Ministerial Statement: Newman Government to improve bus networks

[ozbob]

http://www.scottemerson.com.au/media-releases/newman-government-to-improve-bus-networks.html

Newman Government to improve bus networks

Tuesday, 24 July 2012 05:08
The Newman Government will review south east Queensland's bus network to improve service reliability, affordability and frequency.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson said the decision came after the latest data showed patronage had declined on 13 of south east Queensland's 16 bus providers following Labor's ongoing 15 per cent fare hikes.

"To attract people back to public transport we must improve services, so I've told TransLink to work with all operators and passengers for the next six months to start building a better network," Mr Emerson said.

"The LNP will invest more than $30 million this year to improve the frequency of bus services and restore affordability, including free travel after nine journeys.

"We also need to improve the reliability of the network, particularly where there are buses that are so full they need to leave passengers behind yet other areas have buses carrying less than three passengers a trip.

"Those 10 worst performing routes cost more than $5 million a year with less than five per cent of the cost paid for through fares.

"In Brisbane there are roads with more than 25 different bus routes, yet all stop at different locations within the CBD.

"On the Gold Coast there are some bus routes that haven't been reviewed since the 1990s."

The network review will include:

·Eliminating service duplication

·Managing the infrastructure capacity (eg Cultural Centre busway station congestion)

·Getting more people on public transport by simplifying the network

·Getting better connectivity between services and modes

·Redirecting resources to routes where there is overcrowding

[ozbob]

 

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

24th July 2012

Bus review

Greetings,

Good news!  Brisbane's bus network is long overdue for review.  We have been suggesting for years that it needs to be overhauled.

For example  latest: 12 May 2012: SEQ: Review Brisbane bus network please!  --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=8313.0

The next step is organise a core frequent network, rail and bus, so that the overall network can be efficient, reliable, frequent and fast.

Competition between modes also needs to be addressed in this review.

None the less this Ministerial announcement is a great start.

Best wishes
Robert

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

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

http://www.scottemerson.com.au/media-releases/newman-government-to-improve-bus-networks.html

Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Scott Emerson
24/07/2012

Newman Government to improve bus networks

The Newman Government will review south east Queensland's bus network to improve service reliability, affordability and frequency.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson said the decision came after the latest data showed patronage had declined on 13 of south east Queensland's 16 bus providers following Labor's ongoing 15 per cent fare hikes.

"To attract people back to public transport we must improve services, so I've told TransLink to work with all operators and passengers for the next six months to start building a better network," Mr Emerson said.

"The LNP will invest more than $30 million this year to improve the frequency of bus services and restore affordability, including free travel after nine journeys.

"We also need to improve the reliability of the network, particularly where there are buses that are so full they need to leave passengers behind yet other areas have buses carrying less than three passengers a trip.

"Those 10 worst performing routes cost more than $5 million a year with less than five per cent of the cost paid for through fares.

"In Brisbane there are roads with more than 25 different bus routes, yet all stop at different locations within the CBD.

"On the Gold Coast there are some bus routes that haven't been reviewed since the 1990s."

The network review will include:

·Eliminating service duplication

·Managing the infrastructure capacity (eg Cultural Centre busway station congestion)

·Getting more people on public transport by simplifying the network

·Getting better connectivity between services and modes

·Redirecting resources to routes where there is overcrowding

[ENDS] 24 July 2012

[SurfRail]

 

Win!  Especially for us down here...

[ozbob]

From the Couriermail 24th July 2012 page 7

Cuts looming as deals on the bus go round and round



Now online click --> here!

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Government launches bus review

Government launches bus review

Date July 24, 2012 - 5:47AM Tony Moore

Underperforming bus routes that carry as few as one or two passengers will be targeted in a six-month review of all southeast Queensland services to be announced this morning.

Transport Minister Scott Emerson said the review was necessary after the latest bus patronage figures had declined on 13 of southeast Queensland's 16 bus companies.

The review will also involve finding a solution to empty buses congesting the CBD's Victoria Bridge.

