Maryanne Stuart has welcomed new bus services to Bulli High School. Photo: Maryanne Stuart.
The introduction of three new bus services between Helensburgh and Bulli High School will be a “real game changer” for students, according to Heathcote MP Maryanne Stuart.
The new services will start when students return to school on Tuesday (30 April).
Helensburgh students had few transport options other than catching the train, as there was no bus service to the school. Many students faced journeys of up to 90 minutes or more one way.
Following a number of alleged assaults on students travelling on the trains, parents and the school called on the NSW Government to improve transport services for the students.
Mrs Stuart said changes to afternoon bus times to provide better connections with trains were a real game changer.
“It means students won’t be sitting around and will be able to get home much earlier,” she said.
Transport Minister Jo Haylen said three new services would be added to the bus timetable.
The Route 2 bus will have two new services on weekdays and will be extended further north from the current route boundary of Stanwell Park to include Helensburgh. A new stop at Bulli High School will be added.
“This will provide students with an option to get to school on a bus departing Helensburgh Station Interchange at 7:31 am and an afternoon bus departing Bulli High School at 3:25 pm,” Ms Haylen said.
A new weekday bus service will also operate to help students catch the afternoon train home that arrives at 4:01 pm at Helensburgh station.
“Transport for NSW has worked with the operator to provide an additional service departing at the new time of 4:05 pm as well as the existing Route 15 4:20 pm service,” Ms Haylen said.
“This will provide better connectivity between train and bus services, reducing waiting time at the station and getting students home earlier.
“Transport will continue to look to improving bus services for communities between Helensburgh and Bulli, as well as other services in the broader Illawarra region.
“Improving services between Helensburgh and Bulli High School was an important election commitment and we know they’ll be appreciated by students and local parents.
“The Illawarra was one of the first places in the state to host a Bus Passenger Forum, where the taskforce heard from locals who shared what improvements they wanted to see across the region.”
Loading ...
