Save our Public Buses in Region 7 (Parramatta, Epping, Ryde, Lane Cove, Drummoyne and the Lower North Shore)
Petitioner:
Mr Shane Bentley
| Member:
Minns, Chris
| No. of Signatories:
1,600
| Date closed:
27/05/2021
To the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly,
This Petition brings to the attention of the House:
1. The NSW Government’s plans to privatise all public bus services in Sydney’s Region 7 by mid-2021.
2. The NSW Government’s recent cuts to bus routes in Region 7, imposed in January 2021 without public consultation. Express services to the City (M52, X06, X15 and X18) have been axed, some services no longer travel to the City (515 and 518), and others have simply disappeared.
Bus services across Region 7 have been noticeably reduced. Many commuters are now forced to change buses instead of making a direct trip, greatly increasing travel times.
Privatisation of public bus services in Region 7 will only make matters worse. Sydney’s Inner West and Newcastle have seen bus routes scrapped and changed without warning, hundreds of bus stops removed, and more buses running late or not showing up. Privatisation in Region 7 will be no different.
Therefore, the undersigned petitioners ask the Legislative Assembly to:
1. Immediately halt all plans to privatise the public bus network in Region 7.
2. Reverse all cuts to current bus routes and services in Region 7.
3. Commit to a process of community consultation with all stakeholders, including commuters and transport unions, before implementing any changes to bus routes, services and timetables in Region 7.
4. Guarantee that no existing bus route or service in Region 7 be cut in future. This rapidly growing region needs more public transport, not less.
