Residents in Canberra's north-west are set to lose their rapid bus services as part of significant network reductions designed to manage expected traffic chaos from multi-year construction on the Commonwealth Avenue bridge.
Major Timetable Changes for Two-Year Period
The sweeping changes to Canberra's bus network, announced by Transport Minister Chris Steel, will take effect from Monday, February 2, 2026, following the summer holiday timetable period. The revised schedules are expected to remain in place for approximately two years, aligning with the disruptive bridge works being undertaken by the National Capital Authority.
Rapid services to Fraser via Kippax and Spence will be replaced by local buses from February. Meanwhile, the frequency of buses between the city and Tuggeranong will be reduced, with services running every 15 minutes instead of the current schedule. High-capacity articulated and steer-tag buses will operate on the R4 route between Tuggeranong and the City, maintaining this reduced 15-minute frequency daily until 7.30pm.
Government Aims for Reliability Amid Expected Congestion
Minister Steel acknowledged the significant disruption the bridge works will cause but stated the timetable was designed to preserve reliable services. "I acknowledge that it is going to be incredibly disruptive for Canberrans while the federal government's bridge works are underway," Mr Steel said. "We have worked hard to make sure we deliver a reliable bus network during the construction period with capacity to move as many Canberrans as possible."
He committed to revising the timetable once the community has adjusted to the new traffic environment and actual travel time impacts are understood. The government's traffic modelling predicts southbound morning peak travel across Commonwealth Avenue bridge will be hardest hit, with journey times increasing by around 13 minutes. Afternoon peak travel is expected to lengthen by about seven minutes.
Silver Linings: Free Travel and Enhanced Services
In an attempt to mitigate inconvenience and support local businesses, the ACT Government will introduce a period of free travel after 6pm on Fridays and Saturdays, starting December 13 and running until the end of February next year. This follows the conclusion of the year-long fare-free Friday trial.
The Australian Hotels Association ACT welcomed the initiative, with general manager Chris Gatfield calling it an "early Christmas present for city venues" that would help kick-start the night-time economy.
Other changes include:
- All existing school bus services will be retained, though parents and students are encouraged to check new timings when schedules are released in January 2026.
- The R5 and R6 rapid routes will be extended to Belconnen to provide more capacity between the city and that district.
- Eight new transport safety officers will begin patrolling the network in coming weeks as a visible deterrent to anti-social behaviour.
- A dedicated bus and emergency services priority lane will operate for northbound traffic on Commonwealth Avenue during construction.
Greens deputy leader Jo Clay criticised the loss of rapid services in West Belconnen, telling the Legislative Assembly it would be "devastating for residents." The government has assured that following the two-year construction period, Transport Canberra will return to normal frequencies and rapid routes, with further increases promised in line with Labor election commitments.
