On-demand bus service: push for Catherine Hill Bay, Nords Wharf, Murrays Beach buses

Residents in growing suburbs across Lake Macquarie are rallying for on-demand bus services to be rolled out, more than a decade after calling for more public transport.

Residents in Lake Macquarie are calling for on-demand bus services to be installed across the region, as new homes continue to pop up in Catherine Hill Bay, Nords Wharf, Cams Wharf, and Murrays Beach.

There are calls for On-demand bus service in new boom suburbs in Lake Macquarie. (AAP IMAGE / Angelo Velardo)

Swansea state Labor MP Yasmin Catley said there was a growing number of suburbs only serviced by one or two buses a day, “creating significant issues for students attempting to travel to school”.

“Residents are desperate for more service as the community continues to grow,” Ms Catley said. “There are very limited buses for the kids to get to school.”

The Swansea MP said smaller, on-demand buses would be required in Murrays Beach and the Nords Wharf, “as the roads are so narrow that they can’t take a regular-sized bus”.

Yasmin Catley has called for on-demand services. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dylan Coker

“To think that we have allowed planning that can’t provide public transport is terrible,” she said. “There would be more than 1000 homes popping up around these suburbs, so an increased requirement for public transport was always going to happen.”

Ms Catley raised specific concern for people living with a disability that don’t have an alternative are left in the lurch. 

Catherine Hill Bay resident Jennie McGhie urged the NSW Government to provide on-demand services across the suburb.

Izzy, Jennie and Max McGhie who would use on-demand services if they were provided to residents in Catherine Hill Bay. Picture: Supplied.

“There is a huge amount of young families all desperate for public transport options, but we are all in the same boat having to drive,” Ms McGhie said.

“We have been pleading with Transport to get more information on how many students we need for a service to commence, but it has been really complicated to get any information.”

Ms McGhie said residents, who have been calling for increased services for two years, have developed lists of residents and schoolchildren who would take up the on-demand transport option daily.

Ms McGhie said her children Max and Izzy would use an on-demand bus service in Lake Macquarie. Picture: Supplied.

Murrays Beach resident Lynn Baker said residents have been waiting for increased bus services through the suburb for 10 years.

“We have a bus stop in our street, but no services,” Mrs Baker said.

“There are very limited services through Murrays Beach, but they are more than a 1km walk to get the bus.

“When we moved in 10 years ago it was mainly older people looking for public transport, but now there is a lot of young families looking for buses for their children to get to school.”

The Murrays Beach resident said she and her neighbours have to rely on taxi or Uber “if we don’t want to use the car”.

Murrays Beach resident Lynn Baker. Picture: Supplied.

“We have a lot of construction and people moving into the community, but no buses to service the community,” she said. “We would love to see on-demand buses provided for residents in Murrays Beach — it is very challenging for people to get out of the suburb.”

A Transport for NSW spokesman told NewsLocal opportunities to introduce on-demand services would be considered as part of “future service planning process”.

“There are currently no plans to introduce bus services to the Murrays Beach community as the regular passenger services are unable to negotiate the road network,” the spokesman said.

On-demand buses could be rolled out if demand was high. (AAP IMAGE / Angelo Velardo)

“The existing route 99 provides a limited daytime service in Catherine Hill Bay, Nords Wharf and Cams Wharf areas, with two return services operating on weekdays and Saturdays.

Murrays Beach roads are unable to accommodate regular passenger service buses due to their narrow width.

Buses used on regular passenger service routes must be accessible for customers with disabilities.