NORTH-WEST T-WAY

The 'North-West T-way' is a bus rapid transit line in the north-western suburbs of Sydney, Australia. The term "T-way" is short for rapid bus transitway. The T-way consists of two sections, one linking Parramatta railway station and the suburb of Rouse Hill, the other linking the suburbs of Blacktown and Parklea. The lines intersect at an interchange called "Burns" in Parklea. For the most part, stops are named for the streets they sit on.
The T-way was approved in February 2004 and the Rouse Hill to Parramatta section opened on March 10, 2007 and operates all stations until Merriville. Sanctuary and Rouse Hill will commence when Rouse Hill town centre development is complete. The Blacktown to Parklea section is planned to open in late 2007. The Transitway is the second of its type in Sydney: the Liverpool-Parramatta T-way has been in operation since February 2003.

Contents

Design and construction

Services

Parramatta–Rouse Hill stations

Blacktown–Parklea stations

Transitways in Sydney

Criticisms

Bus Routes

Blacktown Routes

Parramatta Routes

M2 Services

T-way Services

Other Routes

External links

Notes

Design and construction

The T-way was a joint venture between the New South Wales Ministry of Transport and the Roads and Traffic Authority of New South Wales. The project was designed, built and maintained by Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd.
The 24-kilometre-long T-way includes:

★ 31 stations

★ seven new bridges

★ one new underpass

★ a cycleway and pedestrian facilities
The project was approved in February 2004 and construction began in mid 2005. Construction is expected to take just over two years and cost $524 million.
According to a report in the ''Sydney Morning Herald'', many of the costly design mistakes made in the development of the Liverpool-Parramatta T-way have been avoided on the North-West T-way.^[1]

Services

Private bus operators Busways and Hillsbus operate North-West T-way services.

Parramatta–Rouse Hill stations

The 17-kilometre Parramatta–Rouse Hill serves the suburbs of Parramatta, Westmead,Northmead, Old Toongabbie, Winston Hills, Bella Vista, Glenwood, Norwest, Parklea, Kellyville, Stanhope Gardens and Rouse Hill. Bus services on the Transitway stop at:

★ 'Parramatta' (Transport Interchange (Buses and Trains), with connections to Westfield Parramatta)(Parramatta)

★ Westmead (Westmead)

★ Hospital (Westmead)

★ Mons (Westmead, Northmead)

★ Briens (Northmead)

★ Constitution Hill (Old Toongabbie)

★ Fitzwilliam (Toongabbie, Old Toongabbie)

★ Johnstons (Toongabbie, Winston Hills)

★ Powers (Seven Hills, Winston Hills)

★ Abbott (Seven Hills North, Astoria Park)

★ Joseph Banks (Kings Langley, Astoria Park, Bella Vista North)

★ Troubadour (Kings Langley, Bella Vista South)

★ Norbrik (Glenwood, Norwest, Bella Vista North)

★ Meurants (Glenwood,Norwest, Bella Vista Waters)

★ Celebration (North Bella Vista Waters, Norwest)

★ Balmoral (Kellyville)

★ 'Burns' (Interchange)(Park and Ride)(Kellyville, Glenwood)

★ Riley (Park and Ride) (Stanhope Gardens)

★ Merriville (Kellyville Ridge)
Upon the opening of the Rouse Hill Regional Centre with a new transport interchange at Rouse Hill, the following stations are planned to open:

★ Sanctuary (Kellyville Ridge, Rouse Hill, Beaumont Hills)

★ 'Rouse Hill' (Interchange, with connections to Rouse Hill Regional Centre)(Rouse Hill, Schofields)

Blacktown–Parklea stations

The seven-kilometre Blacktown–Parklea section serves the suburbs of Parklea, Acacia Gardens, Kings Park, Kings Langley, Lalor Park and Blacktown. Bus services on this route will stop at:

★ 'Blacktown'

★ Devitt (Blacktown)

★ Sackville (Blacktown)

★ Bessemer (Industrial Blacktown)

★ Turner (Blacktown)

★ Vardys (Marayong)

★ James Cook^[2] (Kings Langley)

★ Wilson (Acacia Gardens)

★ Sorrento (Glenwood)

★ Stanhope (Parklea)

★ 'Burns' (Interchange) (Kellyville)

