By Matt O'Sullivan
The state government has traded blows with the Opposition over the extent of the boost to passenger capacity on buses from Sydney's northern beaches to the central city when the $514 million B-Line bus project is completed as early as mid-November.
Labor leader Luke Foley used leaked Infrastructure NSW documents on Tuesday to accuse the government of pursuing a multimillion-dollar bus project that "won't improve things at all" but would need improvements almost as soon as it was opened.
A "health-check" document for the project in May said the B-Line was forecast to boost total capacity for passengers – both seated and standing – by 19 per cent on weekday mornings between 6am and 10am from Sydney's northern beaches to Wynyard in the CBD, but by just 30 passengers during the key period of 8am to 9am.
The Opposition's claims prompted Transport Minister Andrew Constance to accuse Mr Foley of "getting your numbers wrong" by relying on an outdated Infrastructure NSW document.
An artist's impression shows a new B-Line style bus.
"Luke Foley doesn't know the difference between a singe-deck and a double-deck bus," he said. "What the plan shows, very clearly, is that when you take single-deck buses, and you put double-deck buses on ... bus passenger capacity increases."
Despite Labor's claims, Mr Constance said the B-Line buses would deliver an extra 3000 seats in the morning peak from 6am to 10am on services from the northern beaches to Wynyard in the CBD.
As part of the project, 38 double-decker buses will run between the CBD and Newport on the northern beaches via 11 stops. They will operate every five minutes in the morning peak from 6am to 10am, and every 10 minutes at other times.
One of the Infrastructure NSW documents – dated April – released by Labor warned of a risk of the B-Line "exceeding capacity soon after commencing" late this year.
It recommended a "contingency plan be developed that provides a clear course of action".
But Mr Constance said the government would "keep a close eye on demand" and continue to invest in the B-Line, ensuring it delivered higher frequency and more reliable services to northern beaches residents.
The Berejiklian government has also committed to building a tollroad tunnel connecting Balgowlah in Sydney's north to the Warringah Freeway.
But Mr Foley said Labor would not give a "blank cheque" to construct the Beaches Link when larger transport priorities lay in fast-growing parts of western Sydney.
"There do need to be transport improvements for the residents of the northern beaches but I can also say, without a shadow of a doubt, that delivering transport improvements to 3 million residents of western Sydney ... is a greater, more important metropolitan priority," he said.