#GetMovingSEQ campaign targets southeast’s commuter crisis

[ozbob]

#GetMovingSEQ Tweets

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

6th June 2015

Self-Fund: Develop Rail Properties To Fund Cross River Rail

Sunshine Coast transport consultant Peter Quick is on the money. The Queensland Government has a number of options to self-fund Cross River Rail:

1. Property and land development above and around QR Stations.
2. Borrowing against the value of profit-making public assets withheld from sale.
3. Extending Land Taxation by removing the tax-free threshold and broadening the base.*
4. Growing the Queensland Economy

A visit to the website of MTR Hong Kong - the same company operating Melbourne's rail network - shows its property development division MTR properties has almost fifty stations where high-intensity development has been placed above or around rail stations, including light rail stops.

Attempts to recapture value generated by Queensland's transit infrastructure to date have been lacking. Private property owners around rail stations are already getting a free boost to their property values, courtesy of the Queensland Government and taxpayers. Or high-value land has been left to low value uses such as park-and-ride, which is not the highest and best use. We think the government can do a better job of clawing back that money through station development and land taxation changes.

Inner-city locations where land values are high or stations close to shopping centres are good choices. Increased development around stations will generate jobs for Queenslanders, grow the Queensland economy, and increase farebox revenue on the public transport network generally. If student accommodation is built, it may also attract a subsidy from Brisbane City Council.

Proposals to fix up the bus network (mostly using existing resources, http://tiny.cc/newnetwork ) and a concept proposal for a RiverCity Rail tunnel (see link below) have already been developed by our members. This would complement the above changes.

Ultimately the Queensland Government must fund the lion's share of Cross River Rail as it is the sole owner of Queensland Rail. The Perth precedent shows that self-funding can be done. The Queensland Government is responsible for governing Queensland. History shows that governments that fail to act are quickly removed from office.

Best wishes,
Robert

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

References:

MTR Hong Kong Property Development
https://www.mtr.com.hk/en/corporate/properties/prop_dev_index.html

The Unique Genius of Hong Kong's Public Transportation System
http://www.theatlantic.com/china/archive/2013/09/the-unique-genius-of-hong-kongs-public-transportation-system/279528/

Opinion: Queensland should forget federal funding for cross river rail and turn to private sector to get things moving
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/opinion/opinion-queensland-should-forget-federal-funding-for-cross-river-rail-and-turn-to-private-sector-to-get-things-moving/story-fnihsr9v-1227373139965

Basics: The math of park and ride
http://www.humantransit.org/2014/10/basics-the-math-of-park-and-ride.html

River City Rail Tunnel Concept
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11413.msg155988#msg155988

Brisbane City Council Subsidies
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/developers-to-receive-discounts-to-build-brisbane-student-accomodation-20150225-13om7y.html

* Rough Calculation

10 billion dollars (project cost) divided by 5 million people (rounded population of Queensland) divided by 40 years (infrastructure economic life) = $50 per person, per year.

New Bus Network Proposal (Updated) ---> http://tiny.cc/newnetwork
Current Brisbane City Council Bus Network ---> http://tiny.cc/checkyourbus
Bus Reform Report  'Frequency is Freedom' ---> http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/reform/BusReformBlueprint.pdf

Transit Oriented Development - possible locations

Inner City

Auchenflower
Bowen Hills
Buranda
Coorparoo
Dutton Park
Fairfield
Morningside
Park Road
Taringa
Windsor
Wooloongabba (co-constructed with CRR)

Suburban

Cleveland
Eagle Junction
Mitchelton
Nundah
Sandgate
Strathpine
Toombul
Wynnum

Other

Beerwah
Caboolture
Helensvale
Nambour
Robina

[ozbob]

Letter to the editor Queensland Times published 6th June 2015 page 23

Will poor transport record continue?

[HappyTrainGuy]

Strathpine?? A tod?? Not for another few decades mate

[ozbob]

Strathpine?? A tod?? Not for another few decades mate

Plan ahead ...  buy up a few properties now ..   

