Afternoon bus now a "super express"

A Derwent Valley Link coach crossing High  St, New Norfolk.

FURTHER adjustments to the New Norfolk-Hobart bus service came into effect yesterday, following significant alterations to the routes operated by Derwent Valley Link earlier this year.

Government-mandated changes at the start of the year followed an 18-month review of bus services throughout the state. There was an immediate effect, with buses running late and confusion over ticketing arrangements and students having to change buses at Glenorchy.

A flood of complaints resulted in the first changes to the new timetable on February 18 and the Department of State Growth recently approved further changes to take effect on August 11. In a statement on Friday, the department said the improved bus services for New Norfolk formed part of "ongoing state-wide bus network enhancements".

"To ensure bus services more accurately reflect the needs of local communities and provide better access to employment, education and other services, we have identified a significant improvement to the New Norfolk route," the statement said.

"The main change sees the current 5.06pm X22 weekday service provided by O’Driscoll’s Derwent Valley Link become the X23 Super Express between Hobart and Granton, stopping only at Glenorchy Interchange.

"This gives New Norfolk residents a quicker trip home by cutting out current stops at Lutana (Brooker Hwy/Ashbolt Cres), Goodwood (Brooker Hwy/Lampton Ave) and Glenorchy (Elwick Rd/McGough St) and through Claremont along Main Rd."

Click image to enlarge.

The department said this meant there was now an X23 Super Express Service to Granton and New Norfolk in the evening, giving locals a faster trip home, and complementing the X23 into Hobart in the morning.

"If catching both daily X23s, workers and students from New Norfolk and Granton heading to the city and home again will have a more direct trip and save travel time compared to catching a standard X22 express services for each trip.

"Residents needing to get off at other express stops between Hobart and Granton can catch the Metro X20 departing Hobart at 4.57pm, 5.27pm and 5.47pm which stops at Springfield, Glenorchy, Berriedale, Claremont, Austins Ferry and Granton, or the Metro X21 departing Hobart at 5.12pm and 5.42pm which stops at Claremont, Austins Ferry and Granton."

The department said there were also some minor timing adjustments to New Norfolk services so that what’s shown on the timetable better reflects actual travel times. "State Growth has been working hard to get the new services running smoothly to get people to work and school on time and continues to monitor and adjust services as required."

Full details of yesterday's changes can be found at www.transport.tas.gov.au.
Click here to download the new timetable.