‘Bendy’ buses return to ease commuter frustrations on troubled Northern Beaches’ routes

Good news for frustrated commuters on the northern beaches and north shore with ‘bendy’ buses making a comeback to help ease waiting times, shorten queues and reduce cancelled services.

Lengthy bus queues and waiting times are set to improve after the state government announced that 20 “bendy buses” are returning to service after safety repairs were completed. Picture: Brendan Read

Frustrated commuters on the northern beaches and lower north shore are set to see shorter waiting times, smaller queues and fewer cancelled services with the return of large 20 “bendy” buses to troubled routes, according to transport authorities.

The articulated buses, which can each carry up to 87 passengers, are back after being withdrawn from service for safety reasons in October last year.

And the state government flagged on Wednesday that even more new bendy buses and double deckers will start coming into service on northern routes in 2026.

But Transport Minister John Graham acknowledged that some services may still be affected by an ongoing shortage of bus drivers.

Transport authorities had pulled 83 of the popular bendy buses off the road across Sydney for emergency repairs after cracking was discovered in the joins between their dual-carriages.

The State Government is returning articulated “bendy” buses to routes on the northern beaches. The announcement in North Curl Curl on Wednesday included (left to right) Transport Minister John Graham, the independent state MP for Pittwater, Jacqui Scruby and the independent state MP for Wakehurst, Michael Regan. Picture: Jim O’Rourke

About half of those buses were used on the northern beaches and north shore.

But their withdrawal led to a 30 per cent drop in passenger carrying capacity across northern routes, forcing rush-hour commuters into longer queues after regular buses took over the duties of the “bendys’.

Two of the “bendy” buses that have been returned to northern beaches routes. Picture: Jim O’Rourke

Mr Graham, making the announcement at a bus stop at North Curl Curl on Wednesday, said a total of 20 repaired articulated buses were back on the road, including 17 delivered back to Keolis Downer, the operator of northern beaches’ services.

The return of the bendys comes after five northern Sydney state MPs, including the independent MP for Wakehurst, Michael Regan, and independent Pittwater MP, Jacqui Scruby, relentlessly lobbied Mr Graham to work on plans to repair bendy buses, add more vehicles to the fleet and fix the driver shortage issue.

Mr Graham confirmed that the government was buying 50 Euro 6 diesel articulated buses for routes across the city and 10 double deckers to be added to the northern beaches B-Line.

“Longer buses mean shorter queues, it's that simple,” Mr Graham said.

Pictured on Wednesday are (left to right) the independent state MP for Wakehurst, Michael Regan, Transport Minister John Graham and the independent state MP for Pittwater, Jacqui Scruby. Mr Graham acknowledged the “energetic’ lobbying of the two MPs on behalf of commuters on the northern beaches. Picture: Jim O’Rourke

“I commend the energy of … Michael Regan and Jacqui Scruby for their advocacy on behalf of bus passengers.”

Mr Regan said the return of the bendy buses and more new buses on the way was “good news” for commuters and a “welcome step in the right direction”.

But he said that more incentives needed to be put into place, such as providing more local affordable housing for key workers to attract bus drivers to the northern beaches.

Ms Scruby said commuters in her electorate were already seeing the benefits of the bendys’ return.

“Bendy buses are an icon on the northern beaches and we’re excited to have them back and looking forward to even more returning,” she said.