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UPDATE: Following the June Council meeting Manly’s popular community Hop, Skip & Jump Bus is to undergo a full review, with the aim to make the service cost-neutral. (A copy of the survey results is attached below) This follows an extensive community-focused campaign by Good for Manly which resulted in hundreds of emails to councillors supporting the service, and a survey of users. The survey of 1136 respondents, gave Council a clear indiction of who uses the bus and why. Lead by the Manly Ward Councillors, the resolution to find ways to make the service cost neutral rather than cancelling it altogether, was unanimously supported. Council staff have until the end of 2022 to report back their recommendations. "I think the campaign really highlighted to Councillors just how important this service is to so many locals. Our aim now is to find how we can make this service cost-neutral, using it as a model if you like, that can then be offered to other parts of the Northern Beaches where there is a need", Cr Bingham said. =============================== Background to story - 13/6/22 The future of Manly’s popular community Hop, Skip & Jump Bus is at risk, due to the $750,000 cost of running the service every year. While Manly Ward councillors point to the community value of the bus service, Frenchs Forest Cr Jose Menano-Pires says it only benefits a small part of the council area. Deputy Mayor Candy Bingham, along with fellow Manly Ward Councillors, Sarah Grattan and Georgia Ryburn, have leapt to the defence of the service, with State MP James Griffin also joining the campaign. At the next Council meeting, the councillors will call for a cost-benefit analysis to be undertaken to determine how the bus service can be retained.  “This service must be kept, too many people rely on it. Rather than scrapping it, let’s look at ways to make it more cost-effective”, said Cr Bingham. “What makes Manly different from other Wards within the Northern Beaches Council area, is its density. Ninety percent of people live in apartments, many of which have no garage, there is a large elderly population as well as 400 people who live in social housing. This service keeps cars off the road and provides a means of transport for those who are unable to drive”, she said. However Cr Menano-Pires will call for the Council to phase out the bus service by September, unless it can be run on a cost neutral basis. He said the savings should be reinvested into roads and footpaths instead. The Hop Skip and Jump service started in 2006 at the same time the Stockland Shopping Centre at Balgowlah was being redeveloped, and all routes still lead to Stocklands. From there, buses go to Clontarf, Manly Vale, Balgowlah Heights and Little Manly. Passengers are encouraged to make a gold coin donation when they travel, however since COVID fewer people carry coins, so passengers usually ride for free. When the service was taken over by Manly Council, the Andrew ‘Boy’ Charlton Aquatic Centre redevelopment, which provided limited parking on site, was contingent on the bus service being available. At its peak in 2019, the service moved about 400,000 passengers per annum. Since COVID the numbers have dropped to around 200,000 pa but this is expected to increase again, particularly with the recent publicity about the service. In the meantime, residents are encouraged to email all Councillors with their views of the Hop, Skip and Jump bus service. Email: [email protected]  
17 Comments
Wendy Marceau
3/6/2022 07:38:31 am
The Hop Skip and Jump bus provides a valuable, reliable and safe service to many people in the community, particularly the elderly and the young youth. I support maintaining the service. Perhaps thought could be put to offsetting costs through donations, sponsorship or fee for ride??
DONALD WALKER
3/6/2022 08:33:33 am
While this bus service is good for bringing shoppers to Manly it is understood that this service was introduced when the Totem shopping centre was being demolished and rebuilt so that elderly residents' could access shops in Manly and that this bus service was subsidised by the developers with users of this service requested to donate $1 each time they used the service. With the reopening of this shopping centre, Stocklands dropped their subsidy with Manly Council taking over the running of this service.
Judith Richard
8/6/2022 11:37:33 am
The Hop, Skip and Jump service is a very good service for the elderly and young people who go to the pool and or beaches. Seaforth residents use it a lot as we have less public transport options after Covid. It is used regularly by RSL patrons.The bus drivers could collect a fare easily. More public transport is needed in Seaforth.
DON WALKER
14/6/2022 09:01:35 am
There is no disagreement about the value of this bus service however, why should the ratepayers of the Northern Beaches Council region be paying for this service which is used by a relatively few patrons. And as for the stated 200,000 patrons said to be using this service I would suggest that someone needs to audit these figures as this equates to 40,000 patrons per week which, from my personal experience seems to be very high as the buses would rarely have more than 10 passengers per trip and this is being generous. If this bus service is so important then why can't the patrons pay a set fare of say $2/trip. Remember, this service was only started to provide a bus service for shoppers during the construction of the old Totem Mall, why cant the alleged users shop at the relatively new mall complex., 11/6/2022 11:26:42 am
This reliable service is used by many who can't access public transport easily since those services were reduced. Parking in Manly can be a nightmare & expensive so this service saves valuable car parking & vehicle numbers, especially when traffic in Manly can be so bad, and on weekends with long queues in & at parking stations.