Transitways in Sydney

Main articles: T-way


Transitways were conceived as an alternative to commuter railway services because of the lower cost and higher flexibility that they offer. Transitways can be constructed without the need for a dedicated corridor or tunnel. Buses can join and leave the transitway at various points along the route, giving the T-way a wider feeder area than rail.
The T-ways are built as separate bus-only roads where undeveloped railway and motorway corridors are available, and as bus-only lanes on existing roads.
Transitways can only be used by rapid bus services, selected local bus services and emergency vehicles. Other motorists using a bus lane (except to turn or overtake) can be fined. Other bus-only roadways exist in Sydney including a bus roadway at Moore Park and a dedicated roadway in the centre of the M2 Hills Motorway. In addition, Sydney has a large and expanding network of bus-only lanes on main roads.

Criticisms

The Transitway and its operations has come under criticism in several areas. Even before its opening, the Roads and Traffic Authority was criticised for its lack of planning and broken promises on the T-way's construction. Parramatta Council complained during construction that noise walls had not been built next to the homes of residents who lived along the T-way route, causing them distress. Additionally, the planned cycleway alongside the T-way was not built in its entire length, and included a large deviation which Council complained would erode the cycleway's effectiveness.^[3] Even after the opening of the first stage of the T-way, a local cycle advocacy group still recognised a large gap in the cycleway, potentially compromising cyclists' safety.^[4] Some local residents had their backyard destroyed.^[5]
Upon the opening of the initial route, several other problems were criticised. Comments were made concerning the initial patronage of the T-way. While the New South Wales State Government refused to say how many people used the transitway in its first week, yet a local newspaper discovered that the commuter carpark attracted as few as ten cars a day in the first week of operation.^[6] Another local newspaper reported a traffic barrier separating vehicles from the busway at Westmead Railway Station was causing accidents.^[7]
Finally, on April 12, 2007, the Roads and Traffic Authority quietly scrapped the bus priority system which would have given buses priority at all at-grade intersections. The decision was criticised as eliminating the main advantage of the Transitway and not entice commuters back to public transport.^[8] Bus operators expected better patronage, however, once the toll on the Lane Cove Tunnel came into effect.^[9]
There have also been many complaints regarding city bus travellers from Rouse Hill, Kellyville Ridge, Stanhope Gardens and Glenwood as their trips were taking 1/1/2 hours and were overcrowded. Hillsbus had seen increased patrongage on city services with the new timetable and is not able to cope with the demand.

Bus Routes

For latest information go to T-way Bus services.
Visit Busways or Hillsbus websites for timetable information.

Blacktown Routes

These routes do not use the T-way (except 742) and connect suburbs north and east of Blacktown with Blacktown. These routes will use the T-way when the Blacktown- Parklea T-way has been completed. Refer to the Hillsbus or Rouse Hill- Castle Hill Busways timetables. Route 742 will extend to Rouse Hill Town Centre in September 2007.

Route Number	Operator	Route Description
630	Hillsbus	Macquarie Centre/University – Blacktown via Epping, Carlingford, North Rocks, Baulkham Hills and Seven Hills
702	Hillsbus	Blacktown - Seven Hills via Toongabbie South
740	Busways	Blacktown - Castle Hill via Glenwood and Bella Vista
741	Busways	Blacktown - Castle Hill via Stanhope Gardens and Kellyville
742	Busways	Blacktown - Rouse Hill via Parklea Markets and Riley T-way
742R	Busways	Blacktown - Riverstone via Riley T-way and Rouse Hill Caravan Park
742S	Busways	Blacktown - Riverstone via Schofields and Riley T-way
743	Busways	Blacktown - Kings Langley via Lalor Park, Kings Park

Parramatta Routes

These are local services that do not use the T-way and connect suburbs with Parramatta. Refer to individual Hillsbus timetables.

Route Number	Operator	Route Description
600	Hillsbus	Rogans Hill – Parramatta via Castle Hill and Baulkham Hills
601	Hillsbus	Kellyville (Acres Road) - Parramatta via Baulkham Hills
603	Hillsbus	Parramatta – Knightsbridge via East Baulkham Hills, Castle Hill and Rogans Hill
604	Hillsbus	Parramatta – Castle Hill via Model Farms and Baulkham Hills
606	Hillsbus	Parramatta - Castle Hill via Winston Hills
609	Hillsbus	Children's Hospital – Northmead (Redbank Rd) – Children's Hospital via Parramatta and Lake Parramatta
700	Hillsbus	Parramatta - Blacktown via Mays Hill
705	Hillsbus	Parramatta - Toongabbie, Pendle Hill and Wentworthville
711	Hillsbus	Blacktown – Parramatta via Seven Hills

M2 Services

"X" services operate via Lane Cove Tunnel and do not stop in the city area until Railway Square, all others operate via Epping Road unless indicated. Some routes operate on the T-way. Buses operate on the M2 bus lanes. Refer to Hillsbus Hills District to City Timetables.

