Metrobus blade stop sign at Chester Hill with the name of the stop and a red lower section indicating that the stop is served by Metrobus services
Metrobus (stylised as metrobus) is a high frequency, high capacity bus network in Sydney, Australia, first introduced in 2008. Metrobus services run every 10 minutes during peak periods, 15 minutes during off-peak weekday periods, and 20 minutes on weekends, linking key commercial suburbs and centres throughout the city, with the intention of making timetables obsolete. All buses were initially painted in a distinctive red livery but recently, the standard Transport for NSW livery of blue and white has been adopted. All Metrobus services are wheelchair accessible. All route numbers were prefixed with an "M" followed by a two-digit number.
As of May 2024[update], only two Metrobus routes (M90 and M91) remain in operation.
The network originally operated along bus trunk routes through the inner suburbs, but passed through the CBD rather than terminating there. This reduced overcrowding on the trunk routes without needing to layover extra buses in the CBD. This concept was later diluted with the network's expansion to include long distance routes servicing major activity centres in outer suburbs.
The first route, M10 from Leichhardt to Kingsford, began operation on a 12-month trial basis on 12 October 2008 and was operated by State Transit.[1] During this period nine regular and six high-capacity buses with different seating arrangements were dedicated to the route.[2]
In March 2009, an expansion of the Metrobus network with the addition of four further routes serving the inner suburbs (M20, M30, M40, M50) was announced.[3]
In July 2010 it was announced a further eight new Metrobus routes were to be rolled out in 2011 to service suburbs in Sydney's west, north, north-west, south and south-west (M41, M52, M54, M60, M61, M90, M91, M92).[4] This saw Hillsbus and Veolia Transport (later Transdev NSW) also become Metrobus operators.
Routes M10, M20, M30, M41 and M50 were included in the transfer of region 6 from State Transit to Transit Systems on 1 July 2018.[5]
During April and May 2019, as part of the opening of Sydney Metro, a number of Metrobus services were renumbered to 3-digit numerical routes, dropping the "M" prefix.[6] while two others were renumbered in February 2020.[7][8]
During July and August 2023, route M92 was included in the transfer of region 10 from Transdev NSW to U-Go Mobility, while routes M90 and M91 were included in the transfer of region 13 from Transdev NSW to Transit Systems.[9][10] M92 was later split up into routes 920 and 960 in September that year.
Since September 2023, only routes M90 and M91 remain but they have been operated with buses of various livery since the removal of Metrobus signage on Metrobus-liveried buses by their previous operator Transdev NSW.
Metrobus services have always used the same ticketing system as all other Sydney metropolitan buses.
At time of introduction, this was the MyZone system. The Opal card system was rolled out to all buses throughout 2013-14, and became the sole ticketing system when MyZone was phased out in 2016.
Metrobus routes M10, M20, M30, M40, M50 were full-time pre-pay only services since introduction and required passengers to purchase a ticket before boarding. All other routes gradually became pre-pay between 2018 and 2020, as all Sydney bus depots became cashless.
On 28 December 2008, route M10 was curtailed to Leichhardt Town Hall no longer operating to MarketPlace due to issues raised by Leichhardt Council regarding buses laying over in Lords Road.[citation needed] On 14 November 2010, route M10 was extended to the corner of Norton and William Streets at Leichhardt Pioneer Park. On 26 October 2009, it was extended from Kingsford to Maroubra Junction. Route M10 originally proceeded up George Street before turning into Park and Elizabeth Streets. On 4 October 2015, to facilitate the construction of CBD and South East Light Rail, it was altered to operate via Pitt Street, Eddy Avenue and Elizabeth Street in the Maroubra Junction direction, and via Elizabeth Street, Hay Street and Pitt Street in the Leichhardt direction.[17] Operation of the route passed from State Transit to Transit Systems with region 6 on 1 July 2018.[5] On 9 February 2020, M10 was altered to run via Rawson Place, stopping at Haymarket light rail/bus stop to allow cross-platform transfer to and from L2 and L3 light rail services.[7]
It was originally proposed to abolish the City to Maroubra Junction section after the CBD and South East Light Rail was completed.[18] On 25 October 2020, route M10 was withdrawn, with the western portion replaced by additional 440 services and the eastern portion replaced by L3 light rail and other bus services.[8]
Operation of the route passed from State Transit to Transit Systems with region 6 on 1 July 2018.[5] It was renumbered as route 320 on 9 February 2020 and cut back from Botany to Mascot.[7] It was further cut back to Zetland in December 2021, as part of a restructure of the Eastern Suburbs bus network.
