Building a core Frequent network

[#Metro]

Guys, just on the 111+333 thing - the advice I have been given is that 14.5m buses and artics can't use the Northern Busway.  Not sure how correct that is, but if true it means:

I need official proof of this please. Arctics routinely squeeze through QSBS snake so this is hard to believe.

[somebody]

Guys, just on the 111+333 thing - the advice I have been given is that 14.5m buses and artics can't use the Northern Busway.  Not sure how correct that is, but if true it means:

(a) Colonel Clusterf#ck has been hard at work in Qld again; and

(b) The 2 segments will basically be incompatible.

Well clearly they can as far as RB&WH.  I wonder where there might be a problem north of there?  Chermside interchange is one clear trouble area.

125 - A valid idea.  I assume the 124 is to remain.  Not sure why this is via Kessels Rd and the 592 is via Musgrave though

The 124 goes to Sunnybank, so that would be replaced with the Springwood and Sunnybank bus service via Ipswich Road. So, no more 124 was my thoughts. There was a dilemma with the Musgrave Road/Kessels Road - something needs to serve the suburb because Kessels Road is another one of those roads where the subdivision is separated from the main road by high fencing and is generally pedestrian impermeable. Not much use having CFN service that no-one can walk to! So I sent one CFN line down Musgrave, the others do other things so they can speed through. Happy to hear thoughts on that though.

125/592 I'd definitely reverse these.

Sunnybank Plaza is no longer served directly?  Ouch.

Don't get me wrong the current 330 deserves to be a buz route. But it shouldn't be one that goes all the way to the city

That comment right there marks you as an ideologue, with no interest in practicalities.  Pre-MBRL, what are these people going to transfer onto?  I imagine the already sometimes bursting 333.  Wake me up when you are supportive of increased frequency on the Caboolture line.

Personally in my view it was all smoke and mirrors to get busway numbers up

And that is different to other things done in this town how?

[Mr X]

I don't see any need to change the routing of the 130. it just confuses people for no benefit whatsoever.
Split the 150 into two routes and cut away some of the peak hour only expresses.

130/140/150 should go via CCB, provided a bus lane is added. Pax for South Bank can change to a beefed up 111 at Griffith.

[somebody]

I don't see any need to change the routing of the 130. it just confuses people for no benefit whatsoever.

There is benefit - serving currently underserved areas.  But I can accept that it isn't happening due to the fatal history of the level crossing.

[#Metro]

Sunnybank Plaza is no longer served directly?  Ouch.

Draw your own, post and we can discuss. Sunnybank Plaza is on the CFN, people can change to it. So it is still there.

[#Metro]

130/140/150 should go via CCB, provided a bus lane is added. Pax for South Bank can change to a beefed up 111 at Griffith.

^^^ We need to get some consensus or close to going with this idea. Captain Cook Bridge full time or Cultural Centre full time.

There is benefit - serving currently underserved areas.  But I can accept that it isn't happening due to the fatal history of the level crossing.

Which crossing?

[somebody]

Stones Rd.

[SurfRail]

^ It would be better to consolidate the interchange point at Altandi anyway. Just run your west-of-Mains-Rd service down Beenleigh Rd and hook back onto Mains Rd.

[#Metro]

http://images.brisbanetimes.com.au/2011/03/24/2250562/Campbell_Newman_729-420x0.jpg

Can Do

[#Metro]

A common theme has been a lot of grumblings about whether to use the Captain Cook Bridge or Victoria bridge for services originating in the Sunnybank and Browns Plains area.

There is now a thread to debate this one out. Votes visible after voting. Open for 5 days.

http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=8962.0

[somebody]

^ It would be better to consolidate the interchange point at Altandi anyway. Just run your west-of-Mains-Rd service down Beenleigh Rd and hook back onto Mains Rd.

I don't follow why.  Seems there is a clear reason to feed Sunnybank rail here rather than have services doubling back on themselves.

[#Metro]

I don't follow why.  Seems there is a clear reason to feed Sunnybank rail here rather than have services doubling back on themselves.

