13 Sep 2010: SEQ: Call for the Great Circle Bus to do a great weekend!

[ozbob]

Media Release 13 September 2010

SEQ:  Call for the Great Circle Bus to do a great weekend!

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport commuters has called for a new weekend timetable for the route 598/599 Great Circle Bus (1).

"Increasing car congestion at weekends is partly because of poor public transport options for public transport at weekends."

"The Great Circle bus route links up a number of Sunday journey locations such as shopping centres and hospitals. Many people are not able to drive or afford motor vehicles."

"The 598/599 bus doesn't run on Sundays, and has a limited timetable for Saturdays. The frequency on the weekends needs to be one that makes it an attractive option for travel.  No less than an hour should be the minimum, with 30 minute frequency at some of the busier times to coincide with shopping hours."

"Time all transport authorities grasped the moment and started to implement public transport that is functional."

Reference:

1. http://download.translink.com.au/timetables/071001_598,599.pdf

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[ozbob]

???Fully support your recent comments on the Great Circle Line. I recently wanted to visit a sick friend at Prince Charles Hospital, on a Sunday. I walked to the nearby G.C.L. stop and was amazed that no buses ran on Sunday. My alternative was to zig zag around the city taking longer taking much more time and fares. I'm on a pension and can't afford to keep a car so rely on public transport. It really ticked me off.

Thanks for the feedback.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets;

3rd October 2010

Greetings,

We are in a public transport vacuum.  The rail frequency in south-east Queensland is at 'world's worst practice'. Simple initiatives such as running the Great Circle Bus throughout the weekend to meet a real community need are simply dismissed.

Commuters have had enough of the failure to properly support alternatives to the car and the chaos.

We call on the Minister for Transport to direct TransLink to run the Great Circle Bus on Sundays.  This way the elderly, the infirm, the car-less can get out and about.

Typical feedback received on this matter:

Fully support your recent comments on the Great Circle Line. I recently wanted to visit a sick friend at Prince Charles Hospital, on a Sunday. I walked to the nearby G.C.L. stop and was amazed that no buses ran on Sunday. My alternative was to zig zag around the city taking longer taking much more time and fares. I'm on a pension and can't afford to keep a car so rely on public transport. It really ticked me off.

Mediocre mode share targets in the draft Connecting SEQ 2031 do little for public confidence.  Spin and bluster are wearing thin.  It is time for demonstrable actions.

Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

======================


Media Release 13 September 2010 Re-released 3 October 2010

SEQ:  Call for the Great Circle Bus to do a great weekend!

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport commuters has called for a new weekend timetable for the route 598/599 Great Circle Bus (1).

"Increasing car congestion at weekends is partly because of poor public transport options for public transport at weekends."

"The Great Circle bus route links up a number of Sunday journey locations such as shopping centres and hospitals. Many people are not able to drive or afford motor vehicles."

"The 598/599 bus doesn't run on Sundays, and has a limited timetable for Saturdays. The frequency on the weekends needs to be one that makes it an attractive option for travel.  No less than an hour should be the minimum, with 30 minute frequency at some of the busier times to coincide with shopping hours."

"Time all transport authorities grasped the moment and started to implement public transport that is functional."

Reference:

1. http://download.translink.com.au/timetables/071001_598,599.pdf

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[ozbob]

Media Release 13 September 2010 re-released 6 August 2011

SEQ:  Call for the Great Circle Bus to do a great weekend!

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport commuters has called for a new weekend timetable for the route 598/599 Great Circle Bus (1).

"Increasing car congestion at weekends is partly because of poor public transport options for public transport at weekends."

"The Great Circle bus route links up a number of Sunday journey locations such as shopping centres and hospitals. Many people are not able to drive or afford motor vehicles."

"The 598/599 bus doesn't run on Sundays, and has a limited timetable for Saturdays. The frequency on the weekends needs to be one that makes it an attractive option for travel.  No less than an hour should be the minimum, with 30 minute frequency at some of the busier times to coincide with shopping hours."

"Time all transport authorities grasped the moment and started to implement public transport that is functional."

Reference:

1. http://translink.com.au/resources/travel-information/services-and-timetables/timetables/101213_598,599.pdf

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org