Bus Timetable Changes Spark Further Backlash

BY KAYNE STEPHENS AND MADELAINE MCNEILL

Newcastle Transport operator Keolis Downer's plans to favour the On-Demand bus service in Lake Macquarie over regular weekend services are being criticised as the area prepares for another timetable revision.

The On-Demand service, which allows commuters to book a bus to pick up or drop them off anywhere in the service area, is being expanded further South towards Belmont TAFE.

The service will double in size and extend to customers in Redhead, Jewells, Floraville, Croudace Bay, Valentine, Belmont North and Belmont.

The frequency of scheduled services will be cut during off-peak times when the On-Demand bus is operating, raising concerns from local MPs Yasmin Catley and Jodie Harrison, as well as the Rail Tram and Bus Union who say the timetable should be left alone.

Member for Swansea, Yasmin Catley, says cutting regular timetables makes the network less reliable for commuters.

"It is delivering less services, longer journey times, and now they actually want to scrap those fixed services," said Ms Catley.

"It is absolutely disgusting the way that we have been treated here in Newcastle by the government. They need to come up here and they need to fix this problem now."

The plans have faced criticism over the level of consultation, as well as the reduction of the 41, 43, and 48 bus services which will be halved.

The services presently run one one hour intervals, but the MPs say it will be reduced to once every 2 hours under the revised timetable plan.

"The community that I represent tell me that they want the 350 route back. It was the route that took people to where they needed to be," said Yasmin Catley.

"We have a situation where a bus timetable and its routes have been implemented but do not meet the needs of the community. This has to stop."

Ms Catley also believes the community isn't quite sold on the new system and still relies on regular timetabled buses to get around.

"Those people who use the buses are concerned about this. On-Demand is not properly tried and tested," she said.

"And we know that it is costing tens of thousands, if not millions of dollars more than the services that we currently have in our fixed lines."

Keolis Downer Hunter Director of Corporate Affairs, Andrew Fletcher, said the company made the decision after listening to customers, speaking with drivers and analysing passenger data.

Newcastle Transport will release updated timetables and launch an information campaign on June 16th to keep passengers informed ahead of the changes, which come into effect on June 30th.

The On Demand service allows commuters to book a bus through the phone or an app, and they can be dropped off anywhere in the service area. Image: Transport NSW

Mixed Reviews for Newcastle Bus Network

BY MATT JOHNSTON

The first weekday of Newcastle's new bus network has been met with mixed reactions from commuters.

Despite 1200 extra services on offer and increased frequency on certain routes, some passengers are wary of the changes.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter, Scot MacDonald, remains optimistic people can look past the teething pains to take advantages of the new services on offer.

He says it's the biggest shake-up to Hunter transport in a decade, and innovative features like buses on demand.

"It was really exciting to be on the first bus on Sunday. It's a service that you can now use in suburbs like Dudley, Mount Hutton, Whitebridge, Windale, Warners Bay, Eleebana, Gateshead and Charlestown. It's a great new service."

But the Uber-like Buses On Demand, and services to John Hunter Hospital every 15 minutes on certain routes, has some customers feeling left out.

Rail Tram and Bus Union division president David Woollams said the early feedback they've received has been mostly negative.

"A lot of the passengers are disappointed now that they don't have, in some areas, a direct service, that they do have to changes buses, that there's been more than about 200 bus stops removed right across the network."

"Some passengers are experiencing a 50-minute wait for connecting services."

But while this might lead to frustration, the union wants to remind people that it's not bus drivers who are to blame.

David Woollams hopes the network can be adapted to make public transport a more viable option, but he isn't optimistic that will be the case if buses and waiting for connections will take significantly longer than driving.

Photo: Downer Group

Brisbane bus driver attack raises concerns for Hunter drivers

BY JARROD MELMETH

State Member for Wallsend, Sonia Hornery, is calling on the Transport Minster to address safety concerns raised by Newcastle bus drivers following the death of Manmeet Alisher, a Brisbane bus driver who died after being set alight when a boarding passenger launched an "incendiary device" at him. 

Drivers across the Hunter have been calling for improved safety conditions for a number of years following a string of incidents including a bus driver who was violently assaulted after ordering a 28-year-old man off the bus in Raymond Terrace for drinking alcohol on board in 2014.

The number of assaults on Hunter bus drivers has increased in recent years with reports of drivers being verbally assaulted, spat on or physically attacked. 

Sonia Hornery says everyone deserves a safe working environment and bus drivers have been subjected to increasing levels of violence.

"The Government need to be protecting our drivers much better than they are. Our bus drivers, particularly at night, are saying it's not safe for them, they're on their own and are at the whim of the best behaviour of commuters." 

Ms Hornery also believes with the privatisation of public transport in the Hunter pending, the Government needs to ensure safety is given priority as private bus fleets have been shown to have even fewer safety measures in place in their vehicles.

"The Government is just about to privatise and sell off Newcastle Buses so they need to make sure that our fleet is as safe as possible."

Richard Allsop from The Institute of Public Affairs wrote in the Assessing the results of privatisation report which assesses Victoria's Privatisation of public transport "Safety improved faster after privatisation than before privatisation for all classes of accidents."

Ms Hornery will be taking the issue with her to Parliament next week and will be writing to the Minister for Transport to seek a commitment to improving the safety of Hunter bus drivers.

Newcastle buses. 

Wallsend MP, Sonia Hornery.

Newcastle hits back at Baird Privatisation Plans

Image courtesy of Darren Pateman via The Herald

 Newcastle Council has voted against the privatisation of the the local transport services, flying in the face of the recommendations made by the State Government.

Lake Macquaire Council distanced themselves from the plans which would see public buses, light trains and ferries moved over to the private sector.

The proposal is also opposed by both Labor and Green MP's.

Hunter Unions Secretary Daniel Wallace has also expressed his concern over the plan saying "we know from examples in Sydney that bus drivers are pushed to miss stops to keep time tables".

"Today [Tuesday, December 9th] we've just written to the Premier requesting a meeting, here in the Hunter Region to talk about what we can do to avoid privatisation and provide exactly what he said, improved services to the region".