1989: Food and Drink banned on Sydney Buses

Source: State Transit. 1989. "Cleaner, more comfortable bus travel, will require curbing a few appetites" (Advertisement). The Sydney Morning Herald, May 1: 14. 

On public transport in Sydney, it is acceptable for commuters to eat or drink on Trains, Light Rail and ferries, but not on buses. 

How did it come to be? 

In 1989, the State Transit Authority (STA) decided to ban the consumption of food and drink on Government Buses in Sydney and Newcastle. Eating or drinking on a bus carried a fine of $200. The primary reason for the ban was cleanliness, but it was also in response to complaints from commuters.

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Source: Timmins, M. 1989. "Eating Ban on Buses". The Daily Mirror, May 1: 2. 

The Daily Mirror asked commuters for their thoughts on the ban, and had mixed reactions.

Source: Cramsie, D. 1989. "Passengers divided on food bus ban". The Daily Mirror, May 1: 12. 

The following year, the NSW Government passed the Passenger Transport Act (1990), which gave the State Government authority to determine whether commuters were permitted to consume food or drink on any mode of transport and regulate behaviour on public transport. 

It also allowed the Government to set fines for non-compliance. Under current legislation, a person who eats or drinks on a bus can be fined $550, up from $200 in 1989. The directive not to eat or drink must be displayed on a sign inside the buses. However, commuters can consume water, and those who need to eat or drink for medical reasons can. 

As a bus commuter, I have found that it is generally not enforced, particularly where alcohol is consumed, but 99% of commuters exercise common sense and refrain altogether.

1993: Arrival of "kneeling superbuses"

To improve accessibility for less mobile passengers and increase capacity on popular routes, The State Transit Authority commenced the roll out of "kneeling superbuses" in 1993. 

The 14.5 metre buses by Scania were built in Australia by the Ansett Transport Industries owned Ansair in Tamworth. Compared with other buses, they had a capacity for 95 passengers (61 seated, 34 standing).

In 2021, the buses are still in operation, mostly on routes that serve the Epping Road and Anzac Parade corridors. 

Below is an article from The Eastern Herald (The Sydney Morning Herald) from June 5, 1993. 

Source: Killick, 1993. "And now for the bus that kneels for you". The Eastern Herald (The Sydney Morning Herald), June 5: 2. 

1989: The start of Nightride Services

Younger generations like mine (Generation Y) are accustomed to using late night bus services to get home from the city after a night out.

In the 1980s trains services did operate after midnight in Sydney. In 1989, the NSW Government made a controversial decision to replace late night rail services with Nightride Buses. It was in response to concerns over violence on trains at night but also to reduce operating costs.

Source: Nicholson, L. "All stations go for travellers: Buses to run taxi service". The Daily Telegraph, May 26: 5.

It was phased in two stages with a trial implemented on the Illawarra, East Hills and Bankstown Lines during June and July. By July, late night rail services on those lines ceased.

Source: Ministry for Transport (NSW). 1989. "Midnight to Dawn Services: Nightride" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, July 21: 19.

Below is a timetable that was published in The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader.

Source: Ministry for Transport (NSW). 1989. "Midnight to Dawn Transport Services: Night-Ride"(Advertisement). The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader, July 25, 30.

Source: . Anon. 1989. "Night Trains replaced". The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader, June 6: 7.

The opposition were not too impressed. Shadow Transport Minister Brian Langton (ALP, Kogarah) raised concerns that buses would not cope with demand

Source: Philpott, P. 1989. "Nightride bus claim refuted by minister". The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader, July 6, 2.

When initially announced, the reaction from late night commuters was not positive citing that buses added extra travel time, safety concerns and would be forced to travel in taxi's for some or all of their journeys. The article above highlighted a weakness in the Nightride System - Many stations missed out on Nighride services altogether. Note that Penshurst, Mortdale and Gymea have since been added to the Nightride Bus Network. 

Those that were happy claimed that they felt safer on buses (research shows that you are less likely to be a victim of crime on a bus than a train). 

By the end of the year, it had been introduced on remaining lines.

Source: Ministry for Transport (NSW). 1989. "Midnight to Dawn Transport Service: Nightride". The Daily Telegraph, October 27: 14.

One advantage of the Nightride Network was the ability for buses to serve suburbs without rail stations including Sylvania and the Parramatta Road corridor. Some suburbs with rail stations ended up having non station stops.

Fast forward three decades later, the Nightride Network has expanded. Services now operate from Town Hall to Richmond (N71) and Carlingford (N61) along with Railway Square to Bondi Junction (N100)

Remember this: Airport Express Advertisement (1991)

For January, our weekly entries will focus quite simply on classic advertisements or moments in time.

Many like myself have left town for the summer, and some are about to head off. I will admit this was written well before I went away.

In fact today, I'll be in the air and contending with the challenges of flying including the fight to get to the airport.

This one does relate to holidays and travel. Here is a 1991 advertisement promoting the now-defunct Airport Express Bus service. Buses used to shuttle passengers between the Airport, City and Kings Cross.

The service was provided by the State Transit Authority/Sydney Buses. Following the opening of the Airport Rail Line in 2000, the service was discounted in 2001 with private operators providing door to door shuttles.

Compared to today, it would cost the equivalent of $10 single or $16 return which is pretty cheap. There is a push to operate more bus services to Sydney Airport to reduce congestion on the roads in the area.

Source: State Transit Authority. 1991. "Take off for Your Holiday on our Runway" (Advertisement). The Sunday Telegraph, December 22: 11.

1986: Last Double Decker bus service

In 1986, the last of Sydney's famous double-decker buses had finally been pulled off commuter services in Sydney. But why did they get taken off?

Between 1970 and 1972, the State Government had purchased Atlentan Double Decker Buses to supplement the existing fleet of Sydney Buses, but there were several developments during that decade that would lead to the withdrawal of double-decker buses:

• Removal of conductors.
• Allowing longer buses to operate on NSW Roads.
• Introduction of articulated buses from 1979 to 1983.

On May 16, 1986, the final service ran from Wynyard to Taylors Point on Sydney's Northern Beaches. 

Source: Alibin, T. 1986. "Room at the top for a ride into history". The Sydney Morning Herald, May 17: 3.

Fast forward a quarter of a century later, and the State Government began to trial the use of double deckers on the city with Busways operating the buses on the Rouse Hill to Blacktown route. A year later, Hills Bus introduced double-decker services on the M61 service from Rouse Hill to the city.

Recently, it was announced that the State Government would purchase eighty double-deckers as part of increasing capacity but also for the advantage they have in navigating through congested city streets. They don't need the room an articulated bus has, yet can carry many more passengers.