NSW Government will not consider reverting bus privatisation amidst commuter frustration

By SASHA FOOT

The NSW Government will not support reverting the privatisation of bus services, despite Sydney commuters describing it as “terribly executed” and “badly planned”. 

A parliamentary report released in September this year recommended that the State Government consider returning bus ownership to the State Transit Authority, as the committee found that private bus contracts were costing commuters more and limiting services. 

The report also called out a lack of community consultation when modifying several bus routes. 

However, the state government stated in a new response report that they are “not supportive” of restoring the bus network to public ownership. 

Eastern suburbs resident Ian Macca believes the privately owned bus network is not benefiting the community. 

Macca told City Hub that his wife’s commute is longer and more of a “hassle” since the bus route changed in December last year. 

“The bus that used to go down our street has been cancelled. Now my wife must walk 1100m to and from a tram stop to get to work.”

Resorting to Car for Transport

He admits his wife has reverted to taking the car more frequently when it is “raining or very hot”, adding that they “have an entire car dedicated to this cause now”. 

Macca says it is worrying that other households may be relying on an extra car, citing the “badly planned and terribly executed privatisation” of Sydney’s bus services as a possible cause of increased car dependency. 

Private transport services operate in Regions 6, 7, 8 and 9 in Metropolitan Sydney. Region 9, which serves the Eastern Suburbs and has the highest patronage of the Sydney Bus Network, was heavily affected by recent route changes. 

The privatisation of Region 9 – which occurred largely to increase light rail use – removed 25 bus routes and modified 23 others in the Randwick City Council area. 

According to the government’s recommendation response, the private company serving Region 9, Transdev John Holland, will deliver “extra” and “more frequent” services. It also states taxpayers will save $200 million through the eight-year contract. 

Residents in Kingsford, Coogee and Randwick took to Facebook to express their frustration over tram and bus disruptions, with many blaming it on privatisation. 

One resident called it a “hopeless situation” since privatisation.

The recommendation report followed the Upper House enquiry into bus privatisation, where the Mayors of Randwick and Waverley Councils gave evidence. 

The Mayor of Waverley, Paula Masselos, has previously expressed opposition to the changes to the bus services. 

Randwick City Council’s submission focused on the extensive culling of bus routes, with Mayor, Dylan Parker, calling for the reversal of bus privatisation.