B-Line buses roll into lower north shore already full of passengers
THIS week has seen the start of the new B-Line rapid bus service between the northern beaches and the city. But most commuters interviewed were not too fussed about which bus they took; as long as they could get on one.
Mosman
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THIS week has seen the first true test of the new B-Line rapid bus service between the northern beaches and the city. Most commuters the Mosman Daily interviewed, however, were not too fussed about which bus they took; as long as they could get on one.
Billed as a “turn-up-and-go” service, B-Line buses operate seven days a week, between 4.30am and 12.30am (inbound times to the city).
The timetable, with the disclaimer “a guide only”, shows most services are scheduled to run every three to 15 minutes, but sometimes as fast as every two minutes or as slow as every 17 minutes.
The 38 new double-decker buses, assembled in Malaysia, carry 85 seated passengers each. The B-Line started on Sunday, coinciding with changes across the public transport network.
The Daily visited the Spit Junction, Mosman city-bound stop on Monday between 7.45am and 9am.
A government employee monitored the new bus stop, taking photographs and waving at drivers.
A lonely, full box of new timetable/B-Line leaflets, marked: “For Transport Staff On Shift”, sat on a seat at the new indented bus bay.
A monitor at the bus stop showed the next three services due, including the estimated capacity.
The Daily counted 19 “City Wynyard B1” buses arriving between 7.49am and 8.58am. So, in theory, there was a service every 3.63 minutes.
This was not quite the case, however, with the B-Line’s debut peak hour.
Some B-Line buses banked up two or three at a time, while the longest wait between B-Line services was 15 minutes.
Other city services picked up commuters unable to catch the B-Line.
The biggest crowds gathered about 8am, when buses were so full that people had to wait for a second or third service to arrive.
The Daily overheard frustrated commuters who swarmed towards standing-room-only buses exclaim: “It’s so full! Lucky I’m here early!”
The crowds petered out about 8.30am, when people were more likely able to catch the first bus which arrived and find a seat.
On the opposite side of Spit Rd, some beaches-bound B-Line buses showed the sign: “Not In Service”.
Several commuters at the Spit Junction B-Line stop talked to the Daily on Monday morning.
Kim, a beaches resident, had dropped off her children to school in Mosman and parked her car.
“I don’t care which bus I take to the city, but I missed two because they were full. I’m not happy they are going to take away the T3 (lane) from the beaches. Now, we will be sitting in the traffic to bring the kids to school,” Kim said.
Karen, a Mosman resident, had also missed a couple of buses because they were full.
“There are probably a few more people here than usual. I had expected to get on faster,” Karen said.
Joshua, of Seaforth, was enthusiastic.
He usually takes the M30, but was waiting for a seat on the B-Line.
“The best scenario is probably up the top, up the front, sitting down,” Joshua said.
Ricardo, of Mosman, said he hoped to ride the “cool and new” B-Line, but wished the buses were more environmentally friendly, like in London, for example.
London plans to have a zero emission bus fleet by 2037.
LINING UP FOR A BUS THAT DOESN’T STOP
IT’S a typically busy Monday morning in Neutral Bay.
The queue for the bus into the city stretches around into Wycombe Rd and people have their heads buried in their phones.
Bus after bus stops to pick up passengers and they step on quickly to the sound of Opal beeps. But there’s one bus that doesn’t stop — the B-Line.
It’s so packed on both levels that it speeds past the Neutral Bay stop.
At peak hour this doesn’t bother the commuters as there’s so many buses stopping.
“The B-Line doesn’t do anything for me here as it’s easy to get to the city,” Wendy Cleary from Neutral Bay said.
“Further up the line it might make a difference.”
Things seem more organised at the Neutral Bay Junction stop.
There’s real time information on a screen telling passengers if there’s space on the next bus and when it’s due to arrive.
And there’s shiny new yellow seats to wait on. Some commuters were even excited at the prospect of stepping onto one of the double decker buses for the first time.
“I’ve been waiting to go on it,” Corina Wratt from Collaroy said.
“I think it’s good and I hope it improves the traffic. If it’s good I can start catching the bus instead of driving to work.”
It takes until after 8.30am for passengers to be able to get on to the B-Line at Neutral Bay. It’s bright and colourful inside the bus and the first thing that hits is the cool aircon.
Upstairs it’s packed and the commuters are enjoying the novelty of being on a double decker bus.
THE NEW B-LINE BUS SERVICE
As it travels over the Harbour Bridge the iPhones come out to snap pictures of the scenery from a new vantage point.
One of the issues with double decker buses is that they aren’t especially kind to taller commuters.
Upstairs the roof is low and they are forced to hunch over as they make their way to the stairs.