In November last year, brisbanetimes.com.au reported more than 200 buses – many empty – mounted up across the Victoria Bridge in peak hours because of route problems.
Advertisement

The bus review will include public submissions and detailed discussions with bus companies working in Brisbane and the Gold and Sunshine coasts.

Mr Emerson said some Gold Coast bus routes had not been reviewed since the 1990s and southeast Queensland's 10 "worst performing" bus routes cost too much to run.

"They cost more than $5 million a year, but less than 5 per cent of the cost is paid for through fares," Mr Emerson said.

One bus route through Bray Park, north of Brisbane, included 25 daily services, but one-third of these services carried two or fewer passengers, while the rest carried "four or five passengers".

Yet other bus routes were often so full they had to leave passengers behind, he said.

Mr Emerson said there were other areas where a simplification of bus routes, destinations and pick-up spots could also produce savings and efficiencies.

"In Brisbane there are roads with more than 25 different bus routes, yet all stop at different locations within the CBD," he said.

They included buses travelling to Brisbane's western suburbs and along Mains Road at Sunnybank, where buses to both destinations left from a range of locations in the central city.

"We might be able to get extra services to these areas if we can get them leaving from a similar area in the CBD," a spokesman for Mr Emerson said last night.

It is expected the recommendations from the six-month review will begin in 2013 as universities commence the new year, the spokesman said.

The review was announced amid further speculation of major structural changes within the Department of Transport and Main Roads.

The department is the first to be reviewed by the Public Sector Renewal Board.

There has been speculation Translink will be merged with the Passenger Transport Division of the Department of Transport and Main Roads.

Mr Emerson's spokesman said no decisions had been made and no structure had been approved.

"Everything is simply under review at this stage," he said.

Mr Emerson rejected suggestions the bus review was driven by cost savings, with the Transport Workers Union last week saying that $40 million is cuts was being sought.

"The LNP will invest more than $30 million this year to improve the frequency of bus services and restore affordability, including free travel after nine journeys," Mr Emerson said.

"We also need to improve the reliability of the network, particularly where there are buses that are so full they need to leave passengers behind yet other areas have buses carrying less than three passengers a trip."

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/government-launches-bus-review-20120723-22keo.html

[somebody]

"In Brisbane there are roads with more than 25 different bus routes, yet all stop at different locations within the CBD," he said.

Sounds like I might be getting some traction!

Woohoo!

[ozbob]

  

[Gazza]

Seeya later P461. 

[somebody]

Seeya later P461. 

Good riddance.

[nathandavid88]

Good to hear, especially with the rationalising of services, and better organising of the CBD stops. This is long overdue!

[somebody]

Time to flog the 393 again?

[Mr X]

RIP 198

I hope he is also rationalising stops- I know of a few on the 196 which need the chop!

[SurfRail]

I don't know why the 557 even exists.

You are the weakest link...

[STB]

I don't know why the 557 even exists.

You are the weakest link...

Probably came about from some whingers (sorry, residents), who wanted a direct service to Logan Road/Underwood from Springwood station and the 554 didn't cater enough for them.  No loss there I will admit.

[colinw]

152.  Fix it, or axe it!

[STB]

What's wrong with 152?  On paper at least, it looks to be fine and covers areas that isn't exactly walking distance to the trunk routes?

[ozbob]

BT poll as at 1045am 24 July 2012

Right on the money ....  are we not?

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/government-launches-bus-review-20120723-22keo.html#poll

[#Metro]

We need to be very very careful about what gets cut, what stays etc. Not all cuts are bad, but some are.
There also needs to be public consultation and a discussion about this so that values are captured and reflected in the final
outcome.

I am totally against any merger of TransLink with DTMR. If this is done it will cause (a) Transaction costs to merge, (b) loss of focus. Remember, TL only accounts for 6% of the cost going into PT, Queensland Rail is eating up something like 56%! If anything, perhaps it should be QR as the one that should be merged...

A mixed bag, will take careful stepping...

