A network of fast, frequent, direct and convenient bus services on 'strategic' bus corridors connecting centres across Sydney was identified by the 2004 Review of Bus Services in New South Wales (the 'Unsworth Report').
The new network of 43 strategic bus corridor services will link Sydney's major centres, railway stations, hospitals, education facilities and other community facilities, improving access to important destinations. The strategic network will be integrated with local bus services through bus contract reform to create larger, integrated contract regions. The new integrated network of 43 strategic bus corridors will be progressively implemented from 2006, supported by improved bus priority on all corridors by 2012.
Bus priority using both electronic technology and physical infrastructure measures will be introduced to improve reliability and reduce travel time, with a target average bus speed of at least 25 km/h including stops. The electronic technology measures include Sydney-wide implementation of the RTA's Public Transport Information and Priority System (PTIPS), which uses Global Positioning System (GPStechnology to track late-running buses and alters traffic signals to give priority to these buses. Corridors will benefit from this electronic technology by 2009, following the roll-out of Tcard integrated ticketing.
The physical infrastructure measures, focused on key bottlenecks, could include dedicated bus lanes on the approaches to congested intersections (with cameras increasingly being used for enforcement), bus bypass lanes (e.g. 'left turn only, buses excepted'), bus priority traffic signals, bus only links and additional Bus Lanes, Transit Lanes and Clearways.
In the three years to 2008, 9 corridors serving the regional cities of Parramatta and Liverpool and the major centres of Bankstown, Strathfield, Burwood and Hurstville will benefit from these measures. The first corridors for bus priority infrastructure measures will be Hurstville-Miranda, Liverpool-Bankstown and Parramatta-Sydney CBD via Victoria Road routes.
The bus network will be supported by improved passenger facilities at bus stops such as shelters, information, signage and lighting, improved walking access to bus stops, and interchanges.
To connect new urban growth areas to the existing urban area, a new Blacktown-Wetherill Park strategic route with a high level of bus priority will improve access between western Sydney and a major employment area, and a Hoxton Park-Edmondson Park bus priority route will link with the existing Liverpool-Parramatta Transitway and the new South West Rail Link. Western Sydney bus priority measures will support growth at new growth areas such as the ADI site and Penrith Lakes.
In the Parramatta Road growth corridor, a new strategic bus corridor may be needed to serve high growth areas between Parramatta and Strathfield/Burwood, in addition to the planned strategic bus corridors in the area. Local bus services will also be needed within the Parramatta-Burwood corridor high growth areas to improve north-south access. Grade separated crossings of Parramatta Road may be required in the longer term to reduce delays to buses.
FIGURE D8 STRATEGIC BUS NETWORK