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Jobs in Queensland: 40,000 jobs will go south after state rejects asset sales

QUEENSLAND will lose tens of thousands of construction jobs over the next four years as the state is punished for rejecting asset sales.

Leading business analysts BIS Shrapnel forecast public spending on big-ticket infrastructure in the southeast corner will flat-line between now and 2018, driving 40,000 workers over the border to booming projects in Sydney.

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad accused Canberra of abandoning Queenslanders' needs and "blackmailing" the state by refusing to help fund desperately-need public transport projects unless the Palaszczuk Government breaks its key election promise of not selling assets ...

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

7th June 2015

Greetings,

With any infrastructure solutions years and years away it is time to reform the Brisbane bus network.

Lord Mayor Quirk Drops Ball on Brisbane Bus Network

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport reveals that Brisbane City Council's aversion to a new bus network isn't even supported by its own research.

The Courier-Mail reported the Lord Mayor's views on a new bus network, indicating that passengers didn't like connections:

... Mr Quirk has ruled out another review and remains opposed to the interchanges approach. "Feedback from commuters is they prefer direct journeys,'' he said.

Actually, Brisbane City Council's own research shows the exact opposite. We refer the Lord Mayor to council's own Lord Mayor's Mass Transit Investigation Report where it states explicitly on page 12:

"A significant number of comments indicated that direct services were not always required and they accepted the need to transfer to reach their destination."

Over 3000 submissions were made to that review. Perhaps it is time Brisbane City Council took its own advice? Our own in-house research for our New Bus Network Proposal http://tiny.cc/netwnetwork also shows people will choose connections if it means affordable fares and more buses more often.

Our New Bus Network Proposal implements Brisbane City Council's own transport recommendations, which we reproduce here:

"System wide recommendations"

* Feeder services: High frequency feeder services, with adequate priority, are required to/from rail and busway line-haul corridors.

* A significant number of comments indicated that direct services were not always required and they accepted the need to transfer to reach their destination.

* Multi Door Access: Minimising embarking/disembarking times is critical in achieving faster journey times. This outcome needs to be facilitated with multiple door access to buses and mass transit vehicles.

* Cross-town services: Cross town services linking major centres outside the CBD and surrounds, new employment nodes such as Australia Trade Coast, railway, busway and BUZ corridors are required to cater for increased diversity of travel. Cross-town routes should have adequate priority and services must be frequent to make them a viable travel choice.

* The busway network needs to be operated with higher capacity buses in the short term. Articulated and/or bi-articulated Bus Rapid Transit vehicles, which could operate exclusively on the busways, need to be priorities in fleet acquisition plans. In the long term, busways will need a larger capacity vehicle that may be readily adapted to light rail or similar vehicle with comparable capacity and performance.

* There is a need for a partnership between Brisbane City Council, State Government and potentially the private sector in proposing to develop new or innovative public transport improvements.

If the Mayor of Auckland, Brisbane's sister city, and Auckland City Council can reform Auckland's bus network so that buses work with trains, ferries and other buses, why can't our Lord Mayor do it?

In our opinion, the Lord Mayor's so-called bus 'evolution' is phoney. It would take five decades to reform the bus network this way.

The time has come for Deputy Premier Jackie Trad to call in Lord Mayor Graham Quirk's bus network and nationalise Brisbane Transport.

Best wishes
Robert

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

References:

#GetMovingSEQ: Empty buses clogging Brisbane streets
http://www.news.com.au/national/queensland/getmovingseq-empty-buses-clogging-brisbane-streets/story-fnii5v6w-1227377268454

Lord Mayor's Taskforce: Brisbane Mass Transit Investigation
http://wtsag.org.au/sites/default/files/2009-06-04-Lord%20Mayors%20Tasksforce%20Brisbane%20Mass%20Transit%20Investigation.pdf

Taskforce: The taskforce consisted of Cr David McLachlan (LNP, Taskforce Chair), Mr John Gralton and Mr Stephen Lonie supported by a working group from the Brisbane City Council's Urban Transport Section of Transport and Traffic (City Policy and Strategy Division) performing project secretariat and coordination activities.