[STB]

Any (reasonable - not foaming) guesses of what may disappear or be reduced/truncated?

My thoughts

- 192 (even though I would strongly advocate that route remain as there are plenty of oldies that I've seen from my travels to the backend of the hospital (renal unit and aged care - I don't care what others say, if you are a renal patient who's kidney is failing, walking from PA Hospital busway to the renal unit is hellish, even walking up the hill from Dutton Park station isn't easy) who use that route to get to the PA Hospital from West End, plus those hills in that area are awful!

193 - Would not surprise me one bit.

213 - Even though it's high frequency and is meant to get people out of cars and into the suburb of Belmont, from my pure observations it hardly carries anyone (all using their cars or catching the 216 I guess)

242 - Good in theory, but seems to not have been taken up by the locals out in Wakerley from what I've seen living out here.

255 - Always has had a low patronage uptake, even pre-TransLink under the old route 8.  Probably due to the demographics of the area (ie: working families who aren't around when it's running) or just simply use their car

256 - Another local low patronage route out here, a granny run from my experiences of it

283 - Another low patronised route I know well of.  The only time I've seen decent patronage is when school is out and picks up all those students out of Cornubia to Logan Hyperdome.  Main problem if this route is cut is that the caravan park has no other transport mode available other than a taxi.

460 and P461 - I could live without 460 and 461 (other options they can use including train from Richlands or a service with an interchange to Mt Ommaney (can't think of the routes off the top of my head at this very moment - which I must admit is a first, think I'm getting old (and tired lol)).

A lot of the western all day routes truncated to Indooroopilly, except route P88 (yeah, I think that will survive - it can get standing loads from what I've seen amazingly), and the 444 for obvious reasons.

[colinw]

What's wrong with 152?  On paper at least, it looks to be fine and covers areas that isn't exactly walking distance to the trunk routes?

That is why I said fix it or axe it.

The route itself is potentially a good one.  The very limited weekdays only service is not.

Route 152:  Garden City to Stretton.  Weekdays only.
Departures from Garden City at:
8:30AM, 9:30, 10:30, 11:30, 12:30PM, 1:30, 2:30, 3:28(!), 4:30

Route 152: Stretton to Garden City. Weekdays only.
Departures from Stretton at:
6:35AM, 7:05, 8:05, 9:05, 10:05, 11:05, 12:05PM, 1:05, 2:05, 3:05, 4:05

So, potentially usable to commute TO Garden City (or busway), or change to rail in the morning peak.
Stops running before the afternoon peak.
No evening service.
No weekend service.

In practice, people ignore it in droves.  If it ran at something approximating a decent frequency & span of hours it would be a useful connector service, as it is now it is a WOFTAM.

You are quite right about it covering areas out of range of trunk routes.  Does nobody any good if you can't actually use it to get home at a reasonable time of the afternoon.

In practice it is a glorified school route. The 4:30PM last run to Stretton ensures that.

[#Metro]

A lot of the western all day routes truncated to Indooroopilly, except route P88 (yeah, I think that will survive - it can get standing loads from what I've seen amazingly), and the 444 for obvious reasons.

Just because the P88 is well patronised doesn't mean that it can't be modified. The time savings between via Cultural Centre and via Captain Cook Bridge are not that great.

[STB]

What's wrong with 152?  On paper at least, it looks to be fine and covers areas that isn't exactly walking distance to the trunk routes?

That is why I said fix it or axe it.

The route itself is potentially a good one.  The very limited weekdays only service is not.

Route 152:  Garden City to Stretton.  Weekdays only.
Departures from Garden City at:
8:30AM, 9:30, 10:30, 11:30, 12:30PM, 1:30, 2:30, 3:28(!), 4:30

Route 152: Stretton to Garden City. Weekdays only.
Departures from Stretton at:
6:35AM, 7:05, 8:05, 9:05, 10:05, 11:05, 12:05PM, 1:05, 2:05, 3:05, 4:05

So, potentially usable to commute TO Garden City (or busway), or change to rail in the morning peak.
Stops running before the afternoon peak.
No evening service.
No weekend service.

