Parramatta Light Rail: Free CBD bus shuttle service cut

The State Government is under fire for cutting a free bus shuttle service in western Sydney as part of the Parramatta Light Rail project.

Disability pensioner Kim Trevithick, of Blacktown, gets into a “Loop” bus with her carer, Gerald McGowan, at Parramatta.

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A free CBD bus shuttle service will be scrapped during construction of the Parramatta Light Rail project.

The State Government’s move to axe “The Loop” — a popular service for the disabled, elderly, tourists and workers — could cost some regular transport users hundreds of dollars a month as they are forced into taxis.

The Loop service will close during light rail construction in Parramatta CBD.

Disability pensioner Kim Trevithick, of Blacktown, said she would be out of pocket at least $40 a day in paying for wheelchair-access taxis around Parramatta when the service shuts down.

“The money we get for transport in the pension won’t cover the extra cost,” said Ms Trevithick, who is a paraplegic.

“There’s never much left anyway after you top up your Opal card (for train and bus travel) and pay the electricity and phone bills.

Parramatta Deputy Mayor Michelle Garrard is running as an independent candidate at this weekend’s state election. She is also furious with the government’s masterplan for Telopea.

“I hope the government can keep the shuttle running.”

Parramatta Deputy Mayor Michelle Garrard said the move to cut the decade-long service — which runs every 10 minutes from near Centenary Square — showed the Berejiklian Government was “out of touch”.

“There are many people who rely on this service to get around the CBD,” Cr Garrard said.

“We’re trying to take cars off the road in the CBD and Parramatta is losing parking, yet the government has decided to do this?

“This is a popular service and it doesn’t make sense stop it. The government needs to immediately review this decision.”

Part of the Stage 1 Parramatta Light rail route.

The free bus shuttle route in Parramatta CBD.

The revelation to close the service came after Cr Garrard said Transport for NSW officials were unable to confirm details of the move at a briefing with councillors on Monday night.

A TfNSW spokeswoman today confirmed the service — which drivers say attracts at least 2000 passengers a day — would be “temporarily discontinued due to difficulties in re-routing this service”.

She did not provide a date of when the shuttle would stop operating.

“The future role of the service will be reviewed as part of broader bus network considerations in the Greater Parramatta Access Plan,” the spokeswoman said.

An artist impression of Centenary Square once light rail construction is complete by 2023.

Cr Garrard called on the government to look for other options to keep the service running.

“Why can’t it temporarily go up George Street when they close Macquarie Street?” she said.

“Transport for NSW is saying they will review the service at a later date, which is code for it no longer running in the future. And it’s not good enough.”

The shuttle service operates on a continuous loop, starting from Macquarie Street.

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It also connects rail, bus and ferry transport interchanges with local clubs and shops and other community hubs. It takes about 25 minutes to complete the loop.

Preliminary works are already under way on the Parramatta Light Rail project. Stage 1 will connect Westmead to Carlingford via the Parramatta CBD and Camellia on a two-way track spanning 12km. It is expected to open in 2023.

Macquarie Street in Parramatta once the light rail is up and running.