Sydney Bus changes 28th July 2019

[Gusbus]

More evidence TSA Burwood is soon to operate the 420 saw B depot bus on a route training run along Botany Rd heading towards the Airport with a bunch of drivers onboard.

That will be very interesting to see TSA operate that service.

TSA already operate the route 420 and have done so since the route was created, following the privatisation of Region 6.

[Gusbus]

Until appropriate investment and sensible rostering practices are in place at STA mainly the capacity to shift the crowds(which are growing)on busy routes/corridors will not be there.

What sensible rostering practices are you referring to, that STA should use?

[tonyp]

Silly really-but it has been going on for decades since the trams were replaced.

They got some doses of the lesson even before the trams were fully replaced, starting with the disastrous North Sydney conversion in 1958 when some genius decided that it would be OK to replace a fleet of 120 passenger trams with an identical number of 70 passenger buses, resulting in an active expulsion of "excess" patronage onto trains and private cars, or a combination of the two (this is when driving to the inner city and parking out the residential streets started, with Kirribilli being among the first suburbs to be overwhelmed). Or was it a cynical deliberate policy along the lines of: oh well everybody is buying cars nowdays, so they can use those and it will save us investing in public transport? This is why the current apparent decision not to invest in more artics really rings alarm bells. They still haven't learnt, or there's another agenda at work.

[Fleet Lists]

The Transdev problem and some other minor problems which were identified yesterday, have now been fixed. So hopefully the new Hillsbus timetables for 28/7 will be back tomorrow.

[ar157]

Will be interesting to see if the 651 generates any sort of meaningful patronage between Beecroft and Epping given that it more or less parallels the Northern Line.

[swtt]

Will be interesting to see if the 651 generates any sort of meaningful patronage between Beecroft and Epping given that it more or less parallels the Northern Line.

Probably not, but it does provide some form of service to Beecroft Road to Epping, instead of directly into town.

I wonder if there'll be new stops near Kandy Ave.

Another road that sorely lacks a bus service or on-demand service: Blaxland Road between Epping and Eastwood.

[Fleet Lists]

Will be interesting to see if the 651 generates any sort of meaningful patronage between Beecroft and Epping given that it more or less parallels the Northern Line.

Does it matter? If at started at Beecroft it would be a good question but as it will now operate all the way from Rouse Hill, it is not significant.

[Richard290]

Will be interesting to see if the 651 generates any sort of meaningful patronage between Beecroft and Epping given that it more or less parallels the Northern Line.

Probably not, but it does provide some form of service to Beecroft Road to Epping, instead of directly into town.

I wonder if there'll be new stops near Kandy Ave.

I guess the probable reason why the 651 has been redirected from Macquarie Park to Epping in lieu of terminating at Beecroft is that Epping is a major interchange between the Metro, the Northern Line and other bus routes, e.g. 288, 291, 295, 541, 546, 549, 550 and 630, whereas Beecroft is only served by the Northern Line, 553 and 635, without the connections to more easterly points such as Macquarie Park which are more adequately served by the frequent Metro services accessible from Epping.

[Stu]

High capacity buses are needed on routes 400 & 420, TfNSW had to revise the original 420 timetable in December 2018 due to capacity issues. There will most likely be a timetable update again at the end of this month in conjunction with the 14.5 units have been retired, some short working services to meet expected capacity.

Where will these shortworking be between? Burwood & Campsie or Burwood & Rockdale?

Most likely Bexley North Station to Airport or Eastgardens.

[Fleet Lists]

The new Hillsbus timetables 28/7 are up again but not only that also new 28/7 timetables for TSA region 6 and STA region 9 - no idea what the changes are. At least the 420 timetable looks different. The timetables for region 7 also cease on 27/7 but no replacements as yet.

[swtt]

The new Hillsbus timetables 28/7 are up again but not only that also new 28/7 timetables for TSA region 6 and STA region 9 - no idea what the changes are. At least the 420 timetable looks different. The timetables for region 7 also cease on 27/7 but no replacements as yet.

526 has one trip added in the PM Burwood bound direction ex Rhodes.
410 has some weekday evening trips rationalised to provide through routing from Hurstville to Marsfield, instead of Hurstville - Burwood and then 10 min later, a different service from Burwood - Marsfield.
420 has some reshuffling of short working (very minor). The Saturday morning 0414 Burwood - Eastgardens service has been axed (gone to 420N?)

