Customers in and around Grafton, Maclean and Yamba will now benefit from an extra 41 weekly bus services to improve connectivity and better meet customer needs across the Clarence region.

Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole said the services were being delivered as a part of the NSW Liberals and Nationals election commitment to improve transport options in 16 regional cities around the State.

“We’ve listened to what improvements the community wants to their local bus services – and now we’re delivering an additional 41 weekly services, with a quarter of those on Saturdays,” Mr Toole said.

“This is about ensuring our public transport offering meets the specific needs of this community with more reliable services and better connections to the places people want to visit and at the times they want to travel."

Busways Regional Operations Support Manager Mark Lawrence said residents will have more of an opportunity to explore their local area.

"By improving connections through the additional services, locals and tourists will have an increased opportunity to experience what the Clarence area has to offer," Mr Lawrence said.

“This will see the number of weekly bus services in the Grafton area boosted to 567 from 21 September, while customers will have more choice in when they travel, with extended hours of operation and new Saturday services on key routes like the 373, 374 and 380," Mr Toole added.

Member for Clarence and Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Roads and Infrastructure Chris Gulaptis said the new services were part of a first phase of improvements, with a second phase planned for Grafton to further improve connectivity. 

“The NSW Government has done a tremendous job to boost the number of bus services through the 16 Regional Cities Program, building upon our vision to help make public transport a first-choice option for people living in the regions,” Mr Gulaptis said.

“The extra services will make it easier for those travelling to the TAFE, various health services, shopping and social facilities in the Grafton CBD, South Grafton, Maclean and Yamba."

The new services are part of the $57.3 million 16 Regional Cities Initiative to roll out additional transport services across NSW over the next two-and-a-half years

The other cities included in the 16 Regional Cities Services Program are Tweed Heads, Wagga Wagga, Griffith, Bathurst, Parkes, Dubbo, Coffs Harbour, Albury, Nowra-Bomaderry, Queanbeyan, Lismore, Port Macquarie, Tamworth, Armidale and Orange.

The new bus route changes are:

Route 373 

• Extend weekday hours from  8:01am to 6:42am by introducing one additional trip on all weekday mornings starting at Spring St at Zuber Lane, South Grafton 
• Extend weekday hours from 5:10pm to 6:10pm by introducing one additional trip on all weeknights 
• Introduce a new weekday morning service at 10:46am to enhance morning service level
• Introduce a new Saturday service - 3 new trips at 9:40am, 12:40pm and 14:40pm
   

Route 374 

• Extend weekday hours from 7:40pm to 9:20pm by introducing one additional trip on all weeknights 
• All services after 5:30pm on a weekday will operate along Bimble Avenue, to provide consistency along the route throughout the day 
• Extend Saturday hours from 5:13pm to 9:13pm by providing 3 additional trips at 6:13pm, 7:13pm and 9:13pm
   

Route 378  

• Extend the weekday route 4:25pm inbound service (school holiday period only) to finish in Grafton CBD (Prince St at Fitzroy St)  
• Extend the weekday route 7:18am outbound service (school holiday period only) to start in Grafton CBD (Grafton Fire Station, Prince St) 
   

Route 380 

• Extend weekday hours from Grafton to Yamba from 5:50pm by one hour to provide the last service at 6:50pm  
• Extend weekday hours from Yamba to Grafton from 6:06pm by nearly two hours to provide the last service at 7:57pm 
• Extend current Saturday 12:48pm service from Grafton to operate to Yamba, and 11:16am service from Yamba to operate to Grafton, reducing the gap between services from 5 hours to 3 hours 
• Extend Saturday evening service from Grafton to Yamba by 2 hours by providing 1 additional service departing Grafton at 6:25pm
• Extend Saturday evening service from Yamba to Grafton by nearly 2 hours through an additional  service departing Yamba at 7:32pm

Route 375A 

• Introduce an additional trip on Saturday evenings at 6:52pm

For more information about the 16 Regional Cities Program, visit https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects/programs/16-regional-cities-program