Cafe faces closure after B-Line construction drives away customers
A SPIT Junction cafe owner says he won’t have any other option but to close unless customers return upon the completion of a B-Line bus stop outside his business.
Mosman
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A SPIT Junction cafe owner says he won’t have any other option but to close unless customers return upon the completion of a B-Line bus stop outside his business.
Gerardo Barrios, owner of Don Adan Coffee, said one of his Mosman cafes has been directly affected by the infrastructure project since construction began and has continued to maintain a loss of up to 70 per cent in revenue at the store — equivalent to $130,000 this year so far.
The B-Line service, a 31km route featuring 11 stops from Newport through to the lower north shore and ending in Wynyard, is scheduled to start from November 26, with the extension of the B-Line to Newport to occur late 2018.
The service, which will operate at least every five minutes during peak hour, will be serviced by a fleet of 38 double deck buses, creating an additional 50 bus driver jobs once complete.
“I have no doubt the service will be up and running by November,” Mr Barrios said.
“I’m just concerned about whether my customers will return or not — once you affect the atmosphere of an area or business, with road works, parking changes and construction, people tend to go elsewhere.
“The business I knew and have had for the past 18 years is gone, and if it was not for the amount of friends, financial help and stability I have to withstand the pressure, I would have gone bankrupt and shut down.”
A Transport for NSW spokesman confirmed the first stage of the B-Line project will launch on November 26, with the start of turn-up-and-go services between Mona Vale and the Sydney CBD.
“To help local traffic flow more easily and make bus services more reliable, we’re carrying out work to ease congestion on roads along the B-Line route,” he said.
“These include new bus bays to help keep buses and traffic moving, and tidal flow systems and extended turning lanes to maximise traffic flow.
“Work on these improvements is already underway and will continue into 2018 when all parts of the B-Line come together.
“The full benefits of the program will be realised for the northern beaches and lower north shore communities.”
TIMETABLE CHANGES ON THE WAY
INCLUDING the new B-Line services across the city, a total of 8600 new weekly public transport services will start on November 26 — providing more trains, ferries and buses.
More than 1500 new train services will be introduced across the network each week, including 750 new weekend services.
IN OTHER NEWS
About 7000 new weekly bus services will also serve the northern beaches, eastern suburbs, inner west, lower north shore and northern suburbs, as well as Macarthur and Hills districts.
More than 140 extra ferry services will be added as part of the public transport roll out to cater to the new cross harbour route, which links the eastern suburbs, lower north shore, inner west and Sydney CBD.