In practice, people ignore it in droves.  If it ran at something approximating a decent frequency & span of hours it would be a useful connector service, as it is now it is a WOFTAM.

You are quite right about it covering areas out of range of trunk routes.  Does nobody any good if you can't actually use it to get home at a reasonable time of the afternoon.

In practice it is a glorified school route. The 4:30PM last run to Stretton ensures that.

I know years ago there was a principal that there would be shopper/day routes and peak versions of the daytime locals with trunk routes providing the main corridors.  152 looks to be a shopper/local service. 

[ozbob]

TL is here to stay TT, IMHO.

With a rejigged network rail will start to work properly, more pax on rail and buses as the network transforms to a CFN.  I am glad the competition with rail has been identified.  Big gains to be made there.

The only risk for QR as such is privatisation/franchise ala Metro Melbourne and its precursors.

It is also reasonable to expect a revamped fare structure out of all this as well. 

[STB]

A lot of the western all day routes truncated to Indooroopilly, except route P88 (yeah, I think that will survive - it can get standing loads from what I've seen amazingly), and the 444 for obvious reasons.

Just because the P88 is well patronised doesn't mean that it can't be modified. The time savings between via Cultural Centre and via Captain Cook Bridge are not that great.

Yes I know that, but think like a passenger, the psychology of catching a one seat service with it bypassing three stations makes it attractive for passengers, even if the time savings are minimal.

I remember being at the CRG a while ago and Dan the timetable man saying that even though the Cleveland expresses only saved a few minutes, from a passenger perspective it saved a lot of time and therefore subjectively is faster, even in practice wasn't.  Note that Monash Uni taught me that several years ago as well with the difference of perceived time and actual time can be quite substantial.   EG: Waiting at a bus stop can be perceived as double the amount of actual time that has actually progressed, which one of my theories is why people sometimes think a service is running late/never on time, when it actually is on time.

[colinw]

Hence the huge patronage gains with BUZ or quarter hourly rail. Suddenly people perceive the bus/train as being available when they want it.

[nathandavid88]

I don't know why the 557 even exists.

You are the weakest link...

Probably came about from some whingers (sorry, residents), who wanted a direct service to Logan Road/Underwood from Springwood station and the 554 didn't cater enough for them.  No loss there I will admit.

Between the 554 and the 545, the  557 route is fully covered, and both those routes are more frequent and run half hourly. It sounds like the 557 is an answer to a question nobody asked. As for the 152, it's a good route that fails due to a stupidly early finish time. Alright to commute to work, but you can't get home. Does it service Fruitgrove station? It gets close but I can't tell on the map. If not, then it really should.

[somebody]

STB,
I think the 192 is here to stay between West End Ferry and UQ - otherwise the works at Gladstone/Annerley Rds are a waste.  Did you mean 198?

213 - I could stand to see the 216 and 214 removed, with all 214s extended to 215s.  If you don't want to go around the long way you can interchange from a 221.  Although I'm just shooting in the dark there as I haven't seen the peak loads of the 216.

I think the 88 will probably survive in the short term, but if they move the 444 to QSBS B it would logically be removed from Coro.  Keeping the 88 for the Milton service would be misguided - the train station is more convenient for Milton bound.

460 does serve areas in Mt Ommaney which are not convenient to the 45x so I think it needs to stay without some sort of shake up.  Although in peak hour it could easily be cut back to Indro.

435 being cut back to Indro weekdays is another move I expect.

[#Metro]

Yes I know that, but think like a passenger, the psychology of catching a one seat service with it bypassing three stations makes it attractive for passengers, even if the time savings are minimal.

I remember being at the CRG a while ago and Dan the timetable man saying that even though the Cleveland expresses only saved a few minutes, from a passenger perspective it saved a lot of time and therefore subjectively is faster, even in practice wasn't.  Note that Monash Uni taught me that several years ago as well with the difference of perceived time and actual time can be quite substantial.   EG: Waiting at a bus stop can be perceived as double the amount of actual time that has actually progressed, which one of my theories is why people sometimes think a service is running late/never on time, when it actually is on time.

