Is the end of Metrobus in sight?

[Fleet Lists]

Bambul suggested the M designation and Metrobus might come to an end due to the Metro next year.

https://transportsydney.wordpress.com/2 ... us-future/

It's possible, with a conversion of Metrobus into B-lines, or more likely just normal route numbers. I think it would water down the concept of B-line if they just converted it to a B-prefix, and I can't see RMS being ready to support it and get the work done in time to B-line standard, even if sections of TfNSW wanted to do it that way.

Thank you for that link. I have been arguing this with someone on wiki where he had written an article that all the Rapid routes and Suburban routes had been implemented - ha ha ha . I now have proof that what he had written is a lot of rubbish.

I can not see them calling the M routes B routes as I think the B routes are at a higher level than the M routes - just renumbering into the normal route number system is more likely,

[Nugget]

The 343, 440, and 389 could be considered an emulation of the original model too

In which case would 333 be the ancestor to the model. Does it still exist?

[J_Busworth]

Surely the end of the Metrobus branding must be in sight soon.

For the more popular city terminating M52 and M61 B-Line rapid service branding might just work. Slap on some stickers and renumber the buses B5 and B6. With the cross regional routes that don't duplicate other major serviced corridors, the routes should just be integrated into the normal numbering system (e.g. M54 becomes 554, M90 becomes 990, etc)

Personally I think the hardest thing will be sorting out the original 5 through city routes. They were brought in without much foresight over their place in the wider network and in most cases duplicated existing services. Routes like the M10 and M50 can easily be absorbed back into regular numbering, with extra services on routes currently serving the corridor using the arctics if there is enough space for a CBD terminus. If not the M10 and M50 are likely to be axed come CSELR opening in two years anyway. I'm not sure what you would do with the M20, M30 and M40 though, don't know enough about them except the inner southern part of the M20 is overly popular, maybe a Botany to Circular Quay bus?

[Frosty]

I'm not sure what you would do with the M20, M30 and M40 though, don't know enough about them except the inner southern part of the M20 is overly popular, maybe a Botany to Circular Quay bus?

I could see the m20 just becoming a Wynyard to Zetland service only or it could be extended to Chatswood on the north end & Airport on the southern end that fulfils the old 2013 Sydney Bus Future Plan. Though a Botany to Circular Quay bus existed in the form of 309/310/X09/X10 until Oct 2015 CBDSELR I would doubt Botany Rd services will go back to Circular Quay after the completion of light rail.

[boronia]

The trams will take a lot of buses out of CQ, so it is feasible that Botany services could fill in the slots.

[mandonov]

What I would like to see is a complete renumbering of every route, akin to what happened in Newcastle, based on type of service.

Keep Bx for the highest tier service, then as an example; 1xx for express services, 2xx for limited stops, 3xx for frequent cross-town routes, 4xx for local routes to the CBD, 5xx for local routes elsewhere in Sydney, 6xx for the most infrequent routes, 7xx for T-way routes if you want to keep that distinct.

[J_Busworth]

What I would like to see is a complete renumbering of every route, akin to what happened in Newcastle, based on type of service.

Keep Bx for the highest tier service, then as an example; 1xx for express services, 2xx for limited stops, 3xx for frequent cross-town routes, 4xx for local routes to the CBD, 5xx for local routes elsewhere in Sydney, 6xx for the most infrequent routes, 7xx for T-way routes if you want to keep that distinct.

This I don't agree with. I think that our current numbering system philosophy is up there with world's best practise. The first number designates the region, second the corridor and third the individual route. B for Rapid B-Line services, X for express, L for Limited stops and then the three number for everything else is how I think we should go forward. If we are going to renumber, which isn't that bad of an idea, it should be an improvement of the current system, not a completely new one.

[Jurassic_Joke]

I wouldn't mind if Metrobus died, its a failed concept. They can renumber the existing Metrobus routes into normal numbers for all I care because they just don't stand out as different. The ones with limited stops, M52 eg, make it L52 or X52. Given how much the NSW Liberals get off by trashing Labor, I'm very much surprised they haven't trashed the concept yet - unfortunately Gladys was actually caught in the news many years back as Minister saying "I'm a fan." when asked about Metrobus.

