What happened in Public Transport in the ACT during 2022? Not a lot, really: but here’s how we saw the year –
January
- Start of year fleet count: 458 buses
- 31 – Route 47 from Belconnen to Whitlam and Denman Prospect commences. School Term services recommence with “interim” reduced weekday timetable still in use.
- 31 – Platforms at Woden Interchange rearranged due to construction work associated with new interchange.
February
- 11 – Check In CBR app usage for public transport no longer mandatory.
- 15 – Transport Canberra reports that it expects to reveal the successful tenderer for the MyWay ticket replacement project by mid-year.
- 22 – Transport Minister Chris Steel announces that 8 Yutong and 4 Custom Denning electric buses, along with 26 Scania diesel buses will be leased in 2022. The option to lease 34 electric buses was not proceeded with.
- 24 – Tender process for purchase of 90 battery electric buses commences.
March
- QCity Transit operates shuttle services for Enlighten Festival.
- The possibility of the “regular” weekday network resuming in Term 2 is floated.
- 31 – “Bikes on Buses” trial on QCity Transit ends and the bike racks are removed.
April
- Decision announced that “interim” weekday timetable will continue until further notice.
May
- Contract to build new Woden Transport Interchange (and CIT buildings) awarded to Lendlease.
- 31 – Final day of Route R9 diversion to AIS Arena vaccination clinic.
June
- 27 – Route 28 (and school services) diverted away from Jabanungga Ave, Ngunnawal indefinitely due to road surface damage.
July
- New City layover next to Watson St, Turner opens.
- Park & Ride carpark at Swanson St, Belconnen closes.
- 7 –Tram 013 involved in collision with Mitsubishi Triton at Northbourne Ave U-turn
- 25 – Route 904, a free shuttle service between Fairbairn Park and the Canberra Airport Terminal, commences operating on weekdays during the morning and afternoon. Hino Poncho 217-499 transferred to Tuggeranong Depot from Special Needs fleet to operate the service.
August
- Transport Canberra places order for 5 new CAF Urbos 100 trams with on-board batteries to enable wire-free running. Once new trams arrive, existing fleet will be retro-fitted with batteries.
- 2 – ACT Budget includes $2.5m for new CCTV equipment on buses – for completion by June 2024.
- 25-26 – Budget estimates hearings told that the Ticket Replacement project tender has still not been finalised, but the minister is “optimistic” that the new ticketing system will be implemented in 2023.
September
- Floriade is back at Commonwealth Park: QCity operates two shuttles – a Canberra City shuttle (7 days) and a Parliamentary Zone shuttle on weekends.
- 26 – Woden Park & Ride closes so that construction of a temporary bus interchange can commence. To replace the closed carpark, Park & Ride spaces are made available at Mawson Oval during weekdays.
- 30 – Face masks on public transport no longer mandatory but are still encouraged; front door boarding of buses now permitted, but cash fares are still not accepted.
October
- Work commences on a temporary bus interchange at Woden.
- 5 – Minister Steel announces new timetable and route alterations will commence on 30 January 2023.
- 5 – Concrete bunker shelter at bus stop #4269 on Coulter Drive gets damaged by car and is later removed.
- 26 – Tram 012 sideswiped by ute at Elouera St intersection.
November
- Construction of new Woden Depot (reportedly) commences – expected completion is late 2024.
- 12 – Tram 003 involved in collision at Hinder St, Gungahlin.
- 15 – Contract details for leased electric buses published – 12 Yutong ZK6131HG1 battery electric buses to be leased for an initial 12 months, but no Custom Denning Elements at this stage.
- 26 – Spilt Milk festival held at EPIC. Additional Light Rail services, plus shuttle buses put on for the event, but Light Rail services are suspended for 20 minutes after the event when attendees encroach upon the tram lines.
- Bus 702 again utilised for the “Pack the Bus” appeal – running from 28 November until 16 December.
December
- Bunker shelter installed at Denman Village Shops (stop #2831).
- 2 – New drivers’ facilities building at Fraser West terminus opens.
- 3 – Works for Light Rail Stage 2A commence – London Circuit is closed between Constitution Avenue and Edinburgh Avenue to enable removal of bridge over Commonwealth Avenue. Buses are re-routed via Vernon Circle.
- 5 – Two years out from the next ACT Election, Canberra Liberals announce they no longer support Stage 2B of Light Rail to Woden, but don’t reveal any details about their alternative “bus only” policy.
- 12 – Timetables for Network 2023 released, but off-peak service reductions are badly received.
- 21 – First of the 12 Yutong ZK6131HG1 buses is delivered.
- 31 – QCity Transit operate additional buses for New Years Eve fireworks.
- End of year fleet count: 459 buses
Timeline sources include Media Releases, Facebook posts and ACT Bus Fleetwiki and Forum. If we have missed something important or made a mistake, please let us know – click on Contact Us and send us a message.
This page was last updated on 9 March 2024
