Clover's Loop

Another drawback in most commetators view is having dozens of extra buses laying over in the area around Central. This could be overcome by running inner-west buses through to the east and vice versa. The 372 from Coogee could mate with the 438 from Abbottsford etc. Many 4xx buses could terminate at Moore Park or UNSW, thus eliminating the dedicated services to these big trip attractors.

It will require at least half a billion dollars to replace the major activities of the buses. Even this could leave many users worse off through having an extra change of vehicle.

The major problem is that the axis is purely theoretical except for a short section from Moore Park Rd to Allison Rd. Major movements bifurcate to serve both the northern part of the CBD and Central Station at one end and Allison and Anzac at the other. The Upper Campus of UNSW lies between these two.

From 7.30 to 8.30 am on weekdays there is more than a bus a minute heading towards Circular Quay past the SCG. Many of these then proceed empty along Castlereagh St, around Belmore Park, to pick up in Eddy Avenue as 891's to serve both upper and lower levels of UNSW. This service peaks at a bus every one or two minutes from 8.30 to 9.45.

To replicate this in rail would require a special track (underground?) from north of Martin Place to Central. More likely, all light rail passengers would have to go via Central or all students via St James.

It would be quite impossible to replicate the way the Eastern Buses service UNSW in the evening. Buses coming off school and commuter express runs from Botany Rd around to Clovelly Rd converge on the campus to become 895 (lower) or 891 (upper) for the run to Central.

Buses would have less productive time and kilometres per shift if they lost these bulk hauls. The Central to Moore Park run for sports events often requires special bus shifts and an underground extension of the Darling Harbour line along Devonshire Street might be less damaging to bus operations. It would give all those passing through Railway Square for the beaches, uni etc the option of direct bus or light rail with an extra change near the SCG.

I am writing this out of concern that both bus passengers and motorists may simply advocate a tram as the way out of traffic problems on the axis. Each time this happens the State Government says it will investigate and then buries the scheme on grounds of cost. It might be better to concentrate on ways of giving buses a clearer run and introducing more limited stop routes.

Banning private cars from entering UNSW gates in High St from 8 to 10 am in semester would prevent them blocking the buses. Staff would thus be encouraged to use buses and if they have no car in the morning they cannot cause strife with it in the evening.

There could be a new express service from and to Sydenham Station am and pm. This might have to use High St as hospital and uni staff seem to have the 357/9 route thoroughly blocked in the peak. Such a service might reduce both traffic levels in Gardeners Rd and parking in Kensington.

Once the eastern buses were low on dead time they might be willing to join a push for extensive light rail. The dream of sitting outside an Oxford St cafe watching the trams roll past might become reality.