[Stu]

The route 410 will have some trips operated by K, much like when K briefly operated the former M41 in recent times. There will be a return of routes mixed across depots although not as bad as it was with the fleet changes at the start of school term 1. The 412 short workings to and from Earlwood will no longer operate in Clarke St and in to Homer St for consistency which will also relief congestion at the bus stop in Clarke St. Regarding trips starting on Homer St, there is currently 1 x AM inbound trip on Sat and 1 x outbound trip in school days. Some trips to Earlwood will terminate at Dulwich Hill Stn, maybe something to do with the future Sydney Metro Chatswood to Bankstown.

[Stu]

With the impending withdrawal of the Scania 14.5 buses there should be an announcement for new timetables for services in STA regions 7 & 9 as well, there are new timetables available for 288 & L94 for example.

Most of the Region 6 timetables are available now.

[swtt]

With the impending withdrawal of the Scania 14.5 buses there should be an announcement for new timetables for services in STA regions 7 & 9 as well, there are new timetables available for 288 & L94 for example.

Most of the Region 6 timetables are available now.

No alterations to the 288 or L94 TT from 28/7. Unless old data has been uploaded.

The timetables for Regions 7/9 during 22-27/7 also have no Sunday times.

[Fleet Lists]

That is because there are no Sundays during the currency of those timetables.

[Stu]

The current weekday 415 trip at 06:53 from Chiswick to Campsie is split into two separate trips on the new timetable. It will depart Chiswick at 06:47 and terminates at Strathfield at 07:19, another separate trip from Strathfield to Campsie starts at 07:22.

The 418 AM trip to Burwood via J.J. Cahill high school has been reinstated, this trip went missing when the 418 was truncated to Kingsford and the 357 was reinstated.

[Fleet Lists]

The main advice for 28th July on Transport Info for NSW still only mentions the North West services but when looking at https://transportnsw.info/service-adjustments-2019 which lists the details, there are now also entries for other regions of Sydney including one change for Region 3 which has not been mentioned before. In the case of region 3, unlike the other regions, there is only a new timetable for route 804 and not the other routes.

The list is too long to past here.

Some routes are listed without explanation so I dont know what changes there are if any for these routes

[Fleet Lists]

One interesting one.

500
Ryde to City Town Hall

510
Ryde to City Town Hall

X00
City to Ryde


Routes withdrawn
Trips replaced by extra services and capacity on routes 518 and M52
This is to simplify Victoria Road services by removing route numbers that are used for only a small number of trips per day.

Further to my previous post it appears that where no explanation is given the explanation for the previous route applies.

[In Transit]

Very surprised that there have been no artics ordered to replace the 14.5s.

I’m not surprised - artics have much higher acquisition, maintenance and running costs compared to a rigid.

Not really when comparing standard rigids (which are replacing the 14.5's) with antics, when you take into account the difference in capacity.. and that labour costs are significantly higher when replacing high capacity trips with a greater number of standard rigid trips.

[Fleet Lists]

Route 420N is not listed but has lost the 3.32 trip from Westfield Mondays - Fridays.

[swtt]

A very tokenistic change. ONE additional Rhodes - Burwood bus in late 1800-1900 hrs, and another trip around 2300 hrs.

Not where it's most needed - Strathfield to Underwood Road.

526 Burwood to Rhodes Shopping Centre

Additional afternoon peak and evening services will be added to the timetable

[stupid_girl]

One interesting one.

500
Ryde to City Town Hall

510
Ryde to City Town Hall

X00
City to Ryde


Routes withdrawn
Trips replaced by extra services and capacity on routes 518 and M52
This is to simplify Victoria Road services by removing route numbers that are used for only a small number of trips per day.

Further to my previous post it appears that where no explanation is given the explanation for the previous route applies.

Route number 500 is now vacated. It makes me wonder if they are going to re-number M50 to 500 when light rail opens.

[Richard290]

Route number 500 is now vacated. It makes me wonder if they are going to re-number M50 to 500 when light rail opens.

If the Metrobus system will be fully dismantled, the big question is what to do with the number M52 since 520 is already in use? One solution could involve daytime M52 services being renumbered 520 and the all-stops night services on the pre-existing 520 could be renumbered 520N.
Keep in mind that the above is speculation.

[stupid_girl]

Route number 500 is now vacated. It makes me wonder if they are going to re-number M50 to 500 when light rail opens.

If the Metrobus system will be fully dismantled, the big question is what to do with the number M52 since 520 is already in use? One solution could involve daytime M52 services being renumbered 520 and the all-stops night services on the pre-existing 520 could be renumbered 520N.
Keep in mind that the above is speculation.

They may also consider 520X (just like how L09 became 309X).
By the way, I wonder if the L series will be gone at some point in the future.

[swtt]

Weren't there already some additional Route 501 services last time when metro opened around 26/5 as well? Looks like it's gained extra services again.