In sweltering temperatures, and in the pouring rain, thousands of commuters across Sydney are left waiting at bus stops without adequate shade, shelter, or seating. 

We have mapped over 3000 bus stops across the city and found that in our hottest suburbs in Western Sydney, like Blacktown, Fairfield, and Penrith, around 70% of bus stops do not have shade, shelter, or seating. Waiting at an unshaded bus stop during a heatwave can be highly dangerous, especially for people who rely on the bus. This includes people who don’t drive, older adults, people with disabilities, and school students.

In comparison to cooler, eastern parts of the city, Western Sydney already experiences up to three times as many heat-related deaths during heatwaves. Waiting at a bus stop on a hot day should not be a health risk. 

While local councils are responsible for constructing and maintaining bus shelters, we know that they don’t have the funds to fix Sydney’s busted bus stops at the scale needed to protect our communities.

This is why we are calling on the NSW Transport Minister, John Graham, to help fund bus shelters across our hottest suburbs. Will you add your signature to the powerful community voice calling for safer and more equitable bus stop infrastructure?