RAIL - Back On Track Forum

Sent to all outlets:

12th July 2016

Cr Adrian Schrinner commended for highlighting bus network failure!

Good Morning,

Yesterday Cr Adrian Schrinner posted a photograph of bus congestion in the Brisbane CBD on Twitter ( see > https://twitter.com/Schrinner/status/752379526873616384 ) with the comment:

" This illustrates exactly why we need the Brisbane Metro Subway System. (This photo wasn't even taken at peak time). "



We would like commend Cr Schrinner for being honest and highlighting that the Brisbane Bus Network is in failure.

Brisbane might well need a ' real metro ' eventually, but the metro proposed by Team Quirk only delivers 9000 passengers/hour/direction (pphpd) but the busways move up to 15000 pphpd.  One does not spend billions of dollars to reduce the capacity of the existing public transport - it is an absurdity to put forward such a proposal.

What needs to happen is bus network reform.  This will reduce the number of buses clogging up the CBD and allow more services out in the suburbs where they are really needed.

Is Brisbane going to continue to sit in ever worsening bus-congestion (bus-jam) waiting for a pipe-dreams to fall from the sky?  Or can we start a network reform process that will deliver much benefit to the public transport network not only for Brisbane but for all of SEQ. Other jurisdictions have done bus network reform with outstanding results.

We are now in a public transport crisis in Brisbane and SEQ.   Is politics going to continue to wreck what we have?

Best wishes
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

6th May 2016 - resent 15th July 2016

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk's 'Quack' Metro is a Dead Duck!

Greetings,

Seven News covered Lord Mayor Graham Quirk's 'Quack' metro last night (1). It is a dead duck!

We have comprehensively and exhaustively demonstrated that even under the most extreme assumptions, the Quirk ' Quack Metro ' has less capacity than the current busway (2, 3). This is a very serious flaw with the proposed ' metro '.

Problems with the Quirk ' Metro ' as proposed:

1.  Delivers less capacity than the present busways - fatal flaw.

2.  Is under-costed, grossly in our opinion. We challenge the Lord Mayor to sign a cost explosion indemnification agreement, guaranteeing that any cost overrun on the project ( over $1.5 BN) will be borne solely by BCC.

3.  Absolutely wrecks the inner-city busway network. Stops one station short of RBWH Hospital (to save costs?)

4.  Is very doubtful if Victoria Bridge can be used due to the significant weight of metro trains, track and electrical systems.

5.  Is not driverless as proposed (despite the comment in the news video). If changed to automatic then cost of stations etc. increases massively. Comparisons with Sydney Metro make this abundantly clear (3).

6.  State owns and controls the busway infrastructure.  It is unlikely that a State Government of any political persuasion would allow the busway system to be wrecked for a system that delivers less capacity than the current network!

7.  Proposed ' metro ' depot site is state owned and is actually earmarked for CRR.

The absolute minimum capacity for a train to reach the touted 30,000 passengers/hour quoted in election vote bait material is 750 passengers per train. The Lord Mayor is suggesting trains with a capacity 2.5x lower that is 300 passengers/train.

Bus reform http://tiny.cc/newnetwork is required, now. Bus network reform will allow time for a mature future vision and plan to be developed. Bus network reform is essentially cost neutral, we do not have to waste billions of dollars on pipe dream schemes.  Start bus network reform today!

Best wishes,
Robert

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


References:

1. 7 News > https://twitter.com/7NewsQueensland/status/728156831143452673

2. Quirk ' Metro ' Capacity Calculation

1 hour = 60 minutes = 3600 seconds. World's best practise train throughput is a train every 90 seconds. 3600 seconds / 90 sec = 40 trains per hour.

Therefore 30,000 passengers/hour divided by 40 trains/hour = 750 passengers per train (absolute minimum).

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk's Metro is 300 pax/train as proposed.

This means then if trains run every 90 seconds: 40 trains/hour x 300 pax/train = 12 000 passengers/hour (less than the current busway capacity).
Run every 2 minutes (as announced in election) 30 trains / hour x 300 pax/train = 9000 passengers/hour - a backward step for the network.

Even under the most extreme assumptions, the metro would have less capacity than the busway and be at capacity on opening day.

3. 26th March 2016 The Quirk ' Metro ' is a Quack Metro > http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11952.msg172675#msg172675

Sent to all outlets:

4th August 2016

Confronting the Quirk Metro con ...

