TransLink Tracker Q2 2010-11

[ozbob]

Click here!

[ozbob]

Even with the generous time limits for bus on-time-performance the reported figure does not even resemble actuality.  Makes one question the worth of the whole publication IMHO.

[#Metro]

On time is to do with the difference between the scheduled time and the actual time not exceeding some value X.
Coronation Drive buses are delayed weekly, consistently, by 15 minutes to one hour.

So a bus that travels at 50 km/hour and takes 20 minutes versus a bus that travels 5km/hour and takes.... I don't know 1.5 hours over exactly the same distance could both be 'on time'.

The on time statistic will be insensitive to congestion if that is timetabled in- it won't be able to "see" areas which areas are congestion trouble spots on the network.

On the other hand, everyone knows how slow PT can be when running in Class C ROW. Nothing new really.

[BrizCommuter]

http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com/2011/03/not-ferry-happy.html

[ozbob]

Full buses on time because they don't stop?  Ha!  Farcical is the smart state ..

INB congestion needs fixing fast.

Many reports of punters copping fixed fares apparently unaware, a common scenario is punters rear door loading on non-rear door loading routes, the 333 is one often reported.  The data seems to confirm that many don't chase fixed fare refunds, they probably think the free trips balance it out??

[ozbob]

I am a little surprised we haven't had some statements telling us how lovely the public transport is, and how wonderful the new timetables are?

Punters are poised for a boycott.  When is the election?  Release of the Tracker today is no doubt part of the strategy to dampen down media interest in the boycott tomorrow??   LOL    And they  pay (well we do I suppose ... ) for the army of advisors?   Heck we do it because we love it!!

[Stillwater]

Oh dear, full buses running on time because they don't stop? Noooo!  It IS the Yes Minister story of the hospital with no patients that keeps winning all those awards for zero surgery waiting lists, the best surgical record (no lives lost) and 100 per cent recovery rate by patients who don't exist.  Love you Queensland .... 'cos few others do.

[Fares_Fair]

I raised the issue of the TRANSLink Tracker not being available in my interview this morning on Sunshine Coast 612 ABC radio (actually 90.3 Coast FM - ABC).
Voila, it is issued today !

Probably just a coincidence ?

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

Bold added 17.03.2011

[ozbob]

No coincidence at all Fares_Fair, expected something to be trotted out ..

[ozbob]

From the Brisbane mX 16th March 2011 page 2

Green ticket to ride

[johnnigh]

Regarding cycling in Brissie, take a look at today's Brisbane Times for some sobering figures, in two or three separate articles, quoting, amongst others, our indefatigable ozbob. CityCycle is struggling, clearly due to helmets. Note that a report on the effect of helmets on trauma for cyclists (does compulsory helmet wearing lead to significantly lower head trauma, esp in low speed utility cycling) to the govt last Oct has not yet been released and access to it refused. The CBDBUG may resort to an FOI request.

BTW, the BUG has an exemption from FOI fees apart from the nominal application fee. Back on Track would similarly be eligible for such an exemption. I'll enquire for the forms, then we can request lots of useful stuff that presently is held close to bureaucratic chests.

[#Metro]

They need to integrate with go card.
Just do it!!!

[ozbob]

 

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

Ministerial Statement

Transport and Multicultural Affairs
The Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk
17/03/2011

More people are using public transport

Latest public transport data released today shows more people are using buses and trains, Transport Minister Annastacia Palasczcuk said.

Ms Palasczcuk said the latest edition of TransLink's Tracker, covering October to December 2010, showed more people were taking up public transport.

"Train patronage in the quarter increased by six per cent or 825,000 trips to nearly 14.5 million," she said.

"Bus patronage also increased by nearly 600,000 trips, or more than two per cent, to over 29 million trips."

Ms Palasczcuk said the latest data showing an increase in public transport use is encouraging.

"Last year more than 300,000 seats per week were added to the transport network and we plan to add another 300,000 seats this year to meet the demands of a growing population," she said.

"Queensland Rail has devoted a great deal of time and energy towards improving customer service.

"A $200 million station upgrade program is underway and a new timetable to provide more frequent and reliable services will be in place by the middle of the year."

Ms Palasczcuk said Tracker data also showed go card use increased to 64.2 per cent of trips for the quarter.

"go card use continues to climb and is expected to increase even further following the latest fare change in January which continues to ensure go card remains the cheapest travel option on the TransLink network."