I think it was for safety? Didn't a bus cross a crossing somewhere, the disabled ramp got stuck on a rail, disabling the bus on a crossing, the bus was hit by a train, and the driver did not survive? Is that this crossing?

[somebody]

I don't follow why.  Seems there is a clear reason to feed Sunnybank rail here rather than have services doubling back on themselves.

I think it was for safety? Didn't a bus cross a crossing somewhere, the disabled ramp got stuck on a rail, disabling the bus on a crossing, the bus was hit by a train, and the driver did not survive? Is that this crossing?

Yes, but that has nothing to do with the suggestion of feeding Sunnybank for the pocket around Stones Rd, which can be done without crossing the railway line.  Not 100% sure that there is a reasonable arrangement for a bus stop at Sunnbank rail though.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Guuuuuh. Have you actually used the 330 during peak hour, off peak, during the weekend, tried getting between/around the Bracken Ridge/Sandgate/Strathpine/Taigum/Chermside area before rather than just assuming that its not a good idea that I keep on banging on about? And why do you assume that eveyone will still transfer at Chermside to get onto a 333 to the city. If that's still an issue reintroduce the 333 peak hour frequency or extend the 111's to Aspley to take up additional slack. Peak hour and overcrowding Chermside-City-Chermside are the main issues with the 330 and that is all because of how PT is run. The 330 is the only usable PT connection out of Bracken Ridge. Peak hour inbound the buses are full before they get to Chermside after the tour of Bracken Ridge. Outbound off peak it can start to build up some decent loadings but most of them are people doubling up on using it as an express to Chermside bus as it leaves the Culture Centre a few minutes after the 333 buz and arrives at Chermside at the same time/before or they are getting on at Chermside to Bracken Ridge. People will transfer to the train. The route has to be reworked for that. And who is to say that with the additional loadings from people in Bracken Ridge now feeding into the Caboolture line doesn't warrant upgrades to train services/network. More patronage the more need for upgrades or fast tracking projects. The whole Caboolture line has sweet FA when it comes to feeder buses. It still relies on walk up patronage and park and rides. Its 2012 and Strathpine-Lawnton still only have hourly buses services during peak hour (even Nambour has a better frequency) so not many people use them. Pre MBRL they would obviously transfer to the Caboolture train. It's not 15 minutes but considering some loadings the 330 can get Chermside-Bracken Ridge its more than acceptable until MBRL. During peak hour a train rolls past every 7 minutes still with capacity to spare. No issue with lack of services there.

The 330 had been half hourly for ages and yet they couldn't fast track one public road to help deliver a better service package to Bracken Ridge. The only reason the 330 was buzed was because of the busway. Patronage had always been in demand during peak hour but that was because as i outlined above and in previous comments/threads.

[SurfRail]

^ It would be better to consolidate the interchange point at Altandi anyway. Just run your west-of-Mains-Rd service down Beenleigh Rd and hook back onto Mains Rd.

I don't follow why.  Seems there is a clear reason to feed Sunnybank rail here rather than have services doubling back on themselves.

Sunnybank station is in the middle of nowhere and involves a serious deviation off the highways and byways in itself.  I just don't see any particular advantage.  Less to remember if people know "all the Sunnybank area buses pass Altandi". 

[somebody]

Sunnybank station is in the middle of nowhere and involves a serious deviation off the highways and byways in itself.  I just don't see any particular advantage.  Less to remember if people know "all the Sunnybank area buses pass Altandi".

There aren't too many other ways of serving the part between Kingman St and Jackson Rd that I can see.  You could run the 135 along Chilton St instead, I guess.

Guuuuuh. Have you actually used the 330 during peak hour, off peak, during the weekend,

Not during peak hour.  Seems to be a number of people using it, even before it was a BUZ.  Something you can't say for the PM peak 331.

And why do you assume that eveyone will still transfer at Chermside to get onto a 333 to the city.

I for one would not transfer at Zillmere onto a half hourly train.  And the Zillmere factor to boot.

It's what actually happens - people generally ignore the 330 and 340 heading inbound because they don't come in to the interchange.

And who is to say that with the additional loadings from people in Bracken Ridge now feeding into the Caboolture line doesn't warrant upgrades to train services/network. More patronage the more need for upgrades or fast tracking projects.