Good Morning,

So Lord Mayor doesn't want to contribute to Cross River Rail*, but is apparently prepared to waste billions of dollars on a half-baked ' metro ' project that will wreck Brisbane's public transport?

Bus network reform does not cost billions of dollars and will dramatically improve public transport outcomes for Brisbane and with positive flow on effects for all of SEQ.

It is time the Brisbane media stopped swallowing the ' metro '  bull-dust and did some basic research.

Problems with the Quirk ' Metro ' as proposed:

1.  Delivers less capacity than the present busways - fatal flaw**.  Proposed metro is only a capacity of 9000 passengers/hour/direction.  Busways deliver 15,000 passengers/hour/direction.

2.  Is under-costed, grossly in our opinion. We challenge the Lord Mayor to sign a cost explosion indemnification agreement, guaranteeing that any cost overrun on the project ( over $1.5 BN) will be borne solely by BCC.

3.  Absolutely wrecks the inner-city busway network. Stops one station short of RBWH Hospital (to save costs?)

4.  Is very doubtful if Victoria Bridge can be used due to the significant weight of metro trains, track and electrical systems.  Use of Victoria Bridge precludes any further network improvements.

5.  Is not driverless as proposed. If changed to automatic then cost of stations etc. increases massively. Comparisons with Sydney Metro make this abundantly clear.

6.  State owns and controls the busway infrastructure.  It is unlikely that a State Government of any political persuasion would allow the busway system to be wrecked for a system that delivers less capacity than the current network!

7.  Proposed Quirk ' metro ' depot site is state owned and is actually earmarked for CRR.

The absolute minimum capacity for a train to reach the touted 30,000 passengers/hour quoted in the BCC election vote-bait material is 750 passengers per train. The Lord Mayor is suggesting trains with a capacity 2.5x lower, that is 300 passengers/train.

Bus reform http://tiny.cc/newnetwork is required, now. Bus network reform will allow time for a mature future vision and plan to be developed.

Bus network reform is essentially cost neutral, we do not have to waste billions of dollars on pipe dream schemes.

Start bus network reform today!

Best wishes,
Robert

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

* https://tenplay.com.au/news/brisbane/2016/8/3/premier-and-lord-mayor-butt-heads-over-river-rail-crossing

** Quirk ' Metro ' Capacity Calculation

1 hour = 60 minutes = 3600 seconds. World's best practise train throughput is a train every 90 seconds. 3600 seconds / 90 sec = 40 trains per hour.

Therefore 30,000 passengers/hour divided by 40 trains/hour = 750 passengers per train (absolute minimum).

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk's Metro is 300 pax/train as proposed.

Run every 2 minutes (as announced in election) 30 trains / hour x 300 pax/train = 9000 passengers/hour/direction - a backward step for the network.

Even under the most extreme assumptions, the metro would have less capacity than the busway and be at capacity on opening day.

[ Attached:  http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11047.msg177430#msg177430 ]

^

Couriermail -->'It's no wonder women can't get on,' says Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk

QuoteBRISBANE Lord Mayor Graham Quirk has come under fire for making a sexist comment while defending a $500,000 contract awarded to a private company without it first going to tender.

Cr Quirk was asked to explain himself this week after Peritum were handed a one-year sole sourcing deal for Brisbane Metro's project development director. Sole sourcing contracts can be awarded if it is in the public interest, or there is a lack of available tenderers, or if there is a restricted marketplace, or a multi-staged process has been followed.

Former Infrastructure Australia director Maree Kovacevic, who is listed as Peritum's boss, was announced for the job in May this year. The experienced engineer, who was also a former Transport and Main Roads director with the Bligh government, was charged with overseeing the business case of the proposed $1.54 billion inner-Brisbane public transport system.

In a council meeting this week, Cr Quirk was cut off while he was answering questions from Opposition Labor Councillor Shayne Sutton and independent Councillor Nicole Johnston about why Peritum were handed the contract.

"It's no wonder women can't get on, isn't it?" Cr Quirk replied after the interjection.

Asked to clarify what the comment meant, a spokesman for the Lord Mayor said it was made in response to councillors Sutton and Johnston criticising Ms Kovacevic's qualifications.

