Our Western Sydney Community Campaigners met with the Member for Liverpool, Charishma Kaliyanda about our ongoing Busted Bus Stops advocacy. We know this campaign is incredibly important for communities across hot suburbs who are currently having to wait for the bus at hot, unsheltered stops. We will be meeting with key decision-makers and working with our partners to secure funding from the state government towards making our bus stops safer.
We presented the Member for Liverpool with key stories and data from the campaign. Our team and the incredible volunteers helping us have mapped over 3000 stops across Sydney! Of the 200 stops we mapped in the Liverpool area, only 38% of bus stops had shade, shelter, and seating. Worryingly, we found several bus stops that were serving key community areas, such as local public schools and shopping centres, without adequate infrastructure to keep communities safe.
Here is what Judy, a Liverpool local, had to say about the campaign:
“I grew up in Prestons, and was used to the fact that even 60-80 years ago, it was, on average, 6 degrees Fahrenheit, colder in winter and hotter in summer, than the quoted temperature for Sydney. I had to walk up Box Rd, to catch the bus from the Hume Highway to Liverpool, then walk to Liverpool Girls’ High School. Now with the warming climate, I assume there is even a greater difference.
Of course, it should not take a scientist to realise that standing around for a bus for even 15 minutes, would have a negative health (physical and mental) effect on young people, let alone the elderly, pregnant women, or the disabled. Surely, it is commonsense, that bus stops should have shelters to protect from the sun, rain, wind, etc. I would like to add that all bus shelters, wherever, they are located, should have protected shelter, with seating.”
We’re still looking for more points on our map of bus stops across Sydney! You can help us out by mapping your local bus stop here.