Bruce Kitson
21/6/2022 05:24:31 pm
I disagree that parking in manly is expensive. First 2 hours are free and evening parking is capped at $5.50. I have always been able to get a parking space in Council car park in Wentworth Ave so parking is available.
DON WALKER
22/6/2022 08:14:14 am
Agree 100 pc. As all residents of the NBC are paying for this service then all residents should be polled as to if Council should be subsidising this service for the local residents of the route between Balgowlah and Manly.
Mary
12/6/2022 09:47:16 am
The Hop, Skin & Jump bus has been a fantastic service for locals old and young. It keeps the cars off the road which is good for the environment. For those people who don't drive, the service is especially essential.
DON WALKER
22/6/2022 08:22:09 am
Then if so, as the minority of users are elderly residents why should fit healthy people be allowed to use this service free of charge. Users who can not show a pensioner or disability card should be charged the same cost as the Government bus service used to charge. And as the new Totem shopping mall is completely finished several years ago then shoppers using this free bus service should be directed to return to their shopping habits, NBC is not a charitable organisation and, from the over the top 2.4 pc rate increase our Councillors have forced onto NBC residents, whereas the Government had imposed a 0.7 pc rate increase which had to be appealed to get an increase maybe the NBC needs to appoint a qualified auditor who can go through the Council books and delete all frivolous expenditure in these times of belt-tightening.. 12/6/2022 04:52:55 pm
The business model may need tweaking but one aspect of HS&J is very clear: it's an environmentally friendly way of moving people who don't have a car. Look at the State Transit buses outside of peak hour: the occupancy rates are beyond absurd. There is no possible commercial basis for operating a full-size blue bus with 5 people aboard. Install Opal Card readers on HS&J buses and charge a maximum of $1 per day for concession card holders and $1 per ride for everyone else. Start collecting fares during the 12-month analysis period. Our SEVENmile entrepreneurs would love the opportunity to apply Design Thinking to solve the problem. Our MP for Manly and NSW Minister for the Environment would surely support my proposal.
DON WALKER
22/6/2022 08:28:14 am
Agree with your suggestion of installing Opal card readers but disagree completely with the $1 charge. All pensioners/seniors with an Opal card should be charged the normal daily fee and non-holders of concession cards should be charged the standard Government bus fare. Again, why should it be up to NBC to subsidise users of a bus service who only got this service because the old Manly Council thought it would be benevolent during the rebuild of the Totem Mall.
Cassandra Millard
3/7/2022 05:24:06 pm
Agree totally. However, if the service is still making a loss after charging the correct bus fare, it should be discontinued. Why should residents in other areas subsidise patrons living in some of the more affluent areas? How fair is this? Even if the service is cost neutral, it is still taking up valuable administrative time of Council staff. Unless the same service, when viable, is offered to all areas within the Northern Beaches area, it should not be made available to just a few. In fact, there are more urgent issues and areas which need council resources, both money and manpower. 13/6/2022 08:13:05 am
I love Gary Tremlows post and ideas. I run community programs for the elderly. Any opportunity to keep people involved in their local communities whilst keeping costs down and cars off the road should be embraced. Post Covid, too many people are more isolated than ever. Reliable and easily accessible transport options such as the HSJ bus helps people to stay connected. If that is taken away it will be one more barrier to get people out.
Pamela f
14/6/2022 07:58:29 am
The Hop Skip & Jump bus is a necessity for Balgowlah Hts as there are many elderly people who are unable to drive and use the bus for their shopping. We lost the 131 bus which was the transport used by the elderly for local and Manly shopping and now rely on the H>S>& J bus
Neil
15/6/2022 08:13:20 am
The Hop Skip & Jump bus has been and should continue to be a service for the local community. I use it to travel to and from Manly as parking in the Manly CBD is very limited. It is a wonderful service and it is not only used by the elderly but by young children, mothers and busy parents. It helps all the locals within the community and should be maintained. 20/6/2022 02:26:23 pm
I took my grandson on the Hop Skip & Jump bus this morning and noted it was full of passengers, both ways, to and from Balgowlah to Manly wharf. Mostly elderly people, some young adults.
DON WALKER
22/6/2022 08:31:09 am
And how many of these alleged bus full of users were on their way to work and capable of walking to their nearest Government bus service as about 95 pc of NBC residents have to do? Leave a Reply. |
AuthorCandy Bingham, Manly Ward Councillor on Northern Beaches Council posts what's making news and issues relevant to Manly on this blog. Categories
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