Yes, but this is false economy and illusions. Running the system like a taxi is wasteful. You could get the same illusion by putting the word EXPRESS in the destination display and maybe even a bus wrap.

[Golliwog]

I think this is a definite plus, but just wonder if 6 months is long enough to give the entire network a proper review, or is this going to be a consultation free review? Given the BT article mentions the review is going to include public submissions I just wonder how they're going to cope with the work load of combing through submissions from the public, plus reviewing all the patronage data, then going into the removing/changing routes stage.

Are they still going to keep under performing coverage routes?

Either way, I think it's time for us to prepare some submissions for this.

[techblitz]

id like to see more people using the pm outbound prepaid ccb routes.So hopefully the stops are adjusted and routes are advertised a bit better to give better access to the route. eg:p119 (great alternative to the crowded 120) which hardly anyone uses!

[SurfRail]

I would very reticent about many Gold Coast services being outright "cut".  There is not a lot of duplication down here.  There is however a lot of rejigging and realignment to be done, and which can be done BEFORE the trams start rolling.

On my list for substantial change would be (pending greater redesign - I was already working on a proposal with GCCC this week):

3 - run from Helensvale to Southport only and redesign the Coomera/Helensvale network to cover the bits north of Helensvale.  Ideally split the 725 and 726 in half and hub them into Centro Oxenford so the Coomera/Upper Coomera sections can run express via the M1 from there to Helensvale, and the Oxenford/Monterey Quays sections can run via Discovery Drive.

4 - investigate making it more direct somehow.

5 - cut in 2 at Southport, remove the loop structure around Runaway Bay, cut the Marsupial Dr diversion off.

10 - use the existing 16 route between Southport and Biggera Waters

14/15 - run 14 direct via Napper Rd and not via Arundel Crest, redesign 15 to cover Arundel Crest and terminate at the Arundel shops.

16 - cut entirely.  Southport to Biggera Waters section included in the updated 10, Biggera Waters to Harbour Town/Helensvale already covered by the 703/709/715.  Helensvale to Pacific Pines/Studio Village would be dealt with by a redesigned 728.

18/18A/737 - need a redesign to provide a more direct journey between Southport, Ashmore/Benowa and Pac Fair on the 18, a connection to Griffith Uni for the 18A and to make the 737 a more legible full time route instead of a granny run, doing the more localised sections around Ashmore/Benowa and feeding back to Southport.  Maybe extend this route to Nerang to provide a better connection to the railway for the bits not convenient to the 20/20A or the 740/21.

20/20A - cut the Southport to Nerang leg and make a high-frequency service of its own.

21 - cut east of Nerang and simplify to the west.

703 - cut and put on more 715s.

725/726 - as above re Route 3

728 - as above re Route 16

737 - as above re Route 18/18A

745 - terminate it in Broadbeach (at The Oasis).  The 740 takes a faster journey to Surfers and should be emphasised.

761 - run via Scottsdale Drive between Easy T Centre and Varsity Lakes station, then current route south.

765 - resume former route via Christine Avenue only (no diversion to Varsity Lakes).  753 covers this connection - Varsity is not really a destination or useful transfer point unless the line gets extended, and Christine Avenue is a nice legible corridor which deserves a straight east-west route.

767/768 - look at merging the 2 together again so you can get to John Flynn Hospital from both ends.

700/702/706/707/709/715/727/738/740/751/752/753/754/755/758/760/762/763/764/766/769 - no huge issues with routing/duplication, although span of hours and frequency need to be reexamined.

[BrizCommuter]

http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2012/07/slasher-newman-to-review-bus-network.html
BrizCommuter's commentary on the review of SE Queensland's bus network.

