Pyrmont and Ultimo unimpressed by bus review

Pyrmont and Ultimo bus services will be reviewed by the department of transport after pressure from State-Member for Sydney Clover Moore.

Last week Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian answered questions from Ms Moore on bus services in the Ultimo Pyrmont area by promising a review of the region.

Ms Berejiklian said the review has been announced over the 2011/12 period but residents are unimpressed after no changes were made following the last review of the region in March 2010.

“There has been no change in bus services provided in Ultimo and Pyrmont over the past five years,” Ms Berejiklian said.

The questions raised by Ms Moore were relating to demand for services due to an unexpected population boom in the area.

Ms Berejiklian deflected Ms Moore’s question on the government’s plans for the area with talk of the impending review.

Debra Berryman, a Pyrmont resident of 34 years, said there is no excuse for the lack of bus services in the area.

“Considering that Ultimo and Pyrmont have seen huge growth in both their residential and working populations over the past years, it’s inexcusable that the bus services have been run down,” she said.

“If you live in Glebe or Balmain you can go all over the place but we can’t go anywhere. For me it’s easier to get a cab . . . we’re cut off here.”

Pyrmont Action member Bill Hubble complained the bus services are too infrequent.

“The real answer is more buses, more often.”

Mr Hubble said the bus services were being neglected because of the concentration on bikes and light rail.

“Most of us are voting with our feet, we walk into the CBD,” he said.

But Mr Hubble claimed many people are forced to catch the bus because of dangerous cyclists.

“Cycling is why some of us catch the bus now. We’ve had neighbours and relatives who have been hospitalised with ruptured spleens from reckless cyclists.”

Residents and community groups had been actively petitioning and lobbying the government to increase bus services in the area before the last review.

Elizabeth Elenius, convenor of Pyrmont Action wrote to the State Transit Authority of the degradation of bus services in the area before the last review to little effect.

The letter complains of the removal of the 449 without community consultation, fewer 501 buses servicing the area and an unnecessary change of route of the 443 from Market Street to King Street.

Despite community demand the only increase in bus services to have occurred in the area is the inclusion of the 448.

The 448 has attracted controversy because it exclusively takes pre-paid ticket owners from the city to outside the Fairfax office in the morning and vice versa in the evening.

Mr Hubble said many residents are left frustrated when they sit waiting for a bus in the morning near their homes and a 448 whizzes past without stopping

“The 448 is hardly ever full, you would be lucky to see a dozen people on it,” he said.