in surrounding congested roads.”

Mayor Masselos said safe and reliable bus services are essential for Waverley and that the recommendations made by the taskforce have implications both for the planning and operation of bus services, and how bus services will be monitored and regulated in the future.

“A simplified, more direct bus network that runs faster, with more frequent, and reliable services is what works for Waverley, including those who visit us from other parts of Sydney. Fewer bus services and fewer stops just lead to further congestion on our buses, footpaths and roads and at bus stops.”

Mayor Masselos said the Council welcomed the taskforce’s emphasis on passenger safety and the need to expedite driver recruitment to improve bus services.

“Driver retention has been made more difficult following the government’s privatisation of the bus network, and bus drivers now have less actual driving experience. To mitigate concerns related to recruitment, we support the Taskforce’s recommendations for Transport for NSW to better support bus industry workers, and to provide proactive monitoring and oversight.”

Waverley Council was opposed to the previous government’s bus privatisation and is committed to helping Save Our Buses. To learn more about our campaign, visit waverley.nsw.gov.au/environment/sustainable_transport/public_transport/save_our_buses.

-ENDS-

Media inquiries: media@waverley.nsw.gov.au or 0416 075 532.