Calculation.
c.a. 200 bus routes divided by 4 bus route changes per year is 50 years.

Auckland Transport New Bus Network


Transferring is Good For You and Your City
http://www.humantransit.org/2009/04/why-transferring-is-good-for-you-and-good-for-your-city.html

Report: Frequency is Freedom
http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/reform/BusReformBlueprint.pdf

[ozbob]

See today's Sunday Mail pages 39, 40 & 41 ..

COUNTING DOWN TO MAYHEM ..

[#Metro]

Failure to sell an asset is not a reason for failure to fund.

If an asset is sold, the cash value of the asset given to the asset owner.
Alternatively, the asset owner can withhold the asset from sale and borrow against the asset up to the asset's value.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

7th June 2015

' COUNTING DOWN TO MAYHEM '

Greetings,

In today's Sunday Mail is an in depth Agenda article titled ' COUNTING DOWN TO MAYHEM '

Pages 39, 40 & 41.

The article describes the infrastructure planning failures, with a few limited highlights.

It will be many many years before significant public transport infrastructure is advanced in SEQ.

As we have pointed out that although significant infrastructure is needed there are steps that can be taken to improve the capacity, & efficiency of the public transport network and help ameliorate congestion.

1. Fix up the Brisbane bus network.  TransLink attempted to do this in 2013.  Despite bleats by the Lord Mayor the Brisbane bus network is broken and needs sorting.

2. Advance the Automatic Train Protection - ETCS - Level 2 project.

3. Fare reform.  Making out of peak travel more attractive will lead to better utilisation of the public transport asset (in conjunction with network reform).

4. Better support for active transport.

5. Grade separation (level crossing replacement).  One of the best 'bangs for the buck' going.  Helps to improve not only the reliability and frequency of the rail network but significantly helps to address road congestion.  Buses are also caught up in the road congestion. It is also a major safety benefit.

6.  Bus priority - bus lanes and traffic light priority.  If you prioritise the buses, and have proper network reform with more buses more often, people will use them.

It is not all doom and gloom.  Just takes some vision and leadership.

Best wishes
Robert

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

[ozbob]

Twitter

Robert Dow ‏@Robert_Dow 5s

'Lord Mayor Quirk Drops Ball on Brisbane Bus Network' > http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11443.msg157206#msg157206 ... #qldpol @Rod4Bris @CrMiltonDick

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

8th June 2015

Greetings,

Brisbane Bus Reform - how to catch the network reform bus!

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers has again called on Deputy Premier Jackie Trad to Fix Lord Mayor Graham Quirk's broken Brisbane bus network.

The Courier-Mail campaign #GetMovingSEQ and coverage over the past two weeks shows that all is not well with the bus network. Brisbane's bus network needs to change, just like the bus networks of other international cities have changed. It's a natural part of becoming a 'New World City'. Most of our new bus network proposal ( http://tiny.cc/newnetwork ) does not require passengers to change services. Where passengers are required to change, this happens mostly on services with low patronage where few are affected. Our New Bus Network Proposal is funded by re-arranging existing bus services.

A suggested strategy:

1. Don't sign the Brisbane bus contract in September. Any contract should only be for the rental of bus depots from Brisbane City Council. The Queensland Government already owns the buses and already pays 75% of the running costs. There is nothing stopping the Queensland Government from producing the bus services itself, just like the NSW Government does through State Transit buses in Sydney.

2. Nationalise Brisbane Transport. Alter The City of Brisbane Act 2010, reversing the 1925 Queensland Government decision to outsource transport services to Brisbane City Council. If necessary, funding supply can also be guaranteed in this way. This will bring Brisbane into line with all other states and territories. All jobs would transfer to the Queensland Government.