On 4 August 2024, route was again cut back, this time from the north, now operating only between Zetland and Central, to coincide with the opening of the Metro North West & Bankstown Line. The short section not served by the metro was replaced by a peak only route 119, operating between Gore Hill and North Sydney.[20]
It connected with Sydney Trains stations at Wynyard, Town Hall, Central, Newtown and Sydenham. It also allowed passengers to transfer to regular buses to outer suburbs of Sydney at major transport interchanges such as Neutral Bay Junction, Queen Victoria Building and Railway Square. This service was originally planned to terminate at Enmore Park although Sydenham was chosen as a more appropriate terminus.
Route M30 originally operated between Town Hall and Central stations via George Street, but on 4 October 2015, to facilitate the construction of the CBD and South East Light Rail, it was diverted to operate via Park Street, Castlereagh Street, Hay Street and Pitt Street in the Sydenham direction, and via Pitt Street, Eddy Avenue, Elizabeth Street and Park Street in the Spit Junction direction.[17] Operation of the route passed from State Transit to Transit Systems with region 6 on 1 July 2018.[5] It was renumbered as route 430 on 9 February 2020.[7] On 20 December 2020, route 430 was curtailed to operate between Sydenham station and Martin Place, with the rest of the route replaced by route 100 (operated by State Transit) between the Queen Victoria Building and Taronga Zoo.[21]
It was originally proposed to abolish the city to Coogee section when the CBD and South East Light Rail was completed.[18] On 25 October 2020, route M50 was withdrawn, with the western portion replaced by routes 502 to 504 and the eastern portion replaced by L2 light rail and other bus services.[8]
It connected with Sydney Trains stations at Parramatta, Carlingford, Epping, Macquarie University, and Macquarie Park. It also allowed passengers to transfer to regular buses to outer suburbs of Sydney at major transport interchanges such as Parramatta, Epping, and Macquarie Centre. On 5 June 2016, route M54 was extended to operate extra half-hourly services nightly between 8:00pm and midnight. On 6 May 2018, route M54 was extended to operate overnight services at an hourly frequency seven nights a week, thus becoming a 24-hour service. [5] M54 was renumbered 550 on 28 April 2019.[6]
It connected with Parramatta, Pennant Hills and HornsbySydney Trains stations and other bus services at major interchanges Parramatta, Castle Hill and Hornsby. At commencement, M60 replaced daytime 600 services between Parramatta and Castle Hill which operated early morning and late night and one in the afternoon on weekdays and some limited 600 services between Parramatta and Cherrybrook. Other remaining 600 services were replaced on 3 June 2018.[26] M60 was renumbered back to 600 on 26 May 2019.[6]
It allowed passengers to connect with services to Kellyville, Glenwood, Kellyville Ridge, Bella Vista and Stanhope Gardens at bus stops along the M2 Motorway, as well as the Castle Hill Interchange. Route M61 originally continued south of the Queen Victoria Building to Railway Square via George Street until 4 October 2015 when it was curtailed to facilitate the construction of the CBD and South East Light Rail.[17] In 2017, 610X services that ran between Castle Hill and City only were renumbered M61. M61 ceased operating on 26 May 2019 with all services renumbered 610X.[6]
Route M92 ran from Parramatta station to Sutherland via Lidcombe, Bankstown, Padstow and Menai and began 14 March 2011, it was the last Metrobus route launched.[28] it connects with the Sydney Trains stations at Parramatta, Lidcombe, Bankstown, Padstow and Sutherland. Until December 2018, the route largely duplicated route 962 between Bankstown and Sutherland, with the difference that M92 bypasses Illawong and Menai Marketplace. The duplication ended with the rerouting of 962 to East Hills instead of Bankstown in December 2018. Operation of the route passed from Transdev NSW to U-Go Mobility with region 10 on 1 July 2023.[9]
On 24 September 2023, M92 was withdrawn and replaced by routes 920 (between Parramatta and Bankstown) and 960 (between Bankstown and Sutherland). Transport for NSW stated the change would improve journey time and reliability for passengers, and would also allow drivers to complete other U-Go Mobility routes impacted by driver shortages.[13]
Fleet
When operations commenced, services were operated by dedicated fleets in a red livery. As new buses have been delivered these have been painted in Transport for NSW's white and blue livery.
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