North-West T-way

North-West T-Way
Mode	Bus rapid transit line
Owner	Transport for NSW
Operator(s)	Busways Hillsbus
Connects	Parramatta Parklea Blacktown (branch) Rouse Hill
Length	24 km
Stations	31
Line colour	Aquamarine
Key dates
10 Mar 2007	Official Opening Parramatta – Merriville
25 Sept 2007	Sanctuary & Rouse Hill stations complete
4 Nov 2007	Blacktown – Parklea opening

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 are located upon.

The T-way was approved in February 2004 and the Merriville to Parramatta section opened on 10 March 2007. Sanctuary and Rouse Hill opened on 25 September 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.

Design and construction

Abbott T-Way Station in Seven Hills

NorthWest T-Way Map

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 A$330 million contract to design, built and maintain until 2017 was given to Leighton Holdings Pty Ltd. in 2005^[2] [3]

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.^{[dated info]}

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.^[3]

The 24-kilometre-long T-way includes:^[4]

• 21 km of bus-only roads connecting to 3 km of bus lanes on existing roads
• 30 bus stations
• 10 new bridges
• 2 new underpass
• 20 km of off-road cycleway

Parramatta–Rouse Hill stations

Constitution Hill

The 17-kilometre Parramatta–Rouse Hill segment, which opened in March 2006, serves the suburbs of Parramatta, Westmead, Northmead, Constitution Hill, 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 (Constitution Hill)
• Fitzwilliam (Constitution Hill, Winston Hills, 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, Glenwood)
• Balmoral (Kellyville)
• Burns (Interchange)(Park and Ride)(Kellyville)
• Riley (Park and Ride) (Kellyville, Stanhope Gardens)
• Merriville (Kellyville Ridge)
• Sanctuary (Kellyville Ridge, Rouse Hill, Beaumont Hills)
• Rouse Hill (Interchange)(Rouse Hill, Schofields)

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^[5] (Kings Langley)
• Wilson (Acacia Gardens, Glenwood)
• Sorrento (Glenwood, Parklea)
• Stanhope (Parklea, Stanhope Gardens)
• 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)

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.^[6] 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.^[7] Some local residents had their backyards destroyed.^[8]

On 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.^[9] Another local newspaper reported a traffic barrier separating vehicles from the busway at Westmead railway station was causing accidents.^[10]

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.^[11] Bus operators expected better patronage once the toll on the Lane Cove Tunnel came into effect.^[12]

There have also been many complaints regarding city bus travellers from Rouse Hill and Kellyville Ridge 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.

Services

T65 Hillsbus

Private bus operators Busways and Hillsbus operate North-West 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.

North West T-Way Routes

Route Number	Operator	Route Description	Notes
T60	Hillsbus	Parramatta - Castle Hill via NW T-Way, Baulkham Hills and Crestwood	Joins / leaves NW T-Way at Powers T-Way Station Some services terminate at Barina Downs Rd, Crestwood
T61	Hillsbus	Parramatta - Blacktown via NW T-Way, Kings Langley and Sunnyholt T-Way	Joins / leaves NW T-Way at Joseph Banks T-Way Station Joins / leaves Sunnyholt Rd T-Way at James Cook Station
T62	Hillsbus	Parramatta - Castle Hill via NW T-Way, Bella Vista, Norwest Business Park and Castle Hill	Joins / leaves NW T-Way at Joseph Banks T-Way Station
T63	Hillsbus	Parramatta - Rouse Hill Town Centre via NW T-Way, Glenwood, Stanhope Gardens and Kellyville Ridge	Joins / leaves NW T-Way at Norbrik T-Way Station, later rejoins / leaves at Merriville T-Way Station
T64	Hillsbus	Parramatta - Rouse Hill Town Centre via NW T-Way, Norwest Business Park and Kellyville	Joins / leaves NW T-Way at Norbrik T-Way Station Some trips terminate at Norwest Business Park
T65	Hillsbus	Parramatta - Rouse Hill Town Centre via NW T-Way (direct)
T66	Hillsbus	Parramatta - Rouse Hill (Adelphi St) via NW T-Way (direct) and Rouse Hill Town Centre
T71	Busways	Blacktown - Castle Hill via Sunnyholt T-Way, Acacia Gardens, Stanhope Gardens, Kellyville Ridge, NW T-Way, Rouse Hill Town Centre and Kellyville	Joins NW T-Way at Merriville T-Way Station (to Rouse Hill Town Centre and return), leaves at Windsor Rd, and vice versa Joins / leaves Sunnyholt Rd T-Way at Wilson T-Way Station Some trips terminate at Rouse Hill Town Centre or Kellyville Plaza
T75	Busways	Blacktown - Rouse Hill Town Centre via Sunnyholt T-Way (direct) and NW T-Way	Joins / leaves NW T-Way at Burns T-Way Station Most Monday- Saturday services extend to Riverstone via Schofields
S8	Hillsbus	Constitution Hill - Wentworthville Shops via NW T-Way and Bogalara Rd	Joins NW T-Way at Briens T-Way Station, leaves at Fitzwilliam T-Way Station
5B	Hillsbus	Rouse Hill Town Centre - Sydney Olympic Park via NW T-Way, Norwest Business Park / Bella Vista and Baulkham Hills	Joins / leaves NW T-Way at Celebration T-Way Station Operates only when there are major events being held at Sydney Olympic Park
617X	Hillsbus	Rouse Hill (Adelphi St) - CITY (Railway Square) via Kellyville, NW T-Way, M2 Motorway and Lane Cove Tunnel	Joins NW T-Way at Riley T-Way Station, leaves at Abbott T-Way Station Some peak hour services operate from Riley T-Way Station, some peak hour services terminate at CITY (QVB)
740	Busways	Plumpton - Macquarie Centre via Quakers Hill, Stanhope Gardens, Glenwood, NW T-Way and M2 Busway	Joins NW T-Way at Norbrik T-Way Station, leaves at Abbott T-Way Station

