25 July 2019

Fyshwick's bus graveyard final stop for fleet relics

| Ian Bushnell
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End of the line: buses awaiting disposal at Fyshwick. Photos: George Tsotsos.

This is where Transport Canberra’s old orange buses go to die, before being disposed of.

The ‘departure lounge’ in Fyshwick is home to about 30 buses aged between 20 and 28 years old that have seen better days.

The buses have attracted the attention of passers-by who have been wondering why they are there.

Transport Canberra said the Government-owned site on the corner of Canberra Avenue and Lithgow street where they are stabled was previously vacant land.

The buses, which also do not comply with disability requirements, had reached the end of their serviceable life and been replaced by the modern fleet of Euro VI diesel buses, it said.

The ‘departure lounge’ in Fyshwick.

A spokesperson said the buses were kept there so they did not crowd operational depots already under pressure.

“The fleet has been increased recently to provide additional services in the new network. A new depot facility is currently being scoped for Woden,” the spokesperson said.

But until the Woden depot is built, buses are being parked in layovers near the former Woden police station.

Transport Canberra did not say how long the buses would be at the Fyshwick site, saying it will continue to be used to ‘transition vehicles from in-service to disposal’.

“The buses are moved through the area as they are decommissioned from service,” the spokesperson said.

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russianafroman4:25 pm 28 Jul 19

Mobile homeless shelters must be one of the dumbest ideas I’ve heard in a while. I guess people don’t these buses are being parted out for a reason, this reason being that they don’t work anymore, they’d be constantly breaking down because they’re decades old. Is it really that hard just to build homes for homeless people? Better yet, build an extra wing within the AMC for people drug and mental health issues until they become functioning members of society. These old buses are far too small to house anyone decently and with privacy. They have terrible weather protection, it’s either freezing cold or a 1000 degree hot box with no air-conditioning. Despite this, some individuals think cramming people with mental illness and drug problems into old, smelly, horrible claustrophobic conditions like this would be a great idea.

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