A local council in Australia has banned bikini-clad and shirtless passengers from boarding a seaside bus route, sparking fury. The move by Sydney’s Northern Beaches Council comes following complaints of people wearing “inappropriate” swimwear on the small 30-seat bus and also concerns over cleanliness.

The Hop, Skip and Jump is a free, daily shuttle service through the Manly, Fairlight and Balgowlah coastal suburbs. It is regularly used by beachgoers visiting some of the area’s rich coastline. The changes have received a mixed response online, with one person claiming: “Welcome to 1920s Sydney … oops 2020s.”

Another added: “The Council should focus on their core business activities. Try not to be the fashion police.”

Others disagreed, with one person saying: “It has always been a golden rule that you cover swimwear if you walk more than a block across from the beach.”

A second claimed “the complaints started with the proliferation of Brazilian style really brief g strings”.

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The comments, as reported by The Guardian, were in response to a clip shared by Australian breakfast show Sunrise. 

Footage from the programme showed a sign at one of the bus stops that read: “Please dress appropriately. Clothing must be worn over swimwear.”

Deputy Mayor Candy Bingham said some of the community bus service’s mostly elderly passengers found the lack of clothing “confronting”. 

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph in Australia, she acknowledged that while “thong-style” bikinis are now in fashion, it was inappropriate for wear on public transport.

“People are worried about the hygiene aspect when they sit on the seats.

“And the swimmers, wet from the beach and covered in sand, make a mess and leave the seats damp.”

The council said that under legislation, bus drivers can refuse a passenger from boarding if their clothing was “likely to dirty or damage the vehicle, or cause inconvenience or damage to other passengers or the driver”.

A spokesperson said this can include circumstances where “a passenger is wearing wet or sandy clothing that could impact the cleanliness and comfort of the shared transport environment”.

In response to a question over whether dry swimwear was allowed, the spokesperson said drivers “cannot tell” if swimwear is wet.