ROTFL!  The existing patronage justifies more services.  Just not acted on.

Pre MBRL they would obviously transfer to the Caboolture train. It's not 15 minutes but considering some loadings the 330 can get Chermside-Bracken Ridge its more than acceptable until MBRL.

Umm, did you really just say that out loud?  A 15 minute frequency bus feeding into a 30 minute frequency train is more than acceptable.    Right....

During peak hour a train rolls past every 7 minutes still with capacity to spare. No issue with lack of services there.

Concur with that one, but only in the peak direction.

[#Metro]

Hello, this is the plan:

1. Download Google Earth and the CFN file
2. Make all the changes you want to the RED lines
3. We will have a debate on the forum about what should go where etc. You can use screenshots to demonstrate and explain what changes you want. Some changes might need polls (captain cook bridge vs cultural centre is one of these).

** Please remember that the CFN is the CORE, so ANYTHING that is non-core will NOT be shown **

4. Once we have the CFN down pat, we will start drawing blue lines (the (non-core) frequent network) and bog standard bus routes.

Try to keep the discussion on topic about routings and the models. Thanks.

[HappyTrainGuy]

And why do you assume that eveyone will still transfer at Chermside to get onto a 333 to the city.

I for one would not transfer at Zillmere onto a half hourly train.  And the Zillmere factor to boot.

ARGHHHH! STAY AWAY FROM CHERMSIDE AND ZILLMERE! INTERCHANGE AT CARSELDINE STATION WHERE THE OUTBOUND 330 WOULD TERMINATE!!!! I can't keep making that the point enough each time I bring up cutting and rerouting the 330 through Bracken Ridge. It's why I keep flogging the Norris Road/Fitzgibbon extension. Flood the area with a good frequency to get people to the station to interchange and not to Chermside to interchange. They could even form the new 329/330/340 services. As it is now people on the East side of Bracken Ridge take a tour through bracken ridge before making a b line straight to chermside when they could easily feed straight to the train station or they could go to Chermside which would be longer than interchanging to the train (currently 1hr-1hr15min to do Bracken Ridge-City by the 330) vs the 35-40 mins by train from Carseldine/Bald Hills. Get the subs to take some slack and make the Caboolture/Kippa Ring trains exp Northgate-City and that would be a bigger draw card.

cut the 330 at Chermside (nothing says that buz routes must go to the city), introduce a new buz route between Strathpine-Sandgate, reroute the 330 in conjuction with the new Strathpine-Sandgate route to better service Bracken Ridge terminating maybe at Carseldine Station once the Norris Road extension goes through (there can be many variations but this part for the 330 should be retained with proper bus stops to allow a quick and simple interchange between the two buz services http://goo.gl/maps/yCJem )

At Carseldine station prior to the 340 going to buz people used outbound train+inbound 340 combo to get home/do some shopping before getting another inbound 340 home in the afternoons. Outbound 340+inbound train wasn't popular/used at all in the mornings as the first outbound bus arrived at Carseldine station after 8-8.30am IIRC. I don't know if its changed much for the 335 since the 339 was cut but people used to catch the inbound 335/339 and transfer to the inbound train service. The outbound 335 passed the station after 9am which didn't make it great for a feeder service. Afternoon services weren't as popular for some reason (I assume it was because the outbound traffic was worse + poor frequency in the other direction). The same applies for the 338 to Strathpine. Plenty of buses heading inbound to Chermside/Albany Creek/City (357/359) but still bugger all to the major business/industrial area just down the road/Strathpine.

And who is to say that with the additional loadings from people in Bracken Ridge now feeding into the Caboolture line doesn't warrant upgrades to train services/network. More patronage the more need for upgrades or fast tracking projects.

ROTFL!  The existing patronage justifies more services.  Just not acted on.

There's still plenty of room left on the morning inbound Caboolture trains before they get overcrowded (helped out due to the Caboolture/Nambour trains taking up slack Northgate-City). Outbound gets crowded but after Northgate the train empties very very quickly. After 6.30-7pm the numbers really drop off and maintain till around 10pm. Offpeak is borderline patronage wise. Strathpine is when the numbers really start to pick up. Fare increases have played a part in it.

