Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Response From BCC Mayor - Alan Pendleton - Bustop Ratios Of Sheltered & Seated (unsheltered) Bus Stops Within Mount Druitt

This is fantastic news that we are  getting a reasonably quick response from the mayor of Blacktown City Council regarding the ratio of sheltered, seated bus stops. We thank the Mayor Pendleton for responding and providing fantastic figures that is within the Mount Druitt suburbs and surrounding:

Firstly here is the original e-mail sent to the mayor of Blacktown City Council:

From: mountdruitt_cig@hotmail.com
To: alan.pendleton@blacktown.nsw.gov.au
Subject: Bus Shelters
Date: Fri, 24 Dec 2010 00:01:37 +1100

Dear Mr Alan Pendleton,
Mayor Blacktown City Council,

We are writing to you in relation to an understanding of what is Blacktown's City Council's policy is in relation to ratio's of sheltered bus stops to seated (unsheltered) bus stops to the overall amount of bus stops that are withing the Black City Council Boundaries. Our Special interest is within Mount Druitt.

On behalf of our group, we also understand that Federal/State funds have been provided to Blacktown City Council this year for new bus stops - can you provide a further update on this matter to us as soon as possible.

Please note our group is a new Transport lobby group within Mount Druitt and we are looking towards improving transport for all commuters in and around Mount Druitt. We were formerly called 'Save Our Bus Services, Mount Druitt And Surrounding Suburbs'.

Your feedback would be very much appreciated.

Yours sincerely,

John Svoboda
Mount Druitt Commuters Improvement Group
Web address: http://mountdruittcommuters.blogspot.com/


The general response from the mayor dated today was pretty informative. Claims The total Blacktown LGA (lLocal Goverment Area), has 1675 bus stops. Suburbs classified under Mount Druitt have 565 bus stops, Bidwill, Blackett, Dean Park, Dharruk, Emerton, Eastern Creek, Glendinning, Hassall Grove, Hebersham, Lethbridge Park,Minchinbury. Mount Druitt, Oakhurst, Rooty Hill, Plumpton, Shalvey, Shanes Park, Tregear,Walgrove, Whalan and Willmot.

We have been advised that 34 percent of bus stops are sheltered to seated (unsheltered). So since Mount Druitt has 21 suburbs ( based on on supplied BCC information) that means that on average each suburb has 26.9 bus stops, leaving 9.1 bus stops are sheltered completed to seated (unsheltered). For a bus stop to be considered sheltered, involves investigation of each site on its own merit under a selection criteria, which includes patronage, potential use of the  bus shelter and determination of  a need for bus shelter.It then will be listed for funding in Council's Future Works Improvement Programmes.

Also from Federal/State grants  for reallocation of bus stops due to reorganisation of bus services in 6 sites around Mount Druitt:
1) Yarramundi Drive, Dean Park
2) Sherbrooke Street, Rooty Hill
3) Jersey Road, Plumpton
4 & 5) Emerson Street, Shavley
6) Palmyra Avenue, Willmot

Well after all that I more of a learned man. Yes there are suburbs I wouldn't consider to be in Mount Druitt - but that is alright!

 Now we understand a little of the process if a commuter/community member would like to have a sheltered bus stop, what can be done to get it, if you have reasonably good patronage. I suppose if one patron gets on the same bus stop all day compared to 10-12 on one other bus stop per day - you can work out which one deserves the  bus shelter.

We also understand that there may some bus stops that may require bus shelters and will assist commuters in assisting them in whatever way to try to get their bus stop, as long as it is reasonable.

You may also check our previous story  on the same subject:http://mountdruittcommuters.blogspot.com/2011/01/we-need-to-know-bus-stop-shelter-real.html

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