You may have noticed bus shelters disappearing across our community. They're being replaced as part of a multi-decade contract between Ryde Council and advertising giant ‘oOh!media.’
The Result?
Out with the old…
Our simple community bus shelters. They were built and designed to keep us sheltered. They offer superior protection from the sun and rain with high capacity seating. These are small, functional community spaces we already own and pay for.
But they are now under attack.
BEFORE
…In with the new
Our community shelters are being replaced by small glass boxes designed to support private advertising operations. The new shelters are cheaper to build and maintain, but offer no real protection from the sun, rain, or wind.
This is the illusion of public service.
AFTER
These new shelters are built under the guise of “accessibility compliance.”
Disability access is an excuse, not a priority.
The situation at Trim Place & Victoria Road, Gladesville (pictured right), exposes the failures of Ryde Council’s private contract. Here, a shelter was installed directly on the footpath, forcing pedestrians to straddle Victoria Road, creating safety and accessibility hazards, all while a perfectly functional and accessible shelter sits just metres away.
Community Reactions
A Simple Solution
"Our current bus stop has 3 benches... Couldn’t they just remove one bench for wheelchair access instead of replacing the whole thing?"
Hostile Architecture
"Besides the advertising revenue, the design appears aimed at 'homeless-proofing' the shelter with an armrest to prevent sleeping, which is a misguided solution."
Playing Favourites
"Why aren't shop owners allowed to place small signs outside their businesses, while an advertising company can block the entire footpath with a bus shelter?"
The Civics Department is currently investigating this matter and preparing a report on behalf of the community and ratepayers.
Recommendation
The District Association strongly recommends one simple, actionable, and practical measure:
That Ryde Council immediately amends its planning regulations to ensure public infrastructure cannot be destroyed nor replaced without community consultation.