Sunnyholt Road T-Way Routes

Route Number	Operator	Route Description	Notes
T61	Hillsbus	Parramatta - Blacktown via NW T-Way, Kings Langley and Sunnyholt T-Way	Joins / leaves Sunnyholt T-Way at James Cook Station Joins / leaves NW T-Way at Joseph Banks T-Way Station
T70	Busways	Blacktown - Castle Hill via Sunnyholt Rd T-way, Glenwood and Norwest Business Park	Some trips terminate at Lexington Drive, Bella Vista
T71	Busways	Blacktown - Castle Hill via Sunnyholt Rd T-Way, Acacia Gardens, Stanhope Gardens, Kellyville Ridge, NW T-Way, Rouse Hill Town Centre and Kellyville	Joins / leaves Sunnyholt Rd T-Way at Wilson T-Way Station Joins NW T-Way at Merriville T-Way Station (to Rouse Hill Town Centre and return), leaves at Windsor Rd, and vice versa Some trips terminate at Rouse Hill Town Centre or Kellyville Plaza
T74	Busways	Blacktown - The Ponds via Sunnyholt Rd T-way and Stanhope Gardens	Joins / leaves Sunnyholt Rd T-Way at Stanhope T-Way Station
T75	Busways	Blacktown- Rouse Hill Town Centre via Sunnyholt Rd T-Way (direct) and NW T-way	Joins / leaves NW T-Way at Burns T-Way Station Most Monday- Saturday services extend to Riverstone via Schofields

See also

T-way

External links

• Routh Map of the North West T Way
• Sydney Transport Information
• Busways
• Hillsbus
• T-way network map

Notes

1. ^ ComfortDelGro Cabcharge, Hillsbus Service Update: Routes T63, T64, T65 and 610", 25 September 2007. Accessed 26 September 2007.
2. ^ [1]
3. ^ Baker, Jordan. 'Transport's vision splendid running at only half capacity'. Sydney Morning Herald. 25 Aug 2006 [2]
4. ^ Leighton Holdings A$323 million contract
5. ^ This stop is listed as "Orbital" in some documents, after the orbital motorway.
6. ^ City of Parramatta, "News: RTA urged to reconsider noise walls and cycleway route", 11 November 2005. Accessed 16 April 2007.
7. ^ "CAMWEST: North-West T-Way: From Abbott Road to Wentworthville", 20 March 2007. Accessed 16 April 2007.
8. ^ Soon, Nick, "T-Way Nightmare", Blacktown City Sun, March 14, 2007. Accessed 16 April 2007.
9. ^ Campise, Kirsten, "Commuters Ignoring T-Way", The Northern News, March 28, 2007. Accessed 16 April 2007.
10. ^ Stevens, Kylie, "Barrier a 'hazard'", Parramatta Sun, March 28, 2007. Accessed 16 April 2007.
11. ^ Besser, Linton, "Priority bus green lights scrapped", Sydney Morning Herald, April 12, 2007. Accessed 16 April 2007.
12. ^ Baker, Jordan, "New tunnel sums: 17 minutes less, $25 more in toll", Sydney Morning Herald, March 23, 2007. Accessed 16 April 2007.