Community power on full display at the Transport Assembly in Bidwill

Jesuit Social Services is a part of the Together in 2770 Collective, which includes Bidwill Uniting, the Salvation Army, BaptistCare, Blacktown City Council, Mission Australia, United Ways (The Hive), and the Willmot Community Group.

Earlier this month, more than 150 Western Sydney residents, community leaders and partner organisations packed out Bidwill Uniting Church for the long-awaited Transport Assembly – a moment that marked the culmination of several years of deep listening, relationship-building and collective organising across the 2770 postcode of Mount Druitt.

For all involved, the Assembly was a clear demonstration that Western Sydney communities are determined to have a seat at the decision-making table when it comes to addressing transport disadvantage in the region.

Suburbs in the 2770 postcode are among the most disadvantaged in Australia, with unemployment around four times the national average and median household incomes well below the NSW average. For residents already facing economic and social pressures, unreliable and poorly planned public transport only makes daily life harder.

“The problems we face are very real,” said Delander, Program Coordinator for Western Sydney at Jesuit Social Services, who co-chaired the Assembly. “Bus services are infrequent, and unreliable, making it hard for people to get to access essential services such as work, medical appointments, education, or even just get home to their families. Many children don’t have access to school buses and are forced to take multiple public buses or walk long distances just to get to school. The system as it stands simply isn’t meeting the needs of the community.”

Despite not yet receiving the full commitment residents are calling for on long-term public transport solutions, the 2770 community is making real headway.

Backed by data and countless stories of lived experience, the Assembly secured some of the quickest “yeses” they have ever seen from government – including Dr Marjorie O’Neill, Parliamentary Secretary for Transport NSW.

Residents directly asked Dr O’Neill to establish a Workshop for additional community input, then a Working group with representatives from Sydney Alliance, the Together in 2770 Collective, and Transport for NSW planners, supported by staff from the Transport Minister’s office, to take the next steps in finding solutions. They also requested that she, or the transport minister, attend the next Assembly in 2026 to report to community on the progress made.

After the Assembly concluded, a Listening Workshop was held at the Mount Druitt Hub, bringing together Transport for NSW representatives, the Sydney Alliance, the Together in 2770 Collective and, most importantly, local residents to debrief and explore in greater depth the issues raised at the Assembly.

“It was incredible to see residents, local leaders and partners all speaking with one voice. The messages were clear, the asks were clear, and the responses from government reflected that,” said Delander.

Joe, General Manager – NSW Centre for Just Places, added: “Several years of stories, advocacy and community organising came to life. It’s not the end of the road, but it’s a powerful step forward – the kind of step that shows that the voices of 2770 can no longer go unheard.”

The commitments secured earlier this month are just the start. A collaboratively delivered Mt Druitt transport workshop, a working group to progress solutions, and a follow-up Assembly with government are all on the horizon. What’s clear is that the 2770 community has the organisation, determination, and collective voice to ensure these issues stay on the agenda.

About the Transport Equality 2770 report

This report assesses the quality of public transport services available to residents of Bidwill, Lethbridge Park, Tregear and Willmot. These four suburbs, located in postcode 2770 in the northwest of Greater Sydney, are among the most disadvantaged in the city. The report shows that poor public transport services and infrastructure in these suburbs further compounds existing disadvantage. Residents without access to a car struggle to access essential opportunities and services such as jobs, healthcare, and education. They are also prevented from easily accessing recreational activities within their communities or in Greater Sydney.

Effective public transport has the potential to mitigate some of the disadvantages experienced by 2770 communities, by ensuring that people can access services and opportunities regardless of their access to a private car. Transport equity requires immediate investment to ensure a fair distribution of transport services and infrastructure, recognition of the specific needs of 2770 communities, and genuine participation of the community in transport planning to meet these needs.

Acknowledgements

This report is the result of a collective effort between the Together in 2770 Collective (the Collective), Sydney Alliance, and urban geography students and staff at the University of Sydney.

The Collective is a group of organisations taking a place-based approach to working together across Mt Druitt to respond to the inequity experienced in the 2770 postcode, in partnership with community. We acknowledge the collaborative work, dedication and leadership of the organisations on the Collective’s Governance Group, including: BaptistCare HopeStreet, Bidwill Uniting, Blacktown City Council, Jesuit Social Services, Mission Australia, The Hive, United Way Australia, and The Salvation Army.

The Together in 2770 Collective acknowledges the support of the Paul Ramsay Foundation. We also thank Sweltering Cities for providing data on bus stop infrastructure.

Authors

This report was authored by: Joshua Clay; Ariana D’Alessio; Finn Dolan; Finley Hook; Tully Horneman; Enya Hua; Chantelle Posa; Faith Roche; Isabelle Rose (Students, School of Geosciences, University of Sydney); Brigid Burke (The Hive, Mt Druitt); Kurt Iveson (Professor of Urban Geography, School of Geosciences, University of Sydney); and Tingsen Xian (Faculty of Engineering, University of Sydney).

We also acknowledge the contributions of Sydney Alliance and the University of Sydney, particularly Professor Kurt Iveson and his students.