Western Sydney needs better bus shelters.
People are waiting in deadly hot sun, at bus stops without shade or shelter.
Catching a bus should not be a health hazard
Each summer, people across Western Sydney wait for buses in dangerous temperatures. Often at bus stops without adequate shade, seating or shelter from extreme weather.
Waiting for the bus in these conditions leave us exposed to extreme levels of UV radiation, increase vulnerability to skin damage, sunburn, heat stroke, dehydration and skin cancer. This risk is increased in children, elderly and people with disabilities.
Inadequate infrastructure also leads to significant social impacts: the inability to commute safely on hot days, may lead to social isolation, disconnection and stop people from accessing essential services.
Good public transport is fundamental for sustainable and liveable cities.
3000+ bus stops mapped! Zoom in for a closer look 🔍
Legend:
Red square: No shade or shelter
Blue circle: Shade and shelter
Yellow triangle: Just shade or seat
Add your stop to the map
Together we’re creating an interactive map of bus stops across Sydney to show how bad the situation is. The map shows the many bus stops without seats and shelter across the city, and include your photos and stories about how these bus stops feel in the sweltering summer heat. Fill out this form to tell us where unsheltered bus stops are in your area.
What’s the plan?
Taking community evidence to decision makers
Presenting our goals to the NSW Government Inquiry into Public Transport needs in Western Sydney.
Meet Sydney’s Worst Bus Stop.
Voted Sydney’s worst bus stop in Erskine Park, “a telegraph pole can be a bus stop, complete with a busy main road, long grass, snakes, and made inaccessible without a footpath. You wouldn’t want to be stuck here on a hot day.
How did we get here?
Community conversations
The Busted Bus Stops Campaign began with conversations with Western Sydney residents about catching a bus in summer without shade, shelter or seating.
In 2021 we continued to gather stories in our Summer Survey. According to survey results, 74.5% of people agreed with the statement “Public transport should be powered by renewable energy and accessible in hot suburbs”.
Mapping
In 2022 our community mapped their local bus stops by taking photos and submitting information about their stop. In the Penrith LGA over 500 stops were mapped. 70% of which did not have shelter, seats or shade.
In collaboration with Sydney University School of Geosciences, students mapped over 2000 stops across Sydney. Investigating the impacts of Urban Heat and the social geography of Sydney on bus shelters.
Worst Bus Stop Competition
After receiving almost 500 votes, Erskine Park stop 275912 was voted the worst bus stop in Sydney. With a lack of shelter, seating, shade, accessibility, and proximity to a busy road.
Bus stops that are completely exposed to the heat, have no footpaths, have wires
hanging down, or are next to snake habitats are hotspots for health and safety risks.Campaign Report
The Busted Bus Stops Report was published in 2024 – it includes the community stories, maps of Sydney’s bus stop infrastructure and our policy recommendations.
Read the Sydney Morning Herald’s coverage here.
Read the BUSTED BUS STOPS REPORT.
Advocacy – Government Inquiry
In 2024 we presented our findings and recommendations to the NSW Government Inquiry into Public Transport needs in Western Sydney. Our recommendations:
- Ensuring 75% of all stops have shelter, prioritising schools, aged care homes, hospitals and social housing.
- 2000 new shelters in Western Sydney
Campaign News
- We met with Charishma Kaliyanda about fixing Liverpool’s Busted Bus StopsOur 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… Read more: We met with Charishma Kaliyanda about fixing Liverpool’s Busted Bus Stops
- Sydney’s Busted Bus Stops: Read our Campaign Report
Thanks to your dedicated efforts in mapping over 2500 bus stops across, capturing photos of busted stops, and sharing personal stories about the challenges of using unsafe, unsheltered stops, Sweltering Cities has published a… Read more: Sydney’s Busted Bus Stops: Read our Campaign Report - “I’m worried about isolation”: Sue’s story of living in one of Australia’s hottest suburbs
Sue lives in Penrith, one of the hottest suburbs in Australia. As someone who enjoys outdoor hobbies and requires plenty of exercise to manage her chronic illness, Sue worries about the health and wellbeing… Read more: “I’m worried about isolation”: Sue’s story of living in one of Australia’s hottest suburbs - Anoop’s Story: Making a Difference Through VolunteeringAnoop Sud is one of Sweltering Cities’ most active supporters in Western Sydney. Our Western Sydney Community Campaigner recently caught up with Anoop and his partner, Neeru. It was great to hear more about… Read more: Anoop’s Story: Making a Difference Through Volunteering
- Our submission to the NSW inquiry into Western Sydney’s transport needs.
In 2023 the NSW Legislative Council is holding an inquiry into the current and future transport needs of Western Sydney. You can read more about the inquiry here. Sweltering Cities made a submission to… Read more: Our submission to the NSW inquiry into Western Sydney’s transport needs. - The worst bus stop in Sydney winner announced!
Congratulations to bus stop 275912 in Erskine Park for being voted the worst bus stop in Sydney! This stop has it all, or should we say ‘has nothing at all’? - In the hottest suburbs in Sydney 70% of bus stops have no shelter or shade
Hundreds of people have submitted information about their local bus stops through our form or shared their bus stop with us via email or social media. Of the 596 bus stops in our first sample, we found that 70% of stops had no shade, no shelter and no seat! - Vote for Sydney’s worst bus stop
Each summer on sweltering hot days across Sydney people can be found waiting for the bus in dangerously hot temperatures, with no shelter, no seat, and no shade. In Western Sydney, the hottest region… Read more: Vote for Sydney’s worst bus stop
