Passenger Rail

All-door bus boarding on the cards in Sydney

Looking to adapt to impending light rail construction, and to take advantage of the recently rolled-out Opal ticketing system, Transport for NSW will consider allowing all-door boarding on buses in Sydney’s CBD.

A method of tackling congestion, all-door bus boarding is used in several major cities around the world. While it creates efficiency by allowing more passengers on the bus in less time, it is not possible without those passengers having a way to pay their fare, no matter which door they use to get on the bus.

Therefore the complete roll-out of the Opal ticketing system across the Sydney trains, ferry, light rail and bus network, makes all-door bus boarding a possibility.

Transport for NSW ran a trial from June 15 to 26, allowing Opal customers to use the middle and rear doors to board buses at some of the busiest CBD stops.

CBD transport coordinator general Marg Prendergast this week said experts were pouring over the data, with the NSW Government now considering whether to make the program common practice.

“We know the CBD is approaching a time of increased activity and significant disruption, so we want to ensure all parts of the network are operating as effectively as possible,” Prendergast said.

“The trial was conducted to see whether all-door loading under the supervision of marshals could reduce the time buses were waiting at stops without sacrificing safety for customers and other road users.

“As we monitored the trial, we saw there were some noticeable upsides at those busy locations, some of which we hadn’t anticipated.

“One example was that while there were no buses at a stop, marshals were able to ensure cars and other vehicles didn’t block the bus stop areas.”

Changes to bus routes in the CBD from October are part of changes to the city including the construction of light rail along George Street.

“Buses waiting at stops don’t just slow cars, taxis and other vehicles, they delay the buses behind them that have to wait to use the stop,” Prendergast explained.

“More than ever before, after October we will need to make efficient use of all road space in the CBD.

“By reducing the time buses are stopped, journey times will be reduced, reliability will improve and all traffic will get a smoother run through the city.

“An extra one million people are expected to live and work in Sydney within the next decade. While the new Sydney Metro and light rail are a big part of handling that increased challenge, we need to get the most out of our roads, buses and active transport like walking and cycling.”