B-Line extension to Newport scrapped after residents say they don’t want it
Plans to expand the northern beaches’ B-Line bus service have been scrapped by the State Government following community backlash.
Manly
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PLANS to expand the B-Line bus service to Newport have been scrapped by the State Government following community backlash.
Late Tuesday a Transport for NSW spokesman said it would look at other ways to improve bus services north of Mona Vale.
It follows a warning from Pittwater MP Rob Stokes to B-Line opponents in October last year that if residents kept protesting the plans it would mean no transport infrastructure for decades.
At that time angry anti-B-Line protesters took their fight to the streets of Newport over fears the new bus service could lead to increased housing density and traffic chaos.
Teh Transport for NSW spokesman said: “We’ve listened to the community and it’s clear that the most popular solution to improve public transport in the short term is to enhance existing bus services to meet the travel needs of Newport, Avalon Beach and the surrounding suburbs.
“Over the past 12 months Transport for NSW has been investigating infrastructure changes needed to allow the B-Line buses to operate to Newport, and we’ve discussed with the community a draft concept for a new roundabout at the intersection of Neptune and Barrenjoey roads.
“From the feedback we received the clear message from our customers was that while they
wanted more frequent buses, the preference was to increase capacity and frequency of existing
services.”
The B-Line project will continue to focus on road improvements designed to reduce congestion along the entire B-Line corridor which will improve the efficiency and reliability of all bus services and general traffic across the Northern Beaches and Lower North Shore.
“Infrastructure improvements such as bus indents, lane widening and tidal flow systems
introduced as part of B-Line are addressing congestion that’s currently experienced by both bus customers and general traffic,” the spokesman said.
Mr Stokes could not be reached for contact yesterday, but in October last year he said: “I would encourage them not to just reject the proposal out-of-hand.
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to improve public transport, so I would encourage them to have an open mind.
“There won’t be another government looking at spending $500 million on transport for the beaches.”
His comments followed a protest hosted by the Newport Residents Association in which protesters stood on Barrenjoey Rd to highlight the chaos they claimed would happen if the extension went ahead.
The village atmosphere in Newport would be under threat, it was claimed, and the carpark behind the surf club would be reduced to a park-and-ride facility, they said.
“This is an ad hoc solution for politicians’ problems — not the people’s problems,” NRA member Peter Middleton said at the rally.