Northern Beaches Council’s decision to eliminate almost all of the Hop Skip & Jump bus routes has officially come into effect, this is what you need to know about the new update.
If you were one of the 10,000 – 14,000 patrons who used the Balgowlah, Seaforth, Clontarf and Fairy Bower service each year, you’ll unfortunately need to find another way to get around as from now on, as these routes ceased to exist 1 July 2025.
The only service left running is Route 1 in Manly, which begins at Condamine Street, potters past the Andrew Boy Charlton Swim Centre and Little Manly before looping back to where it started for interchange.
From Monday to Friday, the first bus off the rank is at 6.50 am and the last is 6.10 pm with buses every 40 minutes in-between. The same consistency goes for the weekend times with the the difference of an 8.50 am start and a 5.30 pm finish.
The motivations behind the decision to cut-back the services were financial. Over the past seven years patrons of Hop Skip & Jump have dropped significantly with passenger numbers almost halving from 318,037 in 2018/19 to 174,316 in 2023/24 and, since council can’t charge for the service, it was deemed ‘financially unsustainable’ leading to Council axing 80 per cent of the routes behind a closed door meeting.
It’s estimated reducing the key stops would save ratepayers $500,000 annually, not to mention the cost of purchasing new buses for the service.
“This news is so tough. Candy [Councillor Bingham] and I managed to save the primary route that is still well patronised but the use of local routes in our area had dropped a lot,” Councillor Sarah Grattan told Manly Observer last year.
“So a total shocker for the regular uses, but not enough people were donating a gold coin or tapping to pay [voluntarily]. Finally we got to the point that we needed 4-5 new buses at the cost of the service was going to hit $1.8m in 2024/25.”
Both Cr Grattan and Cr Bingham who previously championed Hop Skip & Jump – The service being saved twice between 2022–23 – were among the unanimous group of Councillors who voted for the reduced routes last year, as an act of “compromise”.
Community Of The Bus
The Hop Skip & Jump began as a complimentary service sponsored by Stockland Balgowlah, for customers, particular the elderly, to travel to Stockland Shopping Centre (now Balgowlah Village) with ease. Manly Council took over the service after Stockland Balgowlah bowed out, then it was inherited by Northern Beaches Council following the amalgamation of Manly, Pittwater and Warringah Council’s in 2016.
For almost two decades, the number of passengers who have used the service – from the elderly now unable to drive, to school kids wishing they could – is in the millions, with hundreds of thousands of passengers hitching a ride almost each year.
It’s been a hard change for many regulars. Among them are Leslie and Joe, who told us the reduced services will cost their patronage at Stockland Balgowlah.
“I thought they might limit the services but I didn’t know they would actually cancel it,” said Leslie. I did [consider it] because of all the talk about council and budget. It’s shame because we love it. And I think one of the nice things about it is people get to know each other on the bus, the regulars, and the bus drivers are very good at looking after some of the more frail people.”
“Us old people need it,” chimed in Joe. Both Joe and Leslie said they won’t be coming to Balgowlah Shopping Centre anymore if they no longer have the bus service available. “I reckon Coles should buy the new buses, or at least chip in” Joe added.
Hop Skip & Jump driver Nigel was also disappointed with the decision, calling the service “essential” for some of the older folk.
“I am disappointed and there are people asking why we are cancelling. A lot of old people who sort of cling to their ways and like to go to the post office instead of doing things online… I’d say it is essential, it is.”
Others have taken to Manly Observer’s Community Discussion Facebook page to share their distaste for the cut in services.
“Seems such a shame not to be encouraging Manly Warringah residents, many of whom are ageing, to leave their cars at home and catch the Hop skip and Jump buses… Without these services people will be isolated, stuck at home… So many cities around the world do provide better transport and encourage a cleaner safer environment by getting cars off the roads,” One user commented.
“The only bus route is now serviced by a bus that has a lot of its paint fully scraped off on its side, if I was a tourist I’d assume I’m visiting a poor country. We can’t even maintain the few Hop Skip Jump busses that are still around,” another added.
Alternatives Routes
If you depended on the cut Hope Skip & Jump routes, or know someone who did, here are some alternative public bus routes that are available.
144: Manly – Chatswood
This bus begins at Manly Wharf Stand J and travels to Condamine Street, as well as Woodland St, Balgowlah, just across the road from Stocklands Shopping Centre. This runs all week, every ten minutes.
162: Seaforth – Manly Wharf
This route starts on Sydney Rd, opposite Kempbridge Avenue and runs through Balgowlah and Seaforth backstreets – including past Balgowlah RSL Memorial Club – and finishes at Manly Wharf Stand C. This comes about once an hour.
173X: North Manly to City
This route begins at Warringah Mall, Stand B and runs through Manly Vale and then through Sydney Road, stopping at Manly Road before going driving onto the Spit Bridge. The bus comes approximately once every 15 minutes.
