Reducing Passenger Travel Time for Bus Services on the Liverpool to Parramatta Transitway

The Liverpool to Parramatta Transitway (LPT) is an approximate 30km corridor that links the two CBDs, providing much needed public transport services to and improve mobility for both people and local communities. SCATS, as part of Transport for NSW (TfNSW) developed a software called Priority. Priority interfaces with the existing Public Transport Information and Priority System to significantly reduce transit time and provides a seamless approach to granting vehicle priority.

TfNSW and Transit Systems experienced cost savings. TfNSW negated the cost of maintaining hardware as they no longer need to replace bus transponders or require civil works to repair road loop detectors. Transit Systems are saving on fuel costs with more efficient bus trips and with their bus drivers experiencing smoother trips and time savings. Data from 7 to 9 February 2023 shows that travel time was reduced between 9 to 15 percent in both directions. With around 6,510 passenger trips daily on the LPT, this is a significant time saving for commuters and decrease of congestion on the roads which equates to emission reductions and safer journeys.

Having successfully trialled Priority in Wollongong and critical junctions on Sydney roads, LPT was the perfect use case and opportunity for SCATS to deploy the software to help provide vital public transport services. This served as a critical test case both across a lengthy transitway but also with multiple vehicles types. Priority has been installed in other states, New Zealand, and Qatar where it was deployed for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, hosting 1.4 million people. SCATS Priority processed 11,395 requests for 327 buses across 150 intersections. This resulted in faster travel times to the stadiums and an easing of city’s traffic flow. As such, there is potential to adapt Priority for the 200+ SCATS cities around the world.

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