Rouse Hill-Sydney CBD buses axed after Metro northwest introduction
Direct buses from Rouse Hill to the city have been axed less than two months after the Metro northwest started, prompting NSW opposition leader Jodi McKay to label Riverstone Liberal MP Kevin Conolly as “gilding the lily” after the election.
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Direct buses from Rouse Hill to the city have been axed less than two months after the Metro northwest started, prompting NSW opposition leader Jodi McKay to accuse Riverstone Liberal MP Kevin Conolly of complacency and “gilding the lily” after the election.
In February, Transport for NSW said it would evaluate the 607X bus service, which had an average of 3157 trips between Sydney CBD and Rouse Hill each week.
On the 616X, there was an average of 1547 journeys from Kellyville Ridge to the Sydney CBD each weekday and an average of 1275 between the Sydney CBD and Kellyville Ridge.
But some passengers have been abandoned, with the 607X to the Sydney CBD now starting at Bella Vista station instead of Rouse Hill.
“Since the Metro opened at the end of May, patronage on this route between Rouse Hill and Bella Vista has fallen by around 36 per cent (around 400 fewer commuters) during the AM peak,’’ Mr Conolly said.
“The alteration to this route reflects the change in commuters’ travel patterns.
“While some routes will be discontinued, commuters will have alternative travel options, whether that’s from other new or changed bus routes connecting to Metro stations, including our new on demand services in Norwest and The Ponds.”
On a visit to Riverstone on Monday, Ms McKay and former Riverstone Labor candidate Annemarie Christie vowed to maintain pressure on the Liberals in the seat, which had gained more Labor support since Dr Christie closed the margin from 12 to 6.3 per cent after the March 23 poll.
Ms McKay had visited Riverstone in November to assess the suburb’s crippling traffic problem and made an election promise to find solutions before vowing $150 million for the Bandon Rd upgrade between Richmond Rd at Marsden Park and Windsor Rd at Vineyard in an effort to ease trucks from the railway crossing.
“When I first came here I was shocked at the number of trucks we followed into town,’’ Ms McKay said.
“We were on the main road there and it was very, very hard for us to hear what was going on. And really it’s not going to rest.
“He (Kevin Conolly) was still proposing and overpass at that point which is unrealistic.”
Mr Conolly said the plan had been finalised and would aim to reduce congestion through Riverstone town centre and would include a road underpass at the Vineyard railway line.
Labor also called for stage two and three plans for Rouse Hill Hospital to be released and extra funding for the $300 million hospital, to be built opposite Rouse Hill Town Centre.
Riverstone Chamber of Commerce president Sue Lawrence said it was half the size of the Northern Beaches Hospital.
“I think it’s quite extraordinary that given the growth in the area they put in $225 million,’’ Ms McKay said.
“We are going to maintain pressure on Rouse Hill Hospital. This always has to be a public Hospital as well. We are working to secure funding but there’s no way we’re going to see a repeat of the Northern Beaches Hospital.”
Ms McKay criticised lack of funding for pre-budget announcements such as the hospital, Marsden Park High School and Tallawong Public School.
“I was at Marsden Park last week. There’s massive growth in the area, it’s extraordinary,’’ she said.
“There is no funding at all. There are 10 houses a week being built in that area.”
But Mr Conolly blasted Labor for their attack on education promises in the budget.
“I give the opposition an F for their comprehension skills,’’ he said.
“If they did their homework properly, they would know the schools listed as N/A are either in the planning phase — which the Government has allocated $30 million to — or undergoing a commercially confidential tender process,’’ he said.
“It is disappointing, but not surprising, for the Labor Party to try and poke holes in the largest investment in education this state has ever seen.”
Ms McKay has pledged to fight for funding for Riverstone, which the chamber said was the neglected part of the electorate.
“They’ve got a significant infrastructure budget. They see themselves as the government that builds stuff and in this area, there’s a significant area of complacency.
“I think Annmarie’s right when they thought the northwest Metro would gild the lily and it just hasn’t done that.”
“I think what Annemarie achieved in the election has rattled him and he’s realised it’s his job is to advocate for this issue this.
“He’s (Mr Conolly) not a proactive MP at all.”