3. Staged, rolling local bus reviews using the 'Auckland Method'. These areas are provided as a guide only. By breaking down the task, resources can be focused and TransLink will not be swamped with work. Most of the groundwork was already done in 2013 by TransLink:

South - everything east of the Ipswich Railway line and west of the SE Freeway
East - everything east of the SE Freeway and south of the Brisbane River
North - everything north of Enoggera Creek and the Brisbane River
The Gap - everything north of the Western Freeway and south of Enoggera Creek
West - everything south of Mt Coo-tha and west of the Ipswich Rail line

4. Implementation. New trunk services should be introduced first (e.g. 400 CentenaryGlider, 230 BulimbaGlider etc) before adjustments to minor services are made. This allows people to change to the new service before the old ones are removed, easing the transition.

These reviews should include in-person public deputations and interactive workshop activities where participants can draw up bus networks. This means participants can 'know it in their hands' and experience the trade-offs that come with network redesign. Our research suggests 80% of resources be dedicated to patronage services, and 20% to coverage services. External expert assistance will be required to manage this process from start to finish. A whole of network approach should be adopted, and no financials or route-by route analysis should appear anywhere.

Failure to reform the bus network led to the 20% and 15% fare increases in the Bligh administration, and the 7.5% fare increases and spectacular loss of portfolio functions to Brisbane City Council in the Newman Government. Election goners. Failure to review the network this time around will mean more unaffordable cost-explosive fare increases and increasing draw on the Queensland Treasury for funds by Brisbane City Council.

Can the new administration do it? The count down to mayhem is ticking away ...

Best wishes,
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

7th June 2015

' COUNTING DOWN TO MAYHEM '

Greetings,

In today's Sunday Mail is an in depth Agenda article titled ' COUNTING DOWN TO MAYHEM '

Pages 39, 40 & 41.

The article describes the infrastructure planning failures, with a few limited highlights.

It will be many many years before significant public transport infrastructure is advanced in SEQ.

As we have pointed out that although significant infrastructure is needed there are steps that can be taken to improve the capacity, & efficiency of the public transport network and help ameliorate congestion.

1. Fix up the Brisbane bus network.  TransLink attempted to do this in 2013.  Despite bleats by the Lord Mayor the Brisbane bus network is broken and needs sorting.

2. Advance the Automatic Train Protection - ETCS - Level 2 project.

3. Fare reform.  Making out of peak travel more attractive will lead to better utilisation of the public transport asset (in conjunction with network reform).

4. Better support for active transport.

5. Grade separation (level crossing replacement).  One of the best 'bangs for the buck' going.  Helps to improve not only the reliability and frequency of the rail network but significantly helps to address road congestion.  Buses are also caught up in the road congestion. It is also a major safety benefit.

6.  Bus priority - bus lanes and traffic light priority.  If you prioritise the buses, and have proper network reform with more buses more often, people will use them.

It is not all doom and gloom.  Just takes some vision and leadership.

Best wishes
Robert

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

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

9th June 2015

Eastern busway

Good Morning,

Interesting item on the Courier Mail web site.

Couriermail Quest --> Push for Eastern Busway to avert Brisbane bayside gridlock

The cost for a busway extension of the Eastern busway is simply not justified, particularly when delivering improved bus priority and access by surface road augmentation and traffic light priority is a practical and cost effective solution.

To quote Cr Schrinner from the the article ' Cr Schrinner said the Government needed to prioritise funding either the $1.7 billion Eastern Busway expansion or $50 million on the Eastern Transit Way to fix delays from Coorparoo to Capalaba. '

We agree that the Eastern Transit Way solution developed by the Newman Government is a sensible thing to do.  Delivering good value for the investment.  Brisbane bus network reform is also a critical step.

Expensive infrastructure and concrete is not the only answer.

Best wishes
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

16th May 2015

Good Morning,

Brisbane City Council should pay $2.2 Billion for Eastern Busway

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers welcomes a petition by Deputy Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner for extending the Eastern Busway.