Cr Sutton blasted the comment as "sexist and inappropriate", accusing the Brisbane civic leader of attempting to avoid answering "serious questions" about the contract.

Australia's Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins said people needed to acknowledge the high level of "everyday sexism" in workplaces if attitudes were ever going to change.

"If we want to improve gender equality, we need to talk about the deeply embedded systemic and attitudinal barriers that too often enable low-level sexism to go unremarked," she said.

For someone who has held very prominent and important posts, including inside the Department of Premier and Cabinet, there is sparse information about Maree Kovacevic online.  :conf

Very concerning to see Graham Quirk push ahead with Quack Metro.

It bothers me deeply that the Deputy LM is pushing this. The maths does not stack up!! Reality Resistant!!

^ ^



I cannot see the ' Project Director ' pushing a project that delivers 9000 pphpd!   It will simply never fly ...

How long are the platforms at Mater Hill again in meters??

A possible scenario from here.

CRR stays in limbo.  Election, end up with minority Government, eg. LNP + ONH + misc Indis.

LNP then support metro, however the metro to be viable has to be able to deliver 30K pphpd in the end.   So BCC stumps up $1.5B  State stumps up $1.5B or more to deliver a project that is somewhat more sensible.  A lot of bus stations will require major works, the metro would need 6 car trains at least.  My hunch is Victoria Bridge will not be used, perhaps a tunnel under the Cultural Centre and thence onwards under the river, under Adelaide Street.  Most of the Brisbane bus network and the rest of SEQ remains somewhat rooted.   Such is life .. lol

The other scenario is the present mob manage to kick start Cross River Rail.

They are returned to Government after the next election, either majority or minority with Indis and even ONH support.

Metro is kicked into touch.  They simply refuse to allow the inner busway core to be ruined.  Force a proper bus network reform process and a metro is looked at as a longer term option in much the same way as it now at TMR.

Such a ridiculous waste of rate payer money. Hopefully the Feds don't hand over any cash.

Quote from: kram0 on August 06, 2016, 12:35:19 PM
Such a ridiculous waste of rate payer money. Hopefully the Feds don't hand over any cash.

Based on the present parameters, 300 pax trains every 2 minutes with an absurd alignment it will never pass IA scrutiny. 

But as we know, politics often trumps best outcomes for the community in Australia.  Anything is possible sadly.

It is disturbing how Government, the media and even the Opposition on Council seem to be unable to grasp the fact what a massive dislocation this half-baked scheme would cause. If they do, they haven't come and out and really articulated proper arguments as to why it is ratsh%t. 

Apart from one academic,  the rest have clammed up as well.

We are just a logical lone voice in the wilderness of transport mediocrity that is Queensland ...

Righto then ..

^ essentially, what makes a metro work is frequency, capacity, automation, and safety.

The Quirk Metro fails on each of these key parameters.

I have to say that the Busways were never designed to be permanent busways yet designed to be converted to metro/lightrail. The Government is just going with the long term plan. No surprises there!

QuoteI have to say that the Busways were never designed to be permanent busways yet designed to be converted to metro/lightrail. The Government is just going with the long term plan. No surprises there!

I am on record as generally supporting metro conversion of the South East Busway. I believe it would be the most efficient way to move large numbers of people for the lowest cost and give the best service frequency, particularly if automated, like Vancouver (Canada).

A stub tunnel exists between Mater Hill and South Bank stations to facilitate entry to the CBD if required. The fact that Quirk et al has not proposed to use this suggests that he wants to "low ball" the cost of the metro in an attempt to get the State Government to sign up to it.

However, I do not support the Quirk Metro proposal. This is not an inconsistent position - to use an analogy, I may be hungry and want to eat dinner, but that does not mean that I will accept cooked mud pies as dinner service.



Video: Conversion of the Ottawa Transitway (busway) to light metro (uses LRT vehicles)

Quote from: verbatim9 on August 06, 2016, 22:52:17 PM
I have to say that the Busways were never designed to be permanent busways yet designed to be converted to metro/lightrail. The Government is just going with the long term plan. No surprises there!

Nope!  The only bus station that was built for possible light rail conversion was Mater Hill (light rail, not long metro trains).  The notion of any subsequent conversion was abandoned long ago as it was too expensive to properly construct and future proof - a typical Queensland thing.  It will cost a fortune to retro-fit now.