Route Number	Operator	Route Description
610/610X	Hillsbus	City – Rouse Hill via Castle Hill and Beaumont Hills
611	Hillsbus	Macquarie Centre – Blacktown via Epping
612	Hillsbus	Milsons Point – Riley T-way (Kellyville/Stanhope Gardens) via Castle Hill and Kellyville (Acres/Greenwood)
613/613X	Hillsbus	City – Bella Vista
614/614X	Hillsbus	Crestwood – City via Winston Hills
615/615X	Hillsbus	Kellyville/Stanhope Gardens (Riley T-way) – City via Baulkham Hills
616/616X	Hillsbus	Kellyville Ridge - City via Glenwood and Stanhope Gardens
617X	Hillsbus	Rouse Hill - City via Beaumont Hills and T-way
750	Busways	Plumpton - Macquarie Centre via Quakers Hill, North-west T-way

T-way Services

These services are either deticated T-way services, or they pick up in surrounding suburbs and then converge on the T-way. Refer to the North West T-way bus timetable of Hillsbus "T" series timetables. All routes will extend to Rouse Hill Town Centre in September 2007 with the exception of T61.

Route Number	Operator	Route Description
T61	Hillsbus	Parramatta - Blacktown via Kings Langley
T62	Hillsbus	Parramatta - Kellyville via Bella Vista and Kellyville Plaza
T63	Hillsbus	Parramatta - Kellyville Ridge via Glenwood and Stanhope Gardens
T64	Hillsbus	Parramatta - Rouse Hill via Beaumont Hills
T65	Hillsbus	Merriville T-way- Parramatta (direct T-way service, to be operated from Rouse Hill Town Centre in September

Other Routes

These routes operate all around the North-west region, but they do not use the T-way. Refer to Rouse Hill- Castle Hill for 718 and individual Hillsbus timetables.

Route Number	Operator	Route Description
745	Busways	Glendenning - Castle Hill via Quakers Hill
708	Hillsbus	Pendle Hill and Wentworthville Retirement Villages – Parramatta (Community Bus)
714	Hillsbus	Seven Hills - Bella Vista via Crestwood
715	Hillsbus	Seven Hills - Bella Vista via Old Windsor Road
718	Busways	Seven Hills - Kings Langley
608	Westbus	Windsor – Castle Hill via Rouse Hill, Beaumont Hills and Kellyville

External links

★ NSW Government T-way website

★ Sydney public transport information

★ T-way network map

Notes

1. Baker, Jordan. 'Transport's vision splendid running at only half capacity'. ''Sydney Morning Herald.'' Aug. 25 2006[1]
2. This stop is listed as "Orbital" in some documents, after the orbital motorway.
3. City of Parramatta, ''"News: RTA urged to reconsider noise walls and cycleway route"'', 11 November, 2005. Accessed 16 April, 2007.
4. ''"CAMWEST: North-West T-Way: From Abbott Road to Wentworthville"'', 20 March, 2007. Accessed 16 April, 2007.
5. Soon, Nick, ''"T-Way Nightmare", ''Blacktown City Sun'', March 14, 2007. Accessed 16 April, 2007.
6. Campise, Kirsten, ''"Commuters Ignoring T-Way"'', ''The Northern News'', March 28, 2007. Accessed 16 April, 2007.
7. Stevens, Kylie, ''"Barrier a 'hazard'"'', ''Parramatta Sun'', March 28, 2007. Accessed 16 April, 2007.
8. Besser, Linton, ''"Priority bus green lights scrapped"'', Sydney Morning Herald, April 12, 2007. Accessed 16 April, 2007.
9. Baker, Jordan, ''"New tunnel sums: 17 minutes less, more in toll"'', Sydney Morning Herald, March 23, 2007. Accessed 16 April, 2007.