Enhanced Public Bus Services Announced for Tweed Region Ahead of New Hospital Opening

The NSW Labor Government has unveiled a signifcant expansion of bus services in the Tweed region, designed to meet the anticipated increase in demand coinciding with the opening of the new Tweed Valley Hospital.

Starting Monday, 6 May 2024, several bus route timetables will be revised to improve connectivity within the Tweed Valley region, particularly to the new hospital.

Key enhancements to the bus service include:

• Route 609 from Murwillumbah: This route will see an addition of 10 weekly trips directly serving the new hospital. These trips are scheduled to accommodate the shift patterns of hospital staff, with services in the morning and afternoon.

• Route 600

(Banora Point to Tweed Mall): Previously connecting Banora Point with Tweed Mall via Tweed City and the Tweed Hospital, this route will now extend from Tweed Heads West to Coolangatta from Banora Central, enhancing cross-border accessibility.

• Route 601: This service will be modifed to run from Tweed Mall directly to the new

Tweed Valley Hospital, catering to the needs of staff, patients, and visitors.

• Route 605: Extended to operate between Murwillumbah and Tweed Mall via Powell Street and Keith Compton Drive, this route will allow residents of Murwillumbah to travel directly to Tweed Mall, where they can connect with Queensland Translink services.

• Route 603: It will include stops at the new bus stations on Cudgen Road right outside the hospital entrance.

Ahead of the hospital’s offcial opening on 14 May, existing routes 600 and 601 will continue to serve the current hospital via Powell Street. After the new hospital becomes operational, these services will run via Wharf Street at Tweed Heads and will no longer divert via Powell Street.

Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Jenny Aitchison, emphasized the strategic importance of these upgrades, stating, “The NSW Government understands the critical need for accessible healthcare. These new bus services will ensure that patients, visitors, and staff have reliable and convenient transportation to the Tweed Valley Hospital.”

Janelle Saffn, Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery and Member for Lismore, highlighted the benefts for patients with mobility issues, “Better bus services that run direct to the facility are a signifcant improvement for those visiting the new hospital, particularly for individuals with mobility challenges.”

Emily Suvaal, NSW Duty MLC for Tweed, encouraged local residents to utilize the improved services, “The NSW Labor Government is committed to enhancing public transport in our growing regional communities. These new services will greatly beneft Tweed residents, and I commend Transport for NSW and bus operator Kinetic for their efforts in upgrading our public transport infrastructure.”

For detailed timetable information and to plan your trip, visit Transport NSW. https:// transportnsw.info/trip#/ trip