Heavy Rail to Parkwood (Gold Coast)???

[nathandavid88]

Just reading through the Gold Coast Bulletin headlines, I came across this story about parking issues at the new University Hospital: http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2012/08/20/436957_gold-coast-news.html?

Gold Coast faces hospital parking crisis
Paul Weston   |  06:52am August 20, 2012

SOARING parking costs at the new Gold Coast University Hospital will force council and government to introduce emergency plans to get patients and families to the congested site.

The Bulletin understands the council is also involved in secret talks with the State Government to create a heavy rail spur from Helensvale to Parklands.

Public transport appears the only option after elderly patients and pensioners have told MPs and councillors that they cannot afford the daily parking rates.

Buses or council-funded cabs are other alternatives given patients or carers delayed for more than seven hours at the new hospital will face fees of up to $30.

Mark Tull, the former president of the Parkwood-Arundel Residents Association, said the location was "a shocker".

"The difficulty they have is the university will be next door and that has created an absolute nightmare for parking for the past 10 years," Mr Tull said.

"The construction people are now paying for parking behind the Southport Sharks and the poor old university students are getting hammered for parking on roads."

Mr Tull said an increase in tow-aways was occurring from the retail precinct around the Parkwood Tavern directly opposite the hospital.

"It's getting ugly and they haven't even got the staff and patients in there," he said.

Figures released in the latest Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service News outline charges and show a $6.80 daily fee for staff. Other users will pay from $3 up to 30 minutes and $13 for more than three hours.

A Gold Coast Hospital spokesman said the charges for the 2200-space carpark would be similar to those at Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital. Casual parking rates at the Brisbane hospital's 1400-bay site are $22 for two to six hours and $30 for seven hours or more.

Some staff at the Southport Hospital, who will begin transferring to Parklands in December, have told patients they intend to park illegally on the streets and risk a parking fine.

Both Southport city councillor Dawn Crichlow and Gaven MP Alex Douglas, a GP, have spoken to older residents about the parking costs.

Dr Douglas said that students would lose existing private parking once work started on the 2018 Commonwealth Games village.

"The reality is we will have to use buses. There will be enormous numbers of people parking in Parkwood," Dr Douglas said.

Cr Crichlow said plans were being considered for a heavy rail station at Parkwood where people could then access a bus to the hospital.

"It will be cheaper to take the heavy rail to Parkwood than extend the light rail to Helensvale," she said. "Council and the State Government are working on this."

Why questions are how will they do this and more importantly, why??? I don't see any benefit, and nor how they intend to make it work! Just finish the Light Rail to Helensvale like envisioned, and increase bus services from Helensvale in the mean time.

[somebody]

Foaming fantasy.

Just improve the 709 services.  When I've used that service it was surprisingly well patronised.

And why does the journey planner not understand "Gold Coast University Hospital" !?

[nathandavid88]

The 709 is the main route to the uni and is very well patronised, and seems to be used by everyone, from students and commuters to grannies going to the shops. I've caught some services from Surfers or Southport up to Helensvale that were completely full (it and the 745 are the only GC services I use where I've experienced this quite regularly). I would say that the 709 definitely could use 15 mins frequencies (until replaced by light rail of course!)

Maybe the planner doesn't want to recognise the university hospital it until it's officially opened? It's got a a few more months to go doesn't it?

[somebody]

I would say that the 709 definitely could use 15 mins frequencies (until replaced by light rail of course!)

Well, that's one way to fix its lack of coordination with the train at Helensvale when coming from Brisbane.

Maybe the planner doesn't want to recognise the university hospital it until it's officially opened? It's got a a few more months to go doesn't it?

That is a plausible reason.

[achiruel]

I think the article is poorly written and I seem to remember what was actually suggested was a new station between Helensvale and Nerang so that buses could run directly from there along the Smith St Mwy to the Hospital/GU.

Of course improving 709 co-ordination and/or frequency would help a lot (22 minute wait is just ridiculous).

[ozbob]

Transport journalism in Queensland is not at a high level at times ... lol

[nathandavid88]

I think the article is poorly written and I seem to remember what was actually suggested was a new station between Helensvale and Nerang so that buses could run directly from there along the Smith St Mwy to the Hospital/GU.

So another station that is all of 90 seconds distance away from Helensvale and services a main road?   

Of course improving 709 co-ordination and/or frequency would help a lot (22 minute wait is just ridiculous).

Yeah, I'd forgotten how bad the coordination with the train was until you two mentioned it (it's been a long time since I took a southbound 709). I think both could be warranted personally. 

