2025 - public transport expectations

[Barry Drive]

Now becoming a yearly tradition - this is a list of the known Public Transport expectations for 2025 (as also published on Facebook):

✅️ fares to rise by 3% in January
✅️ Woden Depot to commence operation
➡️ Tuggeranong Depot electrical upgrades
➡️ 30 more Yutong E12 🔋 🚍 to be delivered (replacing CNG buses and Irisbuses)
✅️ Light Rail Stage 2A construction to commence in February
➡️ MyWay+ improvements including:
  ⏩️ additional retail agents
  ⏩ fully operational real-time tracking (including apps and Google Transit)
  ⏩️ Interchange display screens
  ⏩ Ticket Vending / Top-up Machines
  ✅️ onboard bus stop announcements
  ⏩️ "master" MyWay+ accounts
➡️ Legislative Assembly enquiry into MyWay+ procurement and implementation
➡️ Woden Interchange and CIT construction complete
➡️ safety upgrades at (unknown) bus interchanges
➡️ Sunday timetable updated to hourly services before 6pm
All information comes from ACT Budget, Hansard, media releases and Built for CBR website.

I've not included the undelivered 13 Scania K320UBs as there has been no word about their fate - the 2025 Budget may shed some light if there's a sharp reduction in the outlays, assuming there isn't a question or statement given in the ACT Assembly beforehand.

The 30 Yutongs is an estimate - exact figures may be known later. Same goes for which buses will be withdrawn - not enough information to be definite, other than 15 CNG Scania by 30 June (which may not be accurate anyway).

There might also be a tender issued this year for the next batch of electric buses.

[Barry Drive]

Since it's a major change (🫡), Woden Depot is fully operational from yesterday.

[triumph]

An item in Transport Canberra News dated 16th April began with the quoted sentence
"Transport Canberra's new electric bus depot in Woden has officially opened the doors ahead of the first bus services operating from the depot on Monday 28 April 2025."

Whilst the Depot became 'operational' on the 28th April, the above quote implies that it was 'officially opened' sometime about 16th April. Whilst this can be seen as a minor quibble, from a historical record perspective, the distinctions are significant.

For the historical record, does anyone know for sure what the exact date it was 'officially opened' is?

[Barry Drive]

Yes. There was a ribbon cutting on 16 April. This was widely reported in the media.

But for the purpose of this list, commencing full operations is what is significant.