This is one of the reasons they have latched on to rubber tyre metro, as they think they can cope with the grades on the non future proofed system - steel rail will not. Problem is they cannot use trains of the necessary length on the alignment they have proposed.  Crazy stuff when you take it apart, as we have.

Good luck with that.  Brisbane is well on the way to a major transport crisis. A half-baked metro wrecking one of the few public transport assets Brisbane has is farcical and sad.

Sensible Government does not spend billions of dollars to reduce the capacity of the public transport network system.  It is brain-snapping!

FUKWITS!

A Brisbane ' metro ' has to be truly capable of delivering 30,000 pphpd. 

Spending billions of our dollars must be a gain, not a loss.  The disruption to the bus network will be very significant, the average punter who glides to work on their pocket rocket is oblivious to the pending chaos.  There must be real gains to warrant the expenditure and network chaos.

There will be only one chance to get this right. 

I will vigorously oppose anything that is half-baked and not in the best long term interests of our community.

An observer report from today's BCC meeting:

" BCC to conduct it's own review of bus services affected by metro project. "  said by Cr Schrinner

LOL

What is TransLink's purpose? 

When you think it couldn't get much worse, it just peaks to a higher level of ' basket case-ness '   




I think I am very fortunate that I am retired and live west of BrisBANE.  I will generally be able to avoid the transport meltdown that is Brisbane, sadly many will not be so lucky.

^ Likewise me.  On a purely personal note, I'm set for years to come with the infrastructure and rollingstock being delivered and the local improvements happening on the Gold Coast, but heaven help anybody who isn't as lucky as me.  That's why we do this.

QuoteAn observer report from today's BCC meeting:

" BCC to conduct it's own review of bus services affected by metro project. "  said by Cr Schrinner

LOL

What is TransLink's purpose? 

Remember when LM Graham Quirk said that the Brisbane Bus Review was the last time they would intercede into bus route planning. Clearly not! This is the THIRD TIME they will do this - first time when they forced in the CityGlider services, which Newman et al threatened would be run privatised and independent from the TL network if he didn't get his way (followed by Maroon CityGlider), and then of course the 2013 bus review.

Pretty much the entire Brisbane bus network will have to be reviewed as buses and metro trains cannot share a Class A alignment into the CBD. Hello reality.

I must admit catching the 333, 332, 330, 331, 341 and 340 each day that there is alot of over crowding due to sheer numbers of commuters @ Chermside, Kelvin Grove and Lutwyche as well as Windsor rail. Metro stage 1 would be best to be built to Lutwyche instead of Herston to make an huge impact. (At the end of the day the overcrowding, delayed and cancelled busses 333 340 330 need to be addressed in the short term.

QuoteI must admit catching the 333, 332, 330, 331, 341 and 340 each day that there is alot of over crowding due to sheer numbers of commuters @ Chermside, Kelvin Grove and Lutwyche as well as Windsor rail. Metro stage 1 would be best to be built to Lutwyche instead of Herston to make an huge impact. (At the end of the day the overcrowding, delayed and cancelled busses 333 340 330 need to be addressed in the short term.

I agree with you that a basic North-South axis along existing busways makes sense for a new metro spine.

We must not forget though that almost all of the QR network can be converted to a metro by simply running more trains more often in the off-peak times, introducing DOO to pay for it and reorganising key bus routes to feed the network.

Quote from: verbatim9 on August 10, 2016, 20:59:05 PMI must admit catching the 333, 332, 330, 331, 341 and 340 each day that there is alot of over crowding due to sheer numbers of commuters @ Chermside, Kelvin Grove and Lutwyche as well as Windsor rail. Metro stage 1 would be best to be built to Lutwyche instead of Herston to make an huge impact. (At the end of the day the overcrowding, delayed and cancelled busses 333 340 330 need to be addressed in the short term.

Is this because the Gympie Rd corridor is so high-demand, or because hundreds of people on the northside drive and park near the Gympie Rd corridor because the bus network up that way is appalling?
I think it is the latter. Bus network reform would go a long way to solving all these problems. Another problem created by lack of network reform which is "solved" by the metro.

QuoteIs this because the Gympie Rd corridor is so high-demand, or because hundreds of people on the northside drive and park near the Gympie Rd corridor because the bus network up that way is appalling?
I think it is the latter. Bus network reform would go a long way to solving all these problems. Another problem created by lack of network reform which is "solved" by the metro.