[SurfRail]

I'm confident this is just a bunch of misinterpretation.  In the long run, GCCC wants to see the infill stations built between Robina and Beenleigh and a separate local pattern serving them with the express service maintained.  Parkwood is one of them.

The official plan is, and always has been, LRT to Helensvale.  The 2004 study was premised on LRT to a new station at Parkwood, but that has never been part of the current project scope (ie since around 2006).  Even the Smith St (non-Harbour Town) option involved running 4km of LRT track beside the railway into Helensvale without building a new station on the main line at Smith St.

I know some of the people at GCCC are thrashing around a whole bunch of other ideas in connection with the 2031 Transport Strategy to come out soon - some of which I like, some of which I don't.  It's mainly a series of talking points to take to TransLink, not something they intend to actually "do" (eg Maroon Cityglider...)

[achiruel]

So another station that is all of 90 seconds distance away from Helensvale and services a main road?   

I'm not saying it's a smart idea, but it makes a lot more sense than a HR spur to Parkwood which would split service frequency and really not achieve what the LR extension would (i.e. access in both directions).

[somebody]

In the long run, GCCC wants to see the infill stations built between Robina and Beenleigh and a separate local pattern serving them with the express service maintained.  Parkwood is one of them.

I hope this never happens.  Are the expresses going to run through the stations at 140km/h?  I expect even if they do, they would half bake and not have appropriate turnbacks etc.

[SurfRail]

I hope this never happens.  Are the expresses going to run through the stations at 140km/h?  I expect even if they do, they would half bake and not have appropriate turnbacks etc.

Disagree.

Express running at high speed already happens down here for out of service trains.  It would be no different.

I for one would love more infill stations built, so long as none get added to the current pattern (except possibly Parkwood).  Likewise, I would only want Elanora and Coolangatta added to the current pattern south of Varsity Lakes even if Tallebudgera and Tugun get built, and I think it is arguable whether Varsity needs to be on the Brisbane pattern at all.

[ozbob]

The Gold Coast line will end up operating in part as a local suburban line, as much as part of an interurban link.

High speed passing lanes at stations is something done elsewhere, maybe in time even in SEQ!

[achiruel]

Well, for the moment VL should be there as a terminus, but I agree that it could be removed when the line is extended further and all stops services Beenleigh-Coolangatta are introduced.

And what about a Yatala station to serve the large industrial area?

[nathandavid88]

I think that better PT through the Yatala area is definitely needed, but I don't know if demand is large enough for a dedicated station for it. Better (read: some at all) bus services might be a better option for providing this.

[somebody]

High speed passing lanes at stations is something done elsewhere, maybe in time even in SEQ!

You mean 4 tracks with 2 platforms?  That would be nice.

[ozbob]

High speed passing lanes at stations is something done elsewhere, maybe in time even in SEQ!

You mean 4 tracks with 2 platforms?  That would be nice.

Yes ...

[SurfRail]

High speed passing lanes at stations is something done elsewhere, maybe in time even in SEQ!

You mean 4 tracks with 2 platforms?  That would be nice.

Not even necessary here.  The line is rated for 140kph all the way from the end of the Robina yard to just south of Beenleigh, including through the platforms at each station.

[ozbob]

Might be needed eventually, reasonable frequency all stoppers mixed in with expresses.  Expresses can get around the all stoppers ...  something like this is planned for Trouts Road corridor (if it ever happens).

[petey3801]

I think that better PT through the Yatala area is definitely needed, but I don't know if demand is large enough for a dedicated station for it. Better (read: some at all) bus services might be a better option for providing this.

I recon a stop outside Yatala pies would do well, especially with traincrew! 

[colinw]

I think that better PT through the Yatala area is definitely needed, but I don't know if demand is large enough for a dedicated station for it. Better (read: some at all) bus services might be a better option for providing this.

I recon a stop outside Yatala pies would do well, especially with traincrew! 

It would need a connecting shuttle bus to the brewery as well.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Where does one sign this petition? 

[SurfRail]

Might be needed eventually, reasonable frequency all stoppers mixed in with expresses.  Expresses can get around the all stoppers ...  something like this is planned for Trouts Road corridor (if it ever happens).

It should largely be possible to implement.  I know that the Robina to Varsity extension was specifically designed to accommodate 4 tracks (including the tunnel), and the balance of the corridor is quite open except for some culverts or formation works which might need to be done.  You would be able to do enough of it that it could make sense, and pay for the rest gradually over time.