[somebody]

There is a need to deal with the road network as it is.

[Gazza]

Would everyone agree that...

-330 is fine as it is for the time being. I wouldn't agree with a 15 min bus into a 30 min train, because it would require reading a timetable wether to stay on, or change.

-When Caboolture/Kippa Ring gets high frequency, as well as road network changes, that would be a trigger to completely redraw routes.

As it is it does a bit of a crap loop around the suburb, which is a compromise.

At least in the future you might  do a Bald Hills to Sandgate route, and then a Via Carseldine station route.

[#Metro]

Can someone take the file and propose a feeder network?

[somebody]

Offpeak is borderline patronage wise.

How do you figure this?  Going by 2010 station entries, 5:30am-20:30, I get:

Caboolture: 2900 (1270)
Morayfield: 1400 (620)
Burpengary: 1600 (788)
Narangba: 1400 (659)
Dakabin: 600 (296)
Petrie: 2500 (1945)
Lawnton: 1200 (682)
Bray Park: 1800 (880)
Strathpine: 1700 (793)
Bald Hills: 1500 (923)
Carseldine: 1200 (700)
Zillmere: 1300 (760)
Geebung: 800 (330)
Sunshine: 400 (160)
Virginia: 300 (168)

Northgate: 2300 (1353)
Nundah: 1900 (779)
Toombul: 2200 (612)
Eagle Junction: 2000 (1229)
Wooloowin: 1700 (703)
Albion: 1900 (911)

Numbers in parenthesis are peak, peak direction boardings.

9626 off peak station entries Virginia to Caboolture.  Seems like a pretty well used service to me!

[Mr X]

How about this as a solution to the fairfield problem?
Inbound, buses turn right from Fairfield Rd into Brougham St, stop at a new stop next to the park , turn right into Meams St, left into Victoria St, then right into Fairfield Rd.

It's a bit of a dog leg and I'm not sure if either street is wide enough for BUZ frequency buses. If the centre carpark can cope with a bus every 15mins, then I am sure the surrounding streets can too.

Going outbound, they can just stop at the existing stop on Fairfield Rd outside the shops, don't even need to enter the centre!


Alternatively, we can fix the actual problem by introducing some proper pedestrian connectivity between Fairfield Gardens and inbound Fairfield Rd so people with trolleys can comfortably get across.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Personally I'd like to see Petrie-Northgate at 4tph along with more bus services and extended bus running hours feeding into the stations along with improved street lighting surrounding the streets and areas outside the station grounds to boot (the stations are safe, there would be 4tph but the areas/streets outside the station are a big deturrent for traveling alonge at night). But that's not going to happen anytime soon, the current network constraints and the lack of $$$ along with its current patronage (could be alot better). On the Caboolture line from the terminus inbound services start at 3.50am/city outbound at 4.30am with the last service citybound at 11.20pm and Caboolture bound at 11.30pm.

TBH those stats about the line doesn't give a full representation about the line off peak patronage. Its all clumped around certain times depending on the direction. Between 3am-4.30am the inbound trains have way more passengers than one that's heading inbound at 12-1pm. Morning peak hour is well utilised by people going to the city, school students travelling between stations at Morayfield, Narangba, Dakabin, Petrie, Lawnton, Bray Park, Bald Hills and Zillmere. Geebung and Virginia has some primary school students but not alot compared to the others mentioned as the others mostly cater for High School students or the primary school is right next to the station eg Bald Hills. Alot of shift workers also bail at Strathpine, Geebung and Sunshine. Between 9am-11am its a steady slow decline getting topped up once it hits Northgate still with a good amount of passengers travelling but after 11-11.30am it starts to drop off (enough for weekend services to have better patronage) and still declines till about 2.30pm. Short patronage boost for school students going a couple stations and workers at Virginia/Sunshine/Geebung knocking off (most tend to get on the outbound services) between 3pm-3.30pm. 4-5.30pm are pretty much the worst times for patronage between Caboolture-Northgate with Northgate-City picking up the slack. 5.30-6.30 has a little boost with school kids going to footy/sports training (Zillmere and Strathpine) but quickly drops off. 7-midnight has so so loading. Depending whats on loads can vary.

