CBD BUS TRAVEL TIMES CUT

State Plan S6: Increasing share of peak hour journeys on a safe and reliable public transport system.

E7: Improve the efficiency of the road network.

CBD peak-hour bus trips will be cut by up to 13 minutes per journey as the State Government continues to roll-out its integrated CBD transport programs.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Transport John Watkins said the introduction of new CBD Bus Lane operating hours would get public transport users to their destinations faster.
From next Monday, bus lanes on Clarence, York, George and Elizabeth Streets will operate during peak hours from 6am to 10am and 3pm to 8pm, Monday to Friday.
"In that final hour of the afternoon peak 350 buses carry around 10,000 passengers every working day," Mr Watkins said.
"And from next Monday, peak hour journeys will be faster and more convenient.
"The extension of bus lane hours into the late peak will contribute to faster trip times from Central Station to Circular Quay with eventually up to a 13 minute saving.
"Other changes as part of our CBD Bus Strategy have already shaved eight minutes for trip from the north to Town Hall.
"Sydney is Australia's global city and the old bus lane hours don't reflect the modern city workers' travel patterns.
"Not only will the trips trough the city be faster, they'll be more reliable during the extended hours with buses not having to stop in traffic," he said.
Mr Watkins said streamlining of bus lane operating hours should also help reduce traffic congestion in the city by providing more consistent information to motorists about the lanes.
"If drivers understand the operating hours of the lanes, they are far less likely to use them illegally," he said.
"The easiest way to make your way into the CBD is by public transport, and now with these changes bus travel will be even faster in our busiest periods."
Mr Watkins said streamlining bus lane operating times in Sydney city is the first step in the Government's CBD Bus Strategy. A mid-city interchange and new layover zone near The Domain car-park are due in mid-2008.