For 2tph on both patterns, assuming the Coomera River bridge is done, it shouldn't be any issue at all and will ensure the busiest stations get 4tph (even if it is a little too off-sequence to call it 15 minute frequency).

For interest's sake, the preserved locations are as follows:

GC Airport (in front of the terminal)
Tugun (Boyd Street, east side of Tugun Bypass)
Elanora (KP McGrath Drive adjacent to Guineas Creek Road overpass, west side of M1 in front of The Pines)
Tallebudgera (immediately south of the M1 interchange where the concrete batching plant is now)
Merrimac (immediately south of the Gooding Drive overpass)
Parkwood (adjacent to the intersection of Napper Road and Smith Street
Hope Island (at the Hope Island Road overpass on the north side of Hope Island Road, just before the Coomera River)
Pimpama/Coomera North (Old Pacific Highway just north of Yawalpah Road)
Ormeau North (just north of Eggersdorf Road)

Sadly for the beer and pie crowd, there isn't a preserved site for a Yatala station, but I believe GCCC is pushing for one to be identified.

http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Community-and-environment/Planning-and-development/Development-assessments/IDAS-triggers-mapping.aspx

(The IDAS mapping layer has been updated since I last visited - it is easier to see proposals for various things now eg Cross River Rail, MBRL etc are in there showing corridor and station sites.)

[Stillwater]

Meanwhile, on the other Coast, the Sunshine Coast, latest estimates are that 15,000 people a day will be accessing the new Sunshine Coast University Hospital.  That's a big car park. 

The chief of the hospital likened its presence to 'plonking the Royal Brisbane and Womens Hospital on the Sunshine Coast'.

CAMCOS was due to service the Coast's major new hospital, but that is beyond 2031 (the magic date on which everything will happen in SEQ public transport).  So, we can look forward to at least 16 years of traffic chaos in and around Kawana.

How's that for being 'passenger-focussed' within a 'world clarse' PT network in the no longer Smart State?

[SurfRail]

More detail on what GCCC was actually talking about can be found here from pp 176 to 183 inclusive.

http://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/documents/Minutes%20and%20Agendas/planning-20120815-agenda.pdf

One of the things GCCC is looking at is a 2-pronged extension from Griffith - one straight over to Parkwood, and one to Harbour Town and Helensvale (staged if required).  If they can get the funding to do that, it actually works reasonably well - you have higher frequency between Griffith and highway corridor, you have a fast connection from the railway to Southport and Surfers, you have reasonable frequency (say every 10 minutes or better) on what will basically be 2 suburban branchlines with nowhere near the density of the "common" corridor south of Griffith, and you can maintain the existing highly legible Route 715 from Helensvale to Southport along Brisbane Rd without forced transfers anywhere.

I have seen some of their other thoughts on future LRT extensions which I am not as sanguine about.  We'll see how much of that comes out in the transport strategy when it is released (looks like early next year).

[Set in train]

Just reading through the Gold Coast Bulletin headlines, I came across this story about parking issues at the new University Hospital: http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2012/08/20/436957_gold-coast-news.html?

Total madness of the GCCC to expect a HR spur to Parkwood, they must have some big foamers working for them.

Before interim stations are constructed, let's see the line extended to the Airport. None of this ending at Elanora, more uneducated thinking from GCCC.

[colinw]

It wouldn't be a Heavy Rail spur to Parkwood, just a new station at Parkwood on the section of line between Helensvale & Nerang.

The Bulletin was confused, what is being proposed is a Light Rail spur to a new QR station at Parkwood on the existing line.

[SurfRail]

Just reading through the Gold Coast Bulletin headlines, I came across this story about parking issues at the new University Hospital: http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2012/08/20/436957_gold-coast-news.html?

Total madness of the GCCC to expect a HR spur to Parkwood, they must have some big foamers working for them.

Before interim stations are constructed, let's see the line extended to the Airport. None of this ending at Elanora, more uneducated thinking from GCCC.

The first point has already been addressed by me and others above, and the GCCC guys confirmed that with me directly.

On the second point, heavy rail to the airport actually makes little to no sense based on the numbers from a local perspective.  LRT to the airport will produce around 6 times as much patronage as a through QR service based on their assessment.  By all means have a heavy rail service to the airport eventually, but it is not the best and most effective use of limited funds up front.  If federal funding becomes available for it, fine.

In-fill stations on the other hand are relatively cheap.  The line can support 4 trains per hour in both directions if they are staggered correctly around the Coomera bottleneck, which would allow you to maintain 2tph all stations and 2tph express, although the service interval would be wonky at the express stops.  I don't know if those "local" trains could go all the way to Beenleigh though.