James raises a good point. On the Gold Coast patronage has increased because light rail was installed (the ROW was upgraded from Priority C to Priority B), but this also forced the network to be reformed. Part of that patronage increase has occurred due to network reform alone.

In Brisbane, we already have a rail network and a bus network. The network reform can be done independently of whether we want to build a metro or not. If we choose to build a metro, the reform will have to be completed anyway.

Bus reform means major improvements right now on the cheap!

Spend billions of dollars on a ' quack metro ' that is a complete con  ...  sure

Spend $4K or so on sun screen.  OH MY GOD !

[ Brisbanetimes --> Council spends $4330 on CityCycle sunscreen incentive ]

Not much proof needed is there?  Brisbane is truly a big basket case ...

I think blue team in council is gone. There are only so many times you can run the "Team [insert candidate's name]".

A metro is completely undeliverable within four years, as are the fountains, plans to turn Rocklea floodplain into a bizzare mud-flat

garden exhibition and so forth. Quirk will probably retire, handing over to Cr Adrian Schrinner and along with his retirement will reset all

the policy promises made. To top it all off, it will be "the state government's fault" for not delivering their own program.

Responsibility is apparently not a thing down at City Hall.

I reckon there is a lot of local government political will to fulfil the Lnp Transport agenda.

Quote from: verbatim9 on August 11, 2016, 18:21:06 PM
I reckon there is a lot of local government political will to fulfil the Lnp Transport agenda.

Non deliverable nonsense.

Quote from: verbatim9 on August 11, 2016, 18:21:06 PMI reckon there is a lot of local government political will to fulfil the Lnp Transport agenda.

Political will there may be, funding and alignment there is not! Expect that after this recent Victoria 'Green Bridge' spat between QG and BCC that when BCC asks for access to the inner SEB, state Labor will say no.

Until Labor puts up a competent LM candidate though, expect the LNP to continue to control BCC. Harding could have won if he played his cards right, but his ideas were terrible. At least the LNP's bad ideas were destined to fall flat on their face, LRT had a serious chance of getting up IMO.

QuoteUntil Labor puts up a competent LM candidate though, expect the LNP to continue to control BCC. Harding could have won if he played his cards right, but his ideas were terrible. At least the LNP's bad ideas were destined to fall flat on their face, LRT had a serious chance of getting up IMO.

It is really difficult to believe that any of the really mind-bending policies are Graham Quirk's.
It just does not match with his personality at all. My suspicion is that they are from a group of advisers to the LM / ideological party staff,
and not knowing any better, just runs with it.

The great weakness with Blue Team is that they see public consultation as surrender. Red Team, culturally, is far more open and willing to at least talk over ideas with stakeholder groups before launching them. Now, that is no guarantee of good policy, but it is some form of modest protection against bad policy.

It is unfortunate that the latest BCC elections really turned out to be an exercise in who could lower themselves into the proverbial gutter first. Both sides had utterly ridiculous policies, many unimplementable.

Rod Hardings Light Fail had little chance as the Victoria Bridge needs to be modified before LRT can pass over it. Then they wouldn't tell anyone about whether it was going to be run in Priority B or Priority C (important as DDA restrictions essentially mean that Melbourne style Priority C running is out) and went into denial when valid questions about geometry and space availability were raised.

Our leaders are so frustrating, it is no surprise there is a massive move to fringe groups and parties.

Sent to all outlets:

12th August 2016

Your call ... do you think we have a problem?

Good Morning,

Very sad to note that the BCC meeting and Brisbane gets worked up in a lather about $4000 or so of sun screen, but cannot seem to come to terms with the fact that spending billions of dollars on the ' metro ' con is a nonsense, when bus network reform will deliver better benefit for our community for near neutral cost?

Do you think we have a public transport policy problem?  Your call ...

Best wishes
Robert

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

Reference:

Brisbanetimes --> Council spends $4330 on CityCycle sunscreen incentive

[ Attached: http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11952.msg177500#msg177500 ]

Quote from: LD Transit on August 11, 2016, 00:52:18 AM
If we choose to build a metro, the reform will have to be completed anyway.

This has been my theory all along.  The whole reason for the metro is to provide the political justification to reform the bus network (i.e. "force" bus reform to occur).

