Introduction

The 30km Parramatta - Liverpool bus transitway ("T-Way") was officially opened on the 16th Febuary 2003 at a cost of approximately $200 million. Around 20km of the transitway is exclusuive bus road, the rest being bus only lanes or prioroty lanes on existing roads. There are 34 intermediate "stations" of a standard design featuring real time information, timetables, local area maps, seating and a rubbish bin. Apart from an important industrial area, the transitway otherwise serves residential suburbs. The route passes through part of the city of Holroyd and the western outskirts of the cities of Fairfield and Liverpool; areas developed from the 1980s and well beyond the reach of the suburban railways.

It appears that the original intention (?) of the Transitway was to allow private bus operators to improve their local and feeder services. Ultimately however the State Transit Authority won access rights and operate a more meaningful end to end service which acts as both a feeder to Parramatta and Liverpool stations as well as an identifiable inter-suburban link. Private buses briefly access the transitway at Bonnyrigg interchange station. The S.T.A created a separate division known as Western Sydney Buses to operate and market the T-Way. Unfortunately this does make it somewhat an invisible service. Government operation does however provide a high standard of service and the availability of most of the ticketing options used on the rest of the Sydney Buses network.

From commencement of service in 2003, T-Way cash fares and Travel Tens fares have always been set at a higher level than those for the rest of Sydney Buses. The exception are the 1-2 section fares. This explains the purpose provided T-Way Tens to distinguish them from the lower priced Travel Tens. Initally Pensioner Excursion tickets were not valid for travel on the T-Way and Travelpasses, Daytrippers ans Bustrippers are still excluded from this swervice. In short, if you do not hold a specific T-Way ticket type you can not access the service. It is not really clear why this situation persists.