Other data from this edition of Tracker shows:

·On time running during the peak period for both train and bus remained above the respective benchmarks set by TransLink.

·Customer satisfaction levels across all 12 categories for bus and train customers remained relatively steady, while ferry customer satisfaction levels fell across all categories.

Ferry patronage dropped last quarter largely due to a three day service disruption caused by floating debris and upgrade of CityGlider bus services between Teneriffe and West End and University of Queensland and the CBD.

TransLink's Tracker is available at www.translink.com.au under Reporting and Publications, Annual and quarterly reports.

[Jonno]

...and meanwhile PT trips as a percentage of all trips is reducing? This is the key measure. Translink and all levels of government received a Fail mark due to this.

[somebody]

Many reports of punters copping fixed fares apparently unaware, a common scenario is punters rear door loading on non-rear door loading routes, the 333 is one often reported.  The data seems to confirm that many don't chase fixed fare refunds, they probably think the free trips balance it out??

I for one often do not read the readouts when touching on or off.  I could get fixed fares and never know.

[mufreight]

Many reports of punters copping fixed fares apparently unaware, a common scenario is punters rear door loading on non-rear door loading routes, the 333 is one often reported.  The data seems to confirm that many don't chase fixed fare refunds, they probably think the free trips balance it out??

I for one often do not read the readouts when touching on or off.  I could get fixed fares and never know.

With most card readers I find that I can not readily read them without delaying other passengers unduly.  So much for the equipment supplied by cubic, the Miki readers in Melbourne have a screen better than twice the size of those in use here and are far clearer to read under all conditions.

[Fares_Fair]

Translink Tracker 2010/2011 Q2 states on p6. under the heading:
Service on-time running and service delivered

"This timetable will be implemented on June 6 and will increase capacity
and improve reliability by containing delays to one section of the network."

Does anyone know what this statement refers to ?
Which is the (un)lucky line ?
Could it be the Sunshine Coast's Beerburrum bottleneck ?

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[david]

I think that's just TransLink's terrible effort in explaining the concept of sectorisation...

[ozbob]

I think that's just TransLink's terrible effort in explaining the concept of sectorisation...

Yes, they are simply saying a problem such as a clown driving into boom gates at Wacol, or Strathpine (  ) will affect only the IPS-CAB corridor.

[ozbob]

Media Release 17 March 2011

SEQ:  TransLink Tracker Q2 2010-11 - bad news and a little good news

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 suggested that the latest TransLink Tracker (1) is cause for concern and some optimism.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"The 2010 October - December  TransLink tracker shows that both buses and overall public transport patronage growth at 2.1% and 2.4% respectively have barely increased compared to Queensland population growth. The amount of taxpayer subsidy has increased, showing the policy of increasing fares with little in the way of service improvements has been a failure."

"Ferry patronage has decreased by more than 21%, and customer satisfaction with ferry services has also dramatically fallen. Ferries were out of service for less than 4% of this quarter, and passengers moving from CityCat to CityGlider for their commute should not be decreasing the ferry satisfaction statistic."

"With only 64.2% of commuters using go card, TransLink must be seeing hyper inflated paper tickets as a cash cow. No wonder that the go card lite was quietly dropped last year! There are also approximately 100 times the number of go card fixed fares than there are fare adjustments. Either passengers have been poorly educated in how to use the go card and are not claiming back incorrect fares, or many passengers are taking advantage of the fixed fare system. This is cause for concern."

"The only ray of light in this tracker is the 6% increase in train patronage despite a lack of service improvements and overpriced fares. This goes to show that against all odds, rail travel is the future of public transport in Brisbane. Rail needs considerable service frequency and more infrastructure improvements though to continue to give the much needed capacity on the public transport network.  Increasingly we find buses are no longer able to cope with peak passenger demands.  It is time to rethink the radial bus strategy!"

Reference:

1. http://translink.com.au/resources/about-translink/reporting-and-publications/2010-11-quarterly-report-oct-to-dec.pdf

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[Fares_Fair]

I think that's just TransLink's terrible effort in explaining the concept of sectorisation...

Hello dwb,

First I have heard of it.
Could you explain how sectorisation works please ?

Regards,
Fares-Fair

[BrizCommuter]

I think that's just TransLink's terrible effort in explaining the concept of sectorisation...

Hello dwb,

First I have heard of it.
Could you explain how sectorisation works please ?