Back in 2013, there was huge opposition to the bus reform proposals because it meant that people had to change - or walk an extra block - or something equally as stupid.  The LNP thought they'd lose the election if they pushed ahead with it - and that's their attitude to this day.  The metro is a way of forcing the issue.  Why else would you spend billions on something that will reduce capacity through part of the network?  By introducing new infrastructure, the LNP will have an excuse for bus reform.  "Oh we have to change the way the bus network functions because of the metro."

And this is why the LNP won't contribute towards CRR, which effectively achieves the same thing (and a whole lot more).  Although CRR will connect with the bus network, the bus network infrastructure won't be affected.  While some bus reform could occur at this point, it's not enough to be able to say to people, "we HAVE to reform the network."

For example, once CRR is built, you could terminate a bunch of buses from the south at Woolloongabba Station - where people could change to a different bus or catch a train for the rest of their journey.  I wouldn't recommend this - but it's the same as what's proposed for the metro.  However without the physical reason why this has to occur (i.e. metro now occupying the busway), people will scream.

The LNP doesn't want what's best for the public transport network.  They just want to make sure they win the next election.

The Quirk ' metro ' as proposed will never happen.

Brisbane could well do with a proper metro, eventually it needs to be able to deliver at least 30,000 pphpd (real), fully automatic.

The main axis needs to be Chermside <> 8MP or thereabouts.

A further line Toowong <> Hamilton (this would also service UQ St Lucia).

The quacker alignment is not future proofing at all.  If a start is to be made Herston <> Woolloongabba it will need a dedicated tunnel that will allow the ' metro ' to be expanded north and south eventually. Victoria Bridge, city busway alignments not suitable at all.

Cross River Rail may or may not happen.  What will happen is the ETCS L2 signalling upgrade Milton <> Northgate.

The time will come (assuming CRR is up to CRR#21 or so) when the number of trains Roma St <> Bowen Hills via Central will be maximum, the Exhibition loop line will have to be modified for normal services, as it would be for CRR but without CRR.

This is then becomes an interesting exercise to think about how trains would run.

Quote from: Derwan on August 12, 2016, 07:51:35 AM

Quote from: LD Transit on August 11, 2016, 00:52:18 AM
If we choose to build a metro, the reform will have to be completed anyway.

This has been my theory all along.  The whole reason for the metro is to provide the political justification to reform the bus network (i.e. "force" bus reform to occur).

Back in 2013, there was huge opposition to the bus reform proposals because it meant that people had to change - or walk an extra block - or something equally as stupid.  The LNP thought they'd lose the election if they pushed ahead with it - and that's their attitude to this day.  The metro is a way of forcing the issue.  Why else would you spend billions on something that will reduce capacity through part of the network?  By introducing new infrastructure, the LNP will have an excuse for bus reform.  "Oh we have to change the way the bus network functions because of the metro."

And this is why the LNP won't contribute towards CRR, which effectively achieves the same thing (and a whole lot more).  Although CRR will connect with the bus network, the bus network infrastructure won't be affected.  While some bus reform could occur at this point, it's not enough to be able to say to people, "we HAVE to reform the network."

For example, once CRR is built, you could terminate a bunch of buses from the south at Woolloongabba Station - where people could change to a different bus or catch a train for the rest of their journey.  I wouldn't recommend this - but it's the same as what's proposed for the metro.  However without the physical reason why this has to occur (i.e. metro now occupying the busway), people will scream.

The LNP doesn't want what's best for the public transport network.  They just want to make sure they win the next election.

Even with bus reform Queens Wharf will need a metro station. The buses will not cope with the sheer numbers in the precinct. Especially around major events

QuoteThis has been my theory all along.  The whole reason for the metro is to provide the political justification to reform the bus network (i.e. "force" bus reform to occur).

I really doubt that. It would require some sophistication on the part of blue team. And after fountains in the Brisbane river, Zillmere to UQ Rockets, the cleveland solution and so forth- I don't think they're that sophisticated.

Fully expect PRT or flying magic carpets - anything is possible in future faking / fantasy land.

QuoteThe LNP doesn't want what's best for the public transport network.  They just want to make sure they win the next election.

Ten years is a good run. After that the rot sets in - complacency, not listening etc. Needs a good election loss to force renewal. Right not it is stale.