Outbound is a totally different story with alot of the offpeak numbers occuring here. First service-8am are generally well used by shift workers, school students and workers at Geebung. 8-11 is quiet to so so before building to okay loadings. 11-12 it starts to pick up even more. 1-1.30 it starts getting busier (especially with patronage from the city) with some standing the trip (people don't like sitting next to strangers. 1.30-3.30 has got very good constant loading from the city with standees and few/very little available seats with a very slight transition into peak hour. 6pm-7pm from the city there are very noticable difference in loadings but still good mostly between City-Northgate. Northgate-northbound it starts to fizzle out around 6.30-7.30 with not many people getting on at each station heavily relying on the patronage coming from the city. Its also when alot of the loonies start to make apearences lurking around the station limits. The line starts to quiet down around 9 with a quick boost in patronage on the last/second last service. Fridays are the same but patronage is maintained from the city well into the night/close to midnight before quieting down with a little spike on the final service.

If anything the peak running hours need to be extended moreso.

A few photos I've taken this year of how empty trains can be after Northgate. Not the best photos given the time but you can see the difference between a train at 7pm and 10pm and how the patronage declines.

Sunshine outbound 9.50pm weekday.


Zillmere inbound 10pm weekday.


Carseldine outbound 7.45pm weekday.


Bray Park inbound 5.15am Saturday


Bald Hills inbound 7pm weekday

[somebody]

Does the worst performing service need 500 people using it before it's appropriate to upgrade?  Some of the interpeak services would indeed reach that mark.

I'd have to point out that the first services are not included in the all days statistics, because they start at 5:30am

The only really disappointing photo in that is the one Sunshine outbound at 9:50pm.  Inbound at 10pm carries few people?  You don't say!

[HappyTrainGuy]

Does the worst performing service need 500 people using it before it's appropriate to upgrade?  Some of the interpeak services would indeed reach that mark.

No, but adding a few services after morning peak and prior to arvo peak where there is still patronage (depending on rollingstock positioning/staff rosters etc) on the Caboolture line would somewhat help until MBRL is built with the additional patronage/frequency and with the current infrastructure constraints. 

Inbound at 10pm carries few people?  You don't say!

Maybe. But there's not much of a difference compared to 4pm on a weekday (Photo from late last year. Waiting at Geebung).

[newbris]

Just had a look at the Core Frequent Network map. Seems like a great idea to all collaborate.

One question.

The backbone of the current high frequency buses that run through Ashgrove Village and along Musgrave Rd originate from The Gap/Ashgrove West at the moment. ie. 14 buses per hour come through from The Gap/Ashgrove West in am peak (3 x P384 and 11 x 379/380/381). This is despite the existence of the high frequency 385 etc from The Gap going down Coopers Camp and Latrobe Tce as well. Who knew there were so many people in The Gap/Ashgrove West

The 350 from Aspley currently only contributes 4 more services per hour through Ashgrove Village to make 18 buses per hour.

This means approx there is currently 1 CBD bound bus every 4 minutes passing through Ashgrove West, along Waterworks through Ashgrove Village, and onwards down Musgrave Rd. I'm guessing no-one uses a timetable

The CFN map seems to suggest this will be severely downgraded as there is no CFN red line along Waterworks Rd through Ashgrove West to Ashgrove Village? Seems to suggest the only high frequency service passing through Ashgrove Village CBD bound might be the once every 15 min CFN bus from Aspley? The people between Ashgrove West and Ashgrove Village will go from a bus every 4 minutes to no high frequency service at all?

Forgive my self interest, but rather than edit the map I wanted to check with you guys whether this was a simple oversight or whether I have my figures/understanding all wrong as I am new at this?

Edit: For those who don't know the area Ashgrove Village is the main shops where Ashgrove Avenue/Stewart Rd intersect with Waterworks Rd and Ashgrove West is where Coopers Camp Rd intersects with Waterworks Rd.