When Labor was about to be thrown out in 2011, they rushed through some more routes in Sydney's west that lacked any feature that was originally selling the concept. They were just repainted buses and the double deckers delivered to Transdev last year explicitly for M92, that were delivered in TfNSW livery is testimony to the idea of a dying brand.

Finally, the features that were unique to Metrobus (scrolling stop displays, announcements) have all been taken out, so its just a rebranded bus really. I'd support seeing the brand dismantled, but that's my position.

[Campbelltown busboy]

I wouldn't mind if Metrobus died, its a failed concept. They can renumber the existing Metrobus routes into normal numbers for all I care because they just don't stand out as different. The ones with limited stops, M52 eg, make it L52 or X52. Given how much the NSW Liberals get off by trashing Labor, I'm very much surprised they haven't trashed the concept yet - unfortunately Gladys was actually caught in the news many years back as Minister saying "I'm a fan." when asked about Metrobus.

When Labor was about to be thrown out in 2011, they rushed through some more routes in Sydney's west that lacked any feature that was originally selling the concept. They were just repainted buses and the double deckers delivered to Transdev last year explicitly for M92, that were delivered in TfNSW livery is testimony to the idea of a dying brand.

Finally, the features that were unique to Metrobus (scrolling stop displays, announcements) have all been taken out, so its just a rebranded bus really. I'd support seeing the brand dismantled, but that's my position.

That’s easy for the STA to renumber routes but Transdev might have a issue with renumbering the M91 without the option of demergeing the two routes that make up that route

[Fleet Lists]

Why? Numbers like 997 or 998 are available. They dont have to go back to old numbers. Or they can use either the old 910 or 948 to cover the whole route. Not too many people would be worried about that.

[J_Busworth]

Noticed today that all the M50s down at Coogee Beach were red bendies. Are there more availability on weekends for them to operate on the mterobus routes? I haven't seen one down there since last Sunday.

[Jurassic_Joke]

Noticed today that all the M50s down at Coogee Beach were red bendies. Are there more availability on weekends for them to operate on the mterobus routes? I haven't seen one down there since last Sunday.

As far as I'm aware, M50 outside of peak hours is more or less 100% Volgren bendies, either blue or red. Definitely more red buses. Along with M40, M50 has the least amount of variety of buses used (yawn), although this might change with route responsibility reshuffles relevant to the Region 6 franchising.

For example M20 just received 2109 and 2110 (lucky!) wish M40 would get something new. As someone else pointed out earlier in this thread, this weekend, I saw an unusually high number of standard buses on M10, namely Scania Bustech VST...really hope this is not foreshadowing whats to come under TSA, but we'll see.

[GazzaOak]

Bambul suggested the M designation and Metrobus might come to an end due to the Metro next year.

https://transportsydney.wordpress.com/2 ... us-future/

It's possible, with a conversion of Metrobus into B-lines, or more likely just normal route numbers. I think it would water down the concept of B-line if they just converted it to a B-prefix, and I can't see RMS being ready to support it and get the work done in time to B-line standard, even if sections of TfNSW wanted to do it that way.

That would be a good idea... try and convert all trunk routes to b-line and only the b-line of that route operate to cbd (with a few routes), with other routes terminating in other places.

[Stu]

The link briefly worked and then stopped working - the dt wanted $$$ to display the article.

$7M TRANSPORT PLAN LINKS NORTHERN BEACHES TO CHATSWOOD
A rapid transport corridor could be provided from Dee Why to Chatswood according to Forest Coach Lines, which has put its pitch forward to deliver the B-Line style system.

This corridor was a concept for the original metrobus network although never came to fruition - M36. I've been digging around my archives and I'll post some more info about the metrobus network from conceptual view point during its infancy.

[kypros1992]

The link briefly worked and then stopped working - the dt wanted $$$ to display the article.