New Bus Network Proposal (Updated) >> http://tiny.cc/newnetwork

Current Brisbane City Council Bus Network >> http://tiny.cc/checkyourbus

Report: Frequency is Freedom >> http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/reform/BusReformBlueprint.pdf

The latest extension to the Eastern Busway cost $465 million dollars for just 1 km. Substantial home demolition, compulsory land resumption and extremely expensive tunnelling works are necessary for the extension of the Eastern Busway.

We estimate the per-kilometre cost to be around $300 million per kilometre. A 15-km extension of the Eastern Busway to Capalaba would thus cost approximately $4.5 billion dollars. How much of this amount is Brisbane City Council prepared to contribute?

We think a fair contribution by the Lord Mayor would be around $2.2 billion dollars.

Our evaluation also suggests significant reforms to the Brisbane City Council bus network are necessary. The problem is this: an extended Eastern Busway will accelerate the dumping of massive volumes of buses into the South East Busway, pushing it to overcapacity and causing a catastrophic flood of congestion at Cultural Centre, blocking the Victoria Bridge and gridlocking the Brisbane CBD during peak hour.

The Cultural Centre busway is already operating over capacity and is flooded with half-empty buses in peak hour. Brisbane City Council's rejection of bus superstops proposed in 2013 also means the kerb space required to drop more passengers off in the Brisbane CBD is lacking. Brisbane City Council must make difficult reforms to its own bus network before funds are released for this new infrastructure.

Brisbane City Council must engage in bus reform to solve these problems. These problems will not go away, and will grow worse with time.

Our New Bus Network Proposal shows that high frequency bus routes could be rolled out to Bulimba (BulimbaGlider), along Macrossan Avenue and Stanley roads in Seven Hills, along Chatsworth Road and Winstanley streets in Coorparoo and Camp Hill, with minimal new funding simply by rearranging the existing bus services.

We look forward to Deputy Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner confirming Brisbane City Council's anticipated contribution of $2.2 billion towards the Eastern Busway project.

Best wishes
Robert

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


References:

Brisbane Bus Reform: Brisbane City Council's Bus Network - What Went Wrong?
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11175.0

E-petition
http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/work-of-assembly/petitions/e-petition?PetNum=2388

Brisbane Bus Reform: 'FREE' bus upgrade for Seven Hills and Carina!
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11202

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets

10th June 2015

Greetings

#GetMovingSEQ campaign & Channel 9 Transport Crisis EXCLUSIVE

RAIL Back on Track welcomes the significant media interest from The Courier Mail and Channel 9 News over the past two weeks. We really are heading for a transport crisis in SEQ - a perfect storm of unresolved problems.

We compared the business case for BaT with that of Cross River Rail. Business cases measure the benefits per dollar spent and the overall size of the benefits. In both cases Cross River Rail was superior to the BaT project.

There is a crisis within the Brisbane bus network as well. The Lord Mayor's Mass Transit Report 2007 recommendations have largely been unimplemented. The report recommended a move to more feeder services; there are not. The report recommended a move to all door bus boarding; only two routes out of two hundred plus bus routes do this. The report recommended superbuses; there are few and those that are used have 25% of their capacity wasted.

We have some of the world's highest fares, and we fear this will increase if Jackie Trad signs the Brisbane City Council bus contract renewal in September.

We could go on and on and on. Our media releases section is a veritable waterfall when it comes to the all the issues. The Brisbane City Council bus network is worthy of a special investigation all in its own right.

RAIL Back on Track has already proposed a New Bus Network for Brisbane which can be found at this link. http://tiny.cc/newnetwork It is funded by re-arranging existing services.

Once again, RAIL Back on Track welcomes the heightened media interest in public transport and hopes for changes to the Brisbane bus network soon.