[#Metro]

Hello. Thanks for your interest. Please provide an image, we can't see what you're discussing otherwise.
The model is just that - a discussion model to play with. There may be oversights or places where further input is required (for instance, Sunnybank services are drawn stopping at the busway as we need more info as to whether they need to travel via CC or Capt. Cook Bridge).

Remember CFN is all about the bare minimum lines - the skeleton network which everything else is built upon. Drawing all 220 lines would have taken eternity for me

[somebody]

Maybe. But there's not much of a difference compared to 4pm on a weekday (Photo from late last year. Waiting at Geebung).

I can't see your photo here.

[newbris]

Hello. Thanks for your interest. Please provide an image, we can't see what you're discussing otherwise.
The model is just that - a discussion model to play with. There may be oversights or places where further input is required (for instance, Sunnybank services are drawn stopping at the busway as we need more info as to whether they need to travel via CC or Capt. Cook Bridge).

Remember CFN is all about the bare minimum lines - the skeleton network which everything else is built upon. Drawing all 220 lines would have taken eternity for me

Thanks...I do understand the caveats, it's just a draft, collaborative, core frequent network first, feeders next etc but still not sure whether the existing high frequency service along waterworks rd should qualify the whole of Waterworks/Musgrave as a founding CFN corridor. I would have thought so given the buses currently arrive every 4 mins but I may have stuffed something up.

Frankly I amazed any of you know enough about PT in all the different areas of Brisbane to draw as much as you already have

Here's a map of the missing section I am talking about. Probably needs to be viewed in conjunction with the explanation in my last post.

[#Metro]

Fantastic! ^^ This is what I like to see

Yes, there is a missing link along that section - this does NOT imply no service, it just means in the model there isn't a CFN service that goes through that section (there may be other non-CFN services from The Gap that combine along there though).

Ashgrove is very interesting because a surprise conclusion from the drawings was that Ashgrove, along with places like Garden City, Carindale, Toombul etc, is actually an ideal place for a major interchange - you can travel in all directions of the compass at Ashgrove and it is an intersection point for multiple

So what should happen here??

[newbris]

Fantastic! ^^ This is what I like to see

Yes, there is a missing link along that section - this does NOT imply no service, it just means in the model there isn't a CFN service that goes through that section (there may be other non-CFN services from The Gap that combine along there though).

Ashgrove is very interesting because a surprise conclusion from the drawings was that Ashgrove, along with places like Garden City, Carindale, Toombul etc, is actually an ideal place for a major interchange - you can travel in all directions of the compass at Ashgrove and it is an intersection point for multiple

So what should happen here??

Should there not be a CFN service right along Waterworks though? If currently the route supports a bus every 4 minutes does this not indicate it should be a CFN corridor or is that not how it works? I thought CFN just meant a bus at least every 10-15 mins or so?

[Golliwog]

I'm with newbris on this one. While currently theres no one route, 380 and 381 are both 2 buses an hour in the off peak from two different parts of The Gap, and 379 is also 2 buses an hour. I'd argue with some changes to routes in The Gap (more than likely including the 385) you could amalgamate these into 2 BUZ/CFN standard routes.

That said I haven't actulaly got around to getting Google Maps and actually looking at the plans much yet myself.

[techblitz]

hi newbris

good to see a member from this area.

i know where you are coming from with ashgrove west as the stops at stop 24 ashgrove west village (shopping village,jetts gym etc)
They get used quite well,even during off peak.They could definitely use a few more buses through there.
Ive also done the walk from ashgrove west shopping district to where the 385 passes by on coopers camp and it is a fair hike to get to those 385 CFN buz stops.

Also what are your thoughts on the current peak hour 385 situation? Do you feel this bus route has overcrowding problems at peak and if so what would your suggestions be?

[#Metro]

Should there not be a CFN service right along Waterworks though? If currently the route supports a bus every 4 minutes does this not indicate it should be a CFN corridor or is that not how it works? I thought CFN just meant a bus at least every 10-15 mins or so?

I don't know - you need to make a case for this yourself, as long as you can explain/justify why.
If you want one there, then draw it in, post a picture or description and others will debate it / make suggestions.

Hopefully this way we can step-by-step refine the model.

