This month, the 1st June was a
special day for Mount Druitt Commuters Improvement Group Inc. as
12 members travelled around other
members areas, to
understand all issues with Bus Services.
Since last
year Peter Kerr a group
member, had a motion
passed in a group monthly meeting, for the use of a minibus
from Blacktown City Council for group
members to see lack of bus services, and public transport improvements
needed in each members area.
First we travelled to Christina, Mary, and
Margaret-Anne area in Whalan where a Westbus 674 Shopper Hopper
Service has been running for approx 3 yrs. This is a limited service
with 6 trips Monday to Friday both ways, 2 trips Saturdays both ways, and 1 trip Sundays both ways.
Commuters are happy with the new route that goes into Moresby Cres,
and Samarai Rd, but need more bus services. It was noted that Moresby Cres was
a narrow road, and a Bus Stop for Westbus 780 is on the exit to
the overpass
down from the corner of Gasmatta Cres and Luxford Rd, and creates a problem when coming home at
night,
having to go up a
large amount of steps to enter Gasmatta Cres. A solution is to move this bus top to
the top exit Corner of Gasmatta Cres and Luxford Rd close to the opposite bus
stop when coming
from Mt Druitt.
Then we
travelled to Shalvey Angela's area where the original
Busways 755 Mt Druitt to Shalvey, and hourly service to
Blacktown service was axed in
2009, the impact was devastating as it left whole
communities in despair
with no bus service.
History tells that there was a bus service that used to
travel off
Luxford Rd left into Siandra Ave, right into Koomooloo Cres, and left into Sedgman Cres,
and do a loop service in Shalvey back to Luxford Rd, and returning back through
Lethbridge Park to Mt Druitt.
The removal of this complete service and lobbying for its return, got a
partial service back with no loop service in Shalvey. The new 30 minimum service
turns in the Shalvey High School Bus Bay looping back to Mt Druitt, unless
continuing on to Plumpton on a limited hourly service.Solution is to bring back the 755 as
it was before it was
removed in October 2009. There is a service Busways 758 Mt Druitt Shalvey,
with some services continuing to St
Marys, that was introduced when the 755 service was axed. This 15min full
service is not accessible to most Shalvey residents, as its route is Bidwill
into Shalvey, looping near the Shalvey
Primary School, and back to Mt Druitt through Bidwill. The issue is here that buses are travelling in the
areas of Shalvey where there is a majority of private housing
with one and two cars per household,
and not covering the area that really needs to have a bus service in Shalvey. This 758
service is a great service if most of Shalvey Commuters could access it!!
Then we
travelled to Chestnut Cres Bidwill Lester and Diana's area were
they used to live, before moving to Seven Hills, due to NO BUS to get to work. The Busways 762 used to travel west to east on this road
and had eight bus stops, changing to Busways
761 going to Mt Druitt when reaching Bidwill. Now the Busways
761 travels in
an east to west direction
because of a blind spot exiting Chestnut Cres across Luxford Rd, this new service has only 4 bus stops in
Chestnut Cres with an
approx distance of 1.8 Kilometres, and NO
service on Sundays. Over the Easter Holidays there was 4 days in a row when this street
had NO BUS. Solution is to return the buses to
previous time tables,
and loop Busways 761 with a return of Busways 762 to obtain a bus service back in this area.
Then we
travelled to Allan's area,
were the Busways 761-762 which used to go into Manifold Rd
from Popondetta Rd and then right into Carlisle Rd straight through and do the
Bidwill run and return as the 762. This means that same as the Chestnut Cres
issue above the return of the 761/762 loop service in this area
would solve the present problem.
We then reached
Ropes Crossing near were Pauline lives at Wilmott, we were told that there is no buses going through
Australis Drive, Rope Crossing yet Westbus proposed in November 2011 That there
was a proposed bus to go from Ropes Crossing shops to Australis Drive, Into
Palmyra Drive, Wilmott and then left into Captain Cook Drive Willmot and then back into Palmyra Drive, and then to Mt Druitt. The issue is the following heading onto Australis Drive from Ropes
Crossing in the
North-East direction, the
new housing estates on the Northwest area of Ropes Crossing, currently do not have a bus services, which is an extremely long walk to Ropes Crossing,
and between Australis
Drive and Captain Cook Drive South-East, there
will be only the limited Westbus 674 service going to Windsor.
So no proper regular bus
services!!
Then we went
to South Mt Druitt Peters area
where there were
two proposed
changes, to cater for the
residents of Frank, Janet, Emily and Paul Streets. The first proposal was for Busways 739 from Mt Druitt to
travel from Miller St, heading south turn right into Frank
St, left into Dixon St,
right into Miller St,
and into George St,
and on the return trip. The
second proposal was for
Busways 739V continue from corner of Franks St and Coates St, down
left into George St, left into Miller St, then right into Coates St
and left into Fuller St.To
return services back to this area, that have been removed.
Finally we
all travelled on the Proposed Mt Druitt Free Shuttle Bus Route. This will be an excellent route meeting
the needs of the community, linking from the
bus Interchange, Tafe, Loyola College, Rooty Hill R.S.L., Bowling Alley, through
the Hospital grounds, past Shop Smart, on to R.T.A., Police Station, down Luxford
Rd to the Mt Druitt Industrial Complex, and Anglicare before looping back to
the Station.
We would like
to THANK all
those who made this day possible,
Rob Buckwell our bus driver,
Blacktown City Councillor
Jacqueline Donaldson for paying hiring fees on a BCC bus for this trip,
Margaret- Anne for driving Rob to pick up the bus from Rooty Hill, and driving
him home again, Pauline for collating all members issued, and planning the
route to submit to council,
Angela,
President ensuring members were
notified of arrangements,
and
finalising the bus, and Joan for organising the
bus driver for our trip for us.
The best
comment I heard today was from Rob
Buckwell who advised he has heard about our group, would like to join but has to much voluntary work on his plate!
Thanks to all group members who attended the day "making it a great success" and
John, Secretary for placing this story on our Blog....
