More services, fewer stops: check out Canberra's new bus network
Canberra's new bus network will soon include more rapid services, faster suburban services but fewer stops, as the ACT government prepares to roll out light rail.
More than 55 per cent of Canberrans will live within walking distance of a rapid bus or light rail stop under the new network, Transport Minister Meegan Fitzharris says.
There will be 10 rapid routes, one more than originally planned, with services at least every 15 minutes along rapid transport corridors from 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday.
The extra rapid route will connect Denman Prospect to the city, via Wright, Coombs and the inner south.
Rapid routes 4 and 5, which travel between Lanyon, Woden and Civic, will run every six minutes - on par with light rail - during peak times.
The new seven-day week timetable will include more evening and weekend services, and Sunday and public holiday service times will be extended to 10pm.
There'll also be more bus trips past schools, rather than dedicated school buses, and students can get to school via the regular network.
If there is no bus that passes the school, a dedicated school bus will run.
Transport Canberra will bump up staff at its interchanges to ensure students get on the bus safely, Ms Fitzharris said.
However the trade-off is some bus services will no longer travel down the same street and there'll be fewer stops on some services.
A government discussion paper said certain stops had been removed in order to provide faster travel while maintaining service coverage.
The peak-hour Xpresso services have also been dumped to make way for the rapid routes.
The government is considering introducing more flexible bus services for people who can't get to their closest stop.
It is also looking at providing a flexible bus service to the the jail, Calvary Hospital, the University of Canberra Public Hospital and Lawson, until the local road network is completed.
Fares will not be increased as part of the new public transport network and Canberrans will be able to use their MyWay cards for light rail and buses.
The light rail will be completed in December and the new network will begin running next year.