North-West T-way

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North-West T-Way
Overview
Mode	Bus rapid transit line
Area	Western Sydney
Map colour	Aquamarine
Owner	Ministry of Transport
Design
Length	24 km
Stations	31
Connects	Parramatta Parklea Blacktown (branch) Rouse Hill
10 Mar 2007	Official Opening Parramatta – Merriville
25 Sept 2007	Sanctuary & Rouse Hill stations complete
4 Nov 2007	Blacktown – Parklea opening
Operations
Operator(s)	Busways Hillsbus
Public transport |  v • d • e

The North-West T-way is a bus rapid transit line in the north-western suburbs of Sydney, Australia. T-way is short for rapid bus transitway.

The T-way consists of two sections, one linking Parramatta railway station and Rouse Hill, the other linking Blacktown and Parklea. The lines intersect at Burns interchange 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 Merriville to Parramatta section opened on March 10, 2007. Sanctuary and Rouse Hill opened on September 25, 2007 upon the opening of the Rouse Hill Town Centre development.^[1] The final section, the Blacktown to Parklea branch, opened 4 November 2007. The T-way is the second in Sydney: the Liverpool-Parramatta T-way has operated since February 2003.

[edit] Design and construction

Abbott T-Way Station in Seven Hills

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.^[2]

[edit] Services

Private bus operators Busways and Hillsbus operate North-West T-way services. Busways mainly provides services in the Blacktown, Rouse Hill and Castle Hill areas and Hillsbus mainly to the city and Parramatta.

[edit] Parramatta–Rouse Hill stations

T65 Hillsbus

Constitution Hill

The 17-kilometre Parramatta–Rouse Hill serves Parramatta, Westmead,Northmead, Old Toongabbie, Winston Hills, Bella Vista, Glenwood, Norwest, Parklea, Kellyville, Stanhope Gardens, Kellyville Ridge 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)
• Sanctuary (Kellyville Ridge, Rouse Hill, Beaumont Hills)
• Rouse Hill (Interchange)(Rouse Hill, Schofields)

[edit] Blacktown–Parklea stations

The seven-kilometre Blacktown–Parklea section serves Kellyville, Stanhope Gardens, Parklea, Glenwood, Acacia Gardens, Kings Park, Kings Langley, Lalor Park and Blacktown. Bus services on this route stop at:

• Westpoint (Interchange)
• Blacktown Railway (Interchange)
• Devitt (Blacktown)
• Sackville (Blacktown)
• Bessemer (Industrial Blacktown)
• Turner (Blacktown)
• Vardys (Marayong)
• James Cook^[3] (Kings Langley)
• Wilson (Acacia Gardens)
• Sorrento (Glenwood)
• Stanhope (Parklea)
• Burns (Interchange) (Kellyville)

Route T75 continues from Burns along Parramatta-Rouse Hill T-Way to:

• Burns (Interchange)
• Riley (Stanhope Gardens, Kellyville)
• Merriville (Kellyville Ridge)
• Sanctuary (Rouse Hill, Beaumont Hills)
• Rouse Hill Town Centre (Interchange)

[edit] Transitways in Sydney

Main article: T-way

The Sydney T-way network. Liverpool-Parramatta is blue, North-West aqua, proposed sections black.

Refer to main Article.

[edit] Criticisms

The T-way 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. 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.^[4] After the opening of the first stage of the T-way, a local cycle advocacy group identified a large gap in the cycleway, potentially compromising cyclists' safety.^[5] Some local residents had their backyards destroyed.^[6]

Oon the opening of the initial route several other problems were raised. 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 T-way in its first week, a local newspaper discovered that the commuter carpark attracted as few as ten cars a day in the first week of operation.^[7] Another local newspaper reported a traffic barrier separating vehicles from the busway at Westmead Railway Station was causing accidents.^[8]

On April 12, 2007, the Roads and Traffic Authority quietly scrapped the bus priority system that would have given buses priority at all at-grade intersections. The decision was criticised as eliminating the main advantage of the T-way and not entice commuters back to public transport.^[9] Bus operators expected better patronage once the toll on the Lane Cove Tunnel came into effect.^[10]

There have also been many complaints regarding city bus travellers from Rouse Hill, Kellyville Ridge, Stanhope Gardens and Glenwood as their trips were taking 1.5 hours and were overcrowded. Hillsbus had seen increased patronage on city services with the new timetable and is not able to cope with the demand.

[edit] Bus Routes

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

[edit] Blacktown Routes

These routes originate from Blacktown: routes 630, 711 and 743 use the T-way. Refer to green Busways Rouse Hill- Castle Hill or the Hillsbus timetables.

[edit] Parramatta Routes

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

[edit] M2 Services

"X" services operate via Lane Cove Tunnel, 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. (RHTC= Rouse Hill Town Centre)

₮===T-way Services=== These services are either dedicated T-way end-to-end services, or they pick up in surrounding suburbs and then use the T-way. Refer to Busways Green Rouse Hill- Castle Hill timetable or the Hillsbus "North West T-way" Timetable.

Most journeys Monday to Saturday operate to/from Riverstone

[edit] Other Routes

These routes in the North-west region do not use the T-way. Refer to Busways Green Rouse Hill- Castle Hill and the respective Hillsbus timetables. (RHTC= Rouse Hill Town Centre)

[edit] External links

• NSW Government T-way website
• Sydney public transport information
• T-way network map

[edit] Notes