Transport for NSW proposes converting a southbound lane on Botany Road in Waterloo into a bus-only lane during peak hours as part of a $22 million plan aimed at improving public transport efficiency, particularly for the growing population in Mascot and Waterloo. However, this proposal has faced criticism from Sydney's lord mayor Clover Moore and transport advocates who argue that it negatively impacts local amenities and traffic flow without significant benefits to bus reliability. The project aims to widen lanes and create a compulsory right-turn lane at key intersections but is met with skepticism over its effectiveness compared to the cost and disruption.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-06,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
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The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.45, but 1 quote(s) could not be found in the article and the other 3 are attributed speech rather than the article's own narration, so the score is not published.
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Leaning score withheld for article 61022: no verified evidence · logged 2026-10-06
In short:
A proposal a morning peak bus lane has drawn criticism from Sydney's lord mayor and transport advocates.
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proposal → draw → mayor
Transport for NSW says the proposal will improve public transport in an area expected to grow in population.
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proposal → say → population
Transport for NSW is considering community feedback on the proposal.
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Transport → consider → proposal
A proposal for a southbound bus lane in inner Sydney has drawn criticism from the lord mayor and public transport advocates.
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proposal → draw → mayor
Transport for NSW is proposing to convert a southbound lane on Botany Road between Raglan Street and Bourke Street in Waterloo into a bus lane during the 6am–10am peak.
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Transport → propose → peak
The $22 million plan would see the southbound lanes widened at the intersection of Botany Road and McEvoy streets.
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lanes → see → streets
The middle lane would become a compulsory right-turn lane.
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lane → become → ?
Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore objected to "cannibalising" the footpath and tree canopy.
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Moore → object → footpath
"The extra traffic and insignificant public transport benefits does not justify the $22 million price tag, nor the impacts on local amenity," Cr Moore said.
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Moore → justify → amenity
"It's so disappointing the government is pursuing a road-widening project under the guise of bus improvement."
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government → pursue → improvement
A traffic study document seen by 702 ABC Sydney shows bus delays are worse heading into the city during the morning peak, rather than southbound.
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delays → see → peak
Northbound buses' on-time performance is impacted by 6 per cent during the AM peak, while southbound bus times are impacted by just 3 per cent, according to the report.
uncertain
times → impact → report
Meanwhile, northbound bus performance is affected by 12 per cent during the PM peak, while southbound buses have their on-time performance impacted by 2 per cent.
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performance → affect → cent
The report noted that northbound buses were more susceptible to on-time performance impacts because they start their routes much further away than the southbound services.
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they → note → services
A spokesperson for Transport for NSW said the proposal provided the greatest benefit to bus reliability while maintaining traffic performance on the wider road network.
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proposal → say → network
They also said that the project was supporting public transport to Mascot and Waterloo, which were experiencing population growth.
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which → say → growth
"The project is focused on moving more people more efficiently through the Botany Road corridor, improving travel time reliability for bus passengers and supporting better connections to key destinations, including Waterloo Metro Station and Green Square," the spokesperson said.
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spokesperson → focus → Station
Advocates call for rethink
WalkSydney president Jamie van Geldermalsen said proposing to add capacity for private cars near the Waterloo Metro and Green Square train station was puzzling.
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proposing → call → station
"It's not really clear where this has come from," he said.
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he → come → where
"These proposals don't really seem to fit in with Transport's own policies, which are generally evidence-based and rightly prioritise people walking, biking and taking public transport."
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which → seem → transport
Mr van Geldermalsen pointed to Transport for NSW's Connecting NSW strategy, which generally prioritises walking and cycling in urban areas.
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which → point → areas
Committee for Sydney think tank chief executive Eamon Waterford said Transport should go back to the drawing board.
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Transport → say → board
"The fundamental reality is there is too much space for cars in the inner city and we need to be shifting in the other direction," he said.
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he → be → direction
"It's going to get more people.
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It → go → people
Those people will be using public transport, primarily."
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people → use → transport
University of Sydney urban planning expert Jennifer Kent said roads should not necessarily be excluded from planning proposals, but Transport for NSW needed to consider if traffic figures had been displaced by the uptake of cycling, walking and public transport use.
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figures → say → use
"Does that displacement, therefore, still justify the inclusion of that infrastructure treatment?" Dr Kent said.
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Kent → justify → treatment
"We also need to remember that we’ve had a rapid influx of population in that area."
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we → need → area
The Aporia