Full article. There is always a way past a paywall

A RAPID transport corridor could be provided from Dee Why to Chatswood for about $7 million according to Forest Coach Lines, which has put its pitch forward to deliver the B-Line style system. Forest Coach Lines chief executive officer David Royle told the Manly Daily his company could have 13 buses ordered, and delivered by year’s end and would run the service for around $6 million per annum. Another $1 million-odd would be required for annual fleet costs. It came in response to a request for a quote from Northern Beaches Mayor Michael Regan in a bid to have the long-touted and much-needed system become a reality.

“We have been negotiating for a no-nonsense, 10-minute turn up and go service,” Cr Regan said. “Council estimates it would cost in the vicinity of $7m, less the revenue collected, and we costed that service with private providers to put forward a case for the State Government,” he said. “We want the State Government to bring forward that bus line to deliver the planning precinct around the new hospital in its entirety and to take pressure off the Military Rd corridor, irrespective of whether or not the tunnel is built.”

It would have five stops, according to Cr Regan: Skyline Shops, the Northern Beaches Hospital, Forest Way Shops, Forestville shops (Jamison square) then Crown of the Hill (at the foot of the Roseville bridge), before finishing at Chatswood. The council has written to all four peninsula MPs and Planning Minister Anthony Roberts. Cr Regan said his recent discussions with Planning Minister Anthony Roberts — who is in charge of the Frenchs Forest masterplan after it was named a priority precinct — were fruitful.

Mr Royle said the plan was possible in the short, to midterm future, if funded. “In terms of feasible, it is going to cost the government … it will need a subsidy by government to operate,” Mr Royle said. “But then again most bus services we have in Sydney have some degree of subsidy.” Mr Royle said the indicative costings would use the same double-decker buses as the B-Line, 16 of which he has already ordered to service Forest’s existing network. He said of the about $7 million it would cost the State Government it would get about 2.5 million back in return from ticket sales. “We trialled the B-Line bus before the B-Line started that was our preferred option,” Mr Royle said.

“It is our standard service instead of articulated buses or an alternative double deck bus. It required some approvals on the backstreets around Belrose and Terrey Hills.
“We have negotiated that with council and we have 16 coming from Malaysia.” The limited stop service would run during peak hours, with more modelling needed as to how often it would run in off-peak. Cr Regan said while it would not be in before the hospital’s opening it could be built to cater for the additional 3000 homes expected to be built as part of the Frenchs Forest masterplan. “We want to build the infrastructure, the community always asks for the infrastructure to be build prior to any density,” Cr Regan said,

“Residents have been asking for a fast direct link straight up the guts of Warringah Rd forever. “Let’s build it now before we get more density.” Two new routes have even created to service the hospital — the 141 from Manly to Austlink via Balgowlah, and the 193 from Austlink to Warringah Mall via Frenchs Forest. A number of routes will also be extended to include Frenchs Forest before the hospital opens. “We’re adding more than 1000 extra weekly services on the northern beaches to improve access to the new hospital and meet the growing demand in the Frenchs Forest area,” a Transport for NSW spokesman said.

“This is on top of the more than 3200 extra weekly services that were introduced in November 2017 as part of the new Northern Beaches Bus Network. “Rather than concentrating improvements on just one route, the initial service plan focuses on improving services in the wider catchment of the new hospital to enable patients, staff and visitors to use public transport.
“We are committed to delivering the best possible public transport services for customers and we’ll continue to monitor demand for services in this region as it develops.”

[Tonymercury]

Interesting that 16 Gemilangs are on order,

[Stu]

All of these new metro train lines will be the end of the metrobus brand.

[Campbelltown busboy]

All of these new metro train lines will be the end of the metrobus brand.

Metrobus routes M10 to M50 the prepaid services that were introduced in 2008 and 2009 were what the metrobus brand was all about then leading up the 2011 state election labor started to rebumber active routes witch all started with the Parramatta to Circular Quay service getting renumbered from L21 to M52 then whatever number the M54 was

[Stu]

^ M52 was L20 and M54 was 548 Parramatta to Epping.