Best wishes
Robert

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

References:

RAIL Back On Track Media Releases: http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?board=19.0

Report: Frequency is Freedom
http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/reform/BusReformBlueprint.pdf

Lord Mayor's Taskforce: Brisbane Mass Transit Investigation
http://wtsag.org.au/sites/default/files/2009-06-04-Lord%20Mayors%20Tasksforce%20Brisbane%20Mass%20Transit%20Investigation.pdf

[Jonno]

http://qld.greens.org.au/news/qld/greens-call-palaszczuk-govt-review-public-transport-fares-congestion-and-tolls

GREENS CALL ON PALASZCZUK GOVT TO REVIEW PUBLIC TRANSPORT FARES, CONGESTION AND TOLLS

10/06/2015
The Greens call on the Palaszczuk government to review South East Queensland (SEQ) public transport fares, engage community in Brisbane bus network redesign, and consider congestion charging in lieu of tolls.

Greens spokesperson Charles Worringham has welcomed the Courier Mail's Get Moving SEQ campaign as the region is drowning under ever growing congestion and the public transport network is in crisis.

"The congestion we have today is due to the roads we built over the last 40 years - not the ones we haven't built.  The "Law of Congestion", also known as induced demand, means that any new road capacity just drives up car usage and dependence further.

"We have spent 40 years encouraging the people of South East Queensland to drive more and more.  To rub salt into the wound, a recent study form Vancouver highlighted that for every $1 a person spends on driving, the community pays a staggering $9.  For public transport it is only $1.50. (1)

"Over that same time, cities like Stockholm, Copenhagen, Vancouver and Toronto have reduced the volume of people and goods stuck in congestion by prioritising walking, cycling, public transport and commercial traffic as well as building walkable, transit-oriented, mixed use neighbourhoods.

"There is no doubt significant investment in public transport infrastructure is required across South East Queensland but these projects have long lead times and require large investment of funds. There are short-term actions that can be taken now to address the declining bus patronage and congestion on busways."

The Greens call on the Palaszczuk government to initiate an immediate review of the public transport fares in South East Queensland to significantly increase the use of public transport especially outside the traditional peak hours and non-commute trips.

"Some of the country's highest fares have forced people into their cars, ultimately costing us all even more.  Each trip not made in a car increases a government's ability to fund the infrastructure we really need."

The Greens also call on the Palaszczuk government to undertake a community-engaged redesign of the Brisbane bus network including bus prioritisation lanes similar to the one conducted by our sister city Auckland (2), and to look at trialling higher frequency feeder routes in appropriate suburbs.

"TransLink's own figures in 2013 showed that up to 65% of buses stopping at the Cultural Centre Station in peak hour are less than 50% full. The busways are not at capacity but the poorly designed bus network is.

"The Newman government's previous redesign failed to gain valuable insights from those who don't use public transport today as well as those who do, nor did it explain the challenges being faced or the principles and benefits of the redesign.

"Finally, no serious review of traffic congestion in Brisbane can go anywhere without considering the ditching or reducing tolls for under-used tunnels and implementing a sensible CBD  congestion charge instead -  as Singapore, London, Stockholm, Oslo and others have done successfully. " (3)

For further information contact Charles Worringham on 0408 634 486.

References:

(1) http://movingforward.discoursemedia.org/costofcommute/

(2)

(3) http://thisbigcity.net/five-cities-with-congestion-pricing/

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

13th June 2015

Time to get cracking with PT projects

Greetings,

We welcome the committment to get cracking on these three essential public transport projects:

" ... The Infrastructure Minister and acting Premier said yesterday a second heavy rail river crossing in Brisbane, duplication of the Sunshine Coast line and extending Gold Coast's light rail were vital to tackling congestion. ... "

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-infrastructure-spending-the-big-three-projects-well-borrow-to-fund/story-fntuy59x-1227395436740

The Gold Coast light rail stage 2 could be funded by private investment/operator franchise and realising value-capture along the corridor.

The Sunshine Coast Line upgrade has major benefits for freight transport, as well as enabling better passenger services. As such it is not unreasonable to expect the Federal Government to make a significant contribution. The remainder should be funded out of the State budget.

A second river heavy rail crossing might need to be part funded by property and land development as we detail below.

