You may have noticed the Government quietly posted revised bus timetables and service arrangements on the Transport Canberra website (https://www.transport.act.gov.au/…/new-timetable-for…) on Monday. Alternatively, you may have easily missed it. Council is unimpressed that we found out about these changes through the media, rather than by targeted local consultation by Transport Canberra as is the usual case.
While there are some positive improvements/changes, there is also some negatives and a few lost opportunities. For example, the designated park and ride offering remains unfit for purpose and there are opportunities to better direct a few services and it is still not possible to catch a direct bus to the Canberra Hospital Precinct.
Council has reviewed the changes and while some make sense, others need some explanation which is unlikely to be forthcoming. Key changes we have noticed include:
- The long-anticipated change for all services to use the Parkinson Street stops, in Weston. Unfortunately, the infrastructure remains inadequate.
- Bus routes 63,64 and 65 will no longer service the Launceston St stop in Phillip, instead using a “more direct route along Hindmarsh Drive”, so if you happen to use a bus to get to work or visit buildings in the northern end of Woden you will need to catch your bus from the temporary Woden Interchange (shipping containers?). This follows the removal of the handy bus stop in Corinna St.
- There will be changes to the frequency of some services, particularly off-peak services and buses will cease to operate earlier in the evening
- There will be no change to the two hourly frequency on Saturday afternoons and Sundays, which effectively means if you do not have access to alternative transport your movements remain severely curtailed.
Council encourages the community to look at the detail and assess any impacts the changes may have on them before they are implemented on 30 January 2013. We will soon be launching a brief survey to assist us in getting a consolidated view.
You also may like to flag any concerns you may have with Transport Canberra, Minister Steel, all the local MLAs, and to copy Council into your correspondence (info@westoncreek.org.au).
We have also noticed the Public Transport Association of Canberra has been quite vocal on these changes (see: https://ptcbr.org/…/2023-bus-timetables-dont-live…/…)