Regards,
Fares-Fair

Ipswich/Rosewood/Caboolture/Sunshine Coast Lines use mains.
Ferny Grove/Shorncliffe/Airport/Doomben/Cleveland/Beenleigh/Gold Coast Lines use suburbans.
Simple!

[Golliwog]

Yeah, The basic idea behind sectorisation is that trains on one line, or group of lines will never share tracks with trains on the other line. This was the main reason why all Caboolture/Petrie/Sunshine Coast trains were stopping all stations inbound of Northgate, as it was a waste of capacity to do otherwise and switching to the suburbans is no longer an option. But the benefit is exactly as Ozbob stated, delays on one line/group of lines won't impact the others.

[mufreight]

Yeah, The basic idea behind sectorisation is that trains on one line, or group of lines will never share tracks with trains on the other line. This was the main reason why all Caboolture/Petrie/Sunshine Coast trains were stopping all stations inbound of Northgate, as it was a waste of capacity to do otherwise and switching to the suburbans is no longer an option. But the benefit is exactly as Ozbob stated, delays on one line/group of lines won't impact the others.

The lazy or incompetent train controllers excuse to do nothing when the wheels come off

[Fares_Fair]

Thanks BrizCommuter and Golliwog.

Regards,
Fares_Fair

[Golliwog]

Yeah, The basic idea behind sectorisation is that trains on one line, or group of lines will never share tracks with trains on the other line. This was the main reason why all Caboolture/Petrie/Sunshine Coast trains were stopping all stations inbound of Northgate, as it was a waste of capacity to do otherwise and switching to the suburbans is no longer an option. But the benefit is exactly as Ozbob stated, delays on one line/group of lines won't impact the others.

The lazy or incompetent train controllers excuse to do nothing when the wheels come off

So everyone should have delays rather than just those impacted by the problem?

[somebody]

Yeah, The basic idea behind sectorisation is that trains on one line, or group of lines will never share tracks with trains on the other line. This was the main reason why all Caboolture/Petrie/Sunshine Coast trains were stopping all stations inbound of Northgate, as it was a waste of capacity to do otherwise and switching to the suburbans is no longer an option. But the benefit is exactly as Ozbob stated, delays on one line/group of lines won't impact the others.

The lazy or incompetent train controllers excuse to do nothing when the wheels come off

So everyone should have delays rather than just those impacted by the problem?

That doesn't make the trade offs in the proposed timetable good.

On current infrastructure it is simply unachievable to have no conflicting moves.  It is not achieved by the proposed timetable.  Case in point: There is no reduction in Roma St terminators accessing Mayne via Roma St #7.  In fact, this is one of the major capacity restrictions on the network as I see it.  Also no reduction in Roma St starters on the suburbans crossing the mains in both directions.

[Golliwog]

Well I can't see that changing much at all until either they start using Clapham, build a flyover/under at Roma St, or the only other alternative is to run a bunch of earlier trains starting from Bowen Hills accessing the suburbans from the FG flyover, running them outbound to the southside then reversing them there.

[somebody]

Well I can't see that changing much at all until either they start using Clapham, build a flyover/under at Roma St, or the only other alternative is to run a bunch of earlier trains starting from Bowen Hills accessing the suburbans from the FG flyover, running them outbound to the southside then reversing them there.

I largely agree with you, but there is also possibilities of running inbound from Milton to Roma St on the suburbans in the PM and reducing that conflicting move - yes, there would still be a conflicting move for accessing Milton #1.  It's still be the best trade off.  In the AM, I maintain that the Airport-Roma St trains need to use the mains Bowen Hills-Roma St.  Other trains can run to Richlands via Tennyson, this would be largely a positioning move.

The point I was mainly trying to make is that full sectorisation with no conflicting moves isn't possible on the current network.  Pretending that it is is pretty silly.  Not looking at you.

[Golliwog]

Fair enough. I definatly agree its not possible as is. But I'm sure QR is still planning for how to continue along the sectorisation path.

[somebody]

Fair enough. I definatly agree its not possible as is. But I'm sure QR is still planning for how to continue along the sectorisation path.

Maybe.

But I would refer you to the service forecast from Brizcommuter's blog.  It has 2tph Doomben on the suburbans and 4tph Airport on the mains.  Whatever way you turn this, it means either a conflicting move, or only 2tph through Albion #1 & #2.  It doesn't make any sense, like another aspect of the forecast.