[#Metro]

I think this is a definite plus, but just wonder if 6 months is long enough to give the entire network a proper review, or is this going to be a consultation free review? Given the BT article mentions the review is going to include public submissions I just wonder how they're going to cope with the work load of combing through submissions from the public, plus reviewing all the patronage data, then going into the removing/changing routes stage.

Are they still going to keep under performing coverage routes?

Either way, I think it's time for us to prepare some submissions for this.

Local region review - all done at the same time. Or at least with Bulimba, Centenary and Northwest first.

[ozbob]

Present bus network ..

[techblitz]

on of the problems they face when sorting the bad apples is that there are quite a few services which carry air most of the day but then come 8amish & 3.30pmish become packed full of school kids. eg: 362,367,225,697,696,693,694 and no doubt many others.

[SurfRail]

I think this is a definite plus, but just wonder if 6 months is long enough to give the entire network a proper review, or is this going to be a consultation free review? Given the BT article mentions the review is going to include public submissions I just wonder how they're going to cope with the work load of combing through submissions from the public, plus reviewing all the patronage data, then going into the removing/changing routes stage.

Are they still going to keep under performing coverage routes?

Either way, I think it's time for us to prepare some submissions for this.

Local region review - all done at the same time. Or at least with Bulimba, Centenary and Northwest first.

Further to my comments above, I am making a submission to GCCC in connection with their transport strategy - it will be in Google Earth KMZ format.  I will release up here for comment in the next day or so in a separate thread.  (Mine will be a 2014 network with the LRT system active, but a lot of it does not require the LRT system to actually be there - just needs LRT so the buses can be reallocated to up the frequency.)

[#Metro]

on of the problems they face when sorting the bad apples is that there are quite a few services which carry air most of the day but then come 8amish & 3.30pmish become packed full of school kids. eg: 362,367,225,697,696,693,694 and no doubt many others.

Why not just run these as special school buses. They're full of school kids anyway. Take them off the formal system

[ozbob]

From Brisbanetimes click here!

Worst performing bus routes revealed

Worst performing bus routes revealed

Date July 24, 2012 - 1:57PM  Tony Moore

Southeast Queensland's worst-performing bus routes have been revealed, with the majority north of the CBD, according to the Department of Transport.

On the bottom 10 routes identified, between 2 and 4 per cent of the cost of running the route was covered by fares; while the rest was covered by the taxpayer public transport subsidy.

In bus services across southeast Queensland, about 35 per cent of running costs are covered by fares, while rest is covered by state government subsidies to the bus operator.

On some popular inner-city routes, about 80 per cent of running costs are covered by fares.

On all public transport – buses, trains and ferries – about 22.5 per cent of running costs are met by subsidies, according the Queensland Transport.

The 10 worst performing bus routes identified were:

    652: Caboolture-Beachmere
    676: Petrie-Murrumba Downs
    681: Mango Hill-North Lakes
    643: Bribie-Caboolture
    529: Toogoolawah-Ipswich
    514: Tivoli-Booval
    508: Yamanto-Willowbank
    649: Nambour-Caboolture
    299: Rochedale-Brisbane Technology Park
    544: the Browns Plains loop

A spokesman for Transport Minister Scott Emerson said while the routes did not have many passengers, they would be improved and "not necessarily removed altogether".

Meanwhile Opposition transport spokeswoman Jackie Trad said Labor anticipated that TransLink services would be cut following the review.

Ms Trad said she expected bus operators would close costly bus services, which would mean cuts to bus routes that ran to local shopping centres.

"In the face of savage cuts to TransLink services, bus operators are likely to cut back on bus routes which are low frequency or costly, such as shopping routes that wind through streets to pick up and drop off locals without other means of transport," she said.

"Locals rely on these types of services to access shops and services, their doctor or to visit family and friends.

"Many elderly and disadvantaged Queenslanders rely on these services to get around their community."

Ms Trad said the LNP government must say how they would secure the future of local bus routes.

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/worst-performing-bus-routes-revealed-20120724-22mck.html

[ozbob]

649 ..... no wonder ...