I'd argue with some changes to routes in The Gap (more than likely including the 385) you could amalgamate these into 2 BUZ/CFN standard routes.

Sounds like an interesting idea.




Thick red (10) - CFN lines (every 15 minutes or better, 6 am - 11.30 pm, 7 days)
Medium blue (5) - supporting feeders - generally 15 minutes 7 am - 7 pm
Medium orange (5) - general bus routes - generally 30 minutes during the day
Medium black (5) - hourly or worse routes (coverage runs).
Green - special, please specify.

[ozbob]

Media release 19 August 2012

SEQ: Instructions for designing your own Brisbane Bus Network!



RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers has released a Google Earth model for the general public to design their own bus services in Brisbane! The file can be downloaded here ---> http://backontrack.org/docs/tt/BrisbaneCoreFrequentNetwork.kml

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"RAIL Back On Track has long argued that the fastest, cheapest way to boost public transport is to introduce frequent and rapid services along main arterial roads, and increase rail and ferry services in existing corridors. This would require little or no new infrastructure, be rapid and quick to implement. And most of all, inexpensive when compared to larger 'big ticket' infrastructure items such as new busways or railway lines."

"Already many of our members and the public have downloaded the file and are having a go at experimenting with the model to serve their areas better. We think it is a great public educational tool also."

The instructions to use the model are simple. Simply download the file, and Google Earth to view. The red lines show the bus and ferry network backbone and people can alter this as they wish or add or delete services. If you have a Google Mail account (Gmail) you can also open it in Google Maps using the 'My Places' button and make alterations in there also.

"RAIL Back On Track looks forward to the Brisbane Bus Network Review!"

Some helpful websites to get interested folks started:

Instructions:

http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=8959.msg107458#msg107458

Line colours and their meanings:

Thick red (10) - CFN* lines (every 15 minutes or better, 6 am - 11.30 pm, 7 days)
Medium blue (5) - supporting feeders - generally 15 minutes 7 am - 7 pm
Medium orange (5) - general bus routes - generally 30 minutes during the day
Medium black (5) - hourly or worse routes (coverage runs).
Green - special, please specify.

*CFN=Core Frequent Network

Google Maps

http://maps.google.com.au/

http://buzzer.translink.ca/index.php/2012/07/guiding-themes-for-planning-a-transit-network/

http://www.humantransit.org/2010/05/basics-should-we-redesign-our-bus-network-and-how.html

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

[#Metro]

Should there not be a CFN service right along Waterworks though? If currently the route supports a bus every 4 minutes does this not indicate it should be a CFN corridor or is that not how it works? I thought CFN just meant a bus at least every 10-15 mins or so?

Newbris, what are your thoughts on a Ashgrove to RBWH service (might be CFN or just a 20 minutes or half-hourly service)?

The current 380 and 381 services do cover this area (correct if I am wrong) and while they would not be CFN, there would be two overlapping blue lines, each at 30 minute frequency to The Gap, which would give 4 buses per hour. http://translink.com.au/resources/travel-information/network-information/timetables/090803_379,380,381.pdf

I would say that the 379 could probably go - what do people think? The funds freed up from that could be re-used to boost something else in that area...

[#Metro]

Newbris, I have drawn in the blue 380 and 381 routes, what do you think? If they were co-ordinated, they would be
4 buses per hour all day through that area?

Should these services stop at Ashgrove and feed into the CFN or should they continue through to the CBD?
Should Ennogera Tce be used or just stick to Musgrave Road?
Or go via Bardon?
Should services deviate to serve the St Johns wood pocket?
Or should they both just go up to RBWH?

[Mr X]

TT what do you think of my idea for accommodating CFN buses thru Fairfield? (scroll up)

[#Metro]

TT what do you think of my idea for accommodating CFN buses thru Fairfield? (scroll up)

While I don't like deviations, it does do the job. There is another option - send the buses up Ashby Street, stop outside Fairfield train station and then as per your victoria Street proposal. There is a tight corner at Ashby/Mildmay street however, if a stop sign was put up or that section widened a little, then that could work also.

Which is better?

The Mildmay street option ---> http://goo.gl/maps/Rz6lv