[Golliwog]

Was that the post-CRR one? I can see the quad north of Mayne being a limitation as well as post-CRR there will be 3 sectors (Caboolture/Sunshine Coast - Beenleigh/GC, Ipswich/Richlands - Shornecliffe/Airport, Ferny Grove/Doomben - Cleveland/Kuraby*) all 3 of which would be using the quad until Eagle Junction. I'm not going to go into a discussion on the options here post Trouts Rd.

*By Kuraby I just mean a short running of the Beenleigh line, or something via Tennyson. I don't care exactly, I just had to put something.

I would also think in general that 2tph on the Doomben line is a bit of a waste. As had been discussed before, it has a large potential, especially with the approval for development around the Doomben and Eagle Farm race courses.

[somebody]

Yes, post CRR.  If the suburbans are used only by the Ferny Grove line, then the 4 tracks north of Bowen Hills should be perfectly adequate for CRR and the mains.  That's one reason why I don't understand the suggestion that the CRR would connect to the mains, or that there would be a 5th track to Northgate.  Talk about making it hard for limited benefit.  Perhaps ~40tph via Eagle Junction would top out before ~20tph on the Ferny Grove line, but I'm not sure by how much.

[Golliwog]

Oh, I certainly think they'll be adequate. I'm mostly just talking about it QR is going to go all the way with sectorisation, as I didn't think the plan was for the FG line to have the suburbans all to itself through Central. I thought the main reason to connect CRR to the mains was to avoid conflicting movements when they get to Eagle Junction/Northgate seeing as the Caboolture line is going to be using CRR.

[somebody]

as the Caboolture line is going to be using CRR.

Cheaper to change this than have the odd flyover.

[Golliwog]

as the Caboolture line is going to be using CRR.

Cheaper to change this than have the odd flyover.

Hmmm? How is it cheaper?

Wasn't one of the announcements made that there would be fast trains between GC and SC?

[Stillwater]

Promises, promises ... yes, that was a 'pollie's promise'.  Works best if Caboolture trains go via Trouts Road rail corridor and Gold Coast trains via CRR.

Rail commuters will arrive into Brisbane at 160kmh as the State Government turns to high-speed trains to move the south-east corner's swelling population.  Premier Anna Bligh said commuters from the Gold and Sunshine coasts could reach Central station in about an hour under the Integrated Regional Transport Plan, which will be released today. – August 2010.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/beating-the-rat-race-at-160kmh-20100830-1479g.html

THE State Government has unveiled plans to introduce super-fast commuter trains which will cut travel time between the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane to about an hour.  In a move which Premier Anna Bligh described yesterday as being part of a "rail revolution for South-East Queensland", the government hopes to put European-style "super commuters" reaching speeds of up to 160kmh from the Sunshine and Gold Coasts direct to Brisbane city.

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2010/08/31/on-track-for-faster-train-trip-premier/

HIGH-speed express passenger tilt trains will be rocketing between the Gold Coast and Brisbane in just 60 minutes under a new plan to double the number of people using public transport over the next 20 years.  The Bligh Government will today announce it is looking at replacing the Gold Coast to Brisbane trains with tilt train technology that enables increased speed on regular rail tracks.

http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2010/08/31/251715_gold-coast-news.html

[#Metro]

They're selling dreams. These things can't be delivered. Even we know that.
Metro can't be delivered, there's no cash for it. Gold Coast HSR to the CBD also in that basket.

[somebody]

Cheaper to change this than have the odd flyover.

Hmmm? How is it cheaper?

Wasn't one of the announcements made that there would be fast trains between GC and SC?

I am assuming that the flyover would be cheaper to have the shorter flyover that goes straight to the suburbans rather than over the suburbans to the mains.  Possibly I am incorrect, but the suburbans do already have the gap between the tracks thanks to the Ferny Grove flyover.  Likely there is room for at least one track, if not for two, the up track could receive the flyover on the east side.  Connecting to the mains would require the down main track to move signficantly west to receive the flyover between the up & down tracks.  Not sure how this can be done on an operating track also.

[Golliwog]

There is a gap there, however I don't think its long enough. From nearmaps measurement tool, the FG flyover takes roughly 220m to get up before it goes over the mains. The remaining gap is only about 150m long, so unless it can be steeper, I don't think its possible to fit it there without shifting both mains and the western suburban. As for shifting the down main, didn't they play around with the Ipswich line's alignment around Oxley to fit in the 4th track? I think it would be much the same.