Doing nothing IS NOT AN OPTION.  We are headlong into a rapidly developing transport crisis.

The Courier Mail has run a series: #GetMovingSEQ ( > http://backontrack.org/docs/cm/GetMovingSEQ/gmseq9.pdf ) which has well demonstrated the critical situation we are in.

There is nowhere to hide.  Brisbane bus network reform, introduction of all door boarding on key bus routes, establishing proper bus priority on the surface road system is just the beginning.

Fare reform for SEQ is also essential.

We are here to help! Just call ...

Best wishes
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

6th June 2015

Self-Fund: Develop Rail Properties To Fund Cross River Rail

Sunshine Coast transport consultant Peter Quick is on the money. The Queensland Government has a number of options to self-fund Cross River Rail:

1. Property and land development above and around QR Stations.
2. Borrowing against the value of profit-making public assets withheld from sale.
3. Extending Land Taxation by removing the tax-free threshold and broadening the base.*
4. Growing the Queensland Economy

A visit to the website of MTR Hong Kong - the same company operating Melbourne's rail network - shows its property development division MTR properties has almost fifty stations where high-intensity development has been placed above or around rail stations, including light rail stops.

Attempts to recapture value generated by Queensland's transit infrastructure to date have been lacking. Private property owners around rail stations are already getting a free boost to their property values, courtesy of the Queensland Government and taxpayers. Or high-value land has been left to low value uses such as park-and-ride, which is not the highest and best use. We think the government can do a better job of clawing back that money through station development and land taxation changes.

Inner-city locations where land values are high or stations close to shopping centres are good choices. Increased development around stations will generate jobs for Queenslanders, grow the Queensland economy, and increase farebox revenue on the public transport network generally. If student accommodation is built, it may also attract a subsidy from Brisbane City Council.

Proposals to fix up the bus network (mostly using existing resources, http://tiny.cc/newnetwork ) and a concept proposal for a RiverCity Rail tunnel (see link below) have already been developed by our members. This would complement the above changes.

Ultimately the Queensland Government must fund the lion's share of Cross River Rail as it is the sole owner of Queensland Rail. The Perth precedent shows that self-funding can be done. The Queensland Government is responsible for governing Queensland. History shows that governments that fail to act are quickly removed from office.

Best wishes,
Robert

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

References:

MTR Hong Kong Property Development
https://www.mtr.com.hk/en/corporate/properties/prop_dev_index.html

The Unique Genius of Hong Kong's Public Transportation System
http://www.theatlantic.com/china/archive/2013/09/the-unique-genius-of-hong-kongs-public-transportation-system/279528/

Opinion: Queensland should forget federal funding for cross river rail and turn to private sector to get things moving
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/opinion/opinion-queensland-should-forget-federal-funding-for-cross-river-rail-and-turn-to-private-sector-to-get-things-moving/story-fnihsr9v-1227373139965

Basics: The math of park and ride
http://www.humantransit.org/2014/10/basics-the-math-of-park-and-ride.html

River City Rail Tunnel Concept
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11413.msg155988#msg155988

Brisbane City Council Subsidies
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/developers-to-receive-discounts-to-build-brisbane-student-accomodation-20150225-13om7y.html

* Rough Calculation

10 billion dollars (project cost) divided by 5 million people (rounded population of Queensland) divided by 40 years (infrastructure economic life) = $50 per person, per year.

New Bus Network Proposal (Updated) ---> http://tiny.cc/newnetwork
Current Brisbane City Council Bus Network ---> http://tiny.cc/checkyourbus
Bus Reform Report  'Frequency is Freedom' ---> http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/reform/BusReformBlueprint.pdf

Transit Oriented Development - possible locations

Inner City

Auchenflower
Bowen Hills
Buranda
Coorparoo
Dutton Park
Fairfield
Morningside
Park Road
Taringa
Windsor
Wooloongabba (co-constructed with CRR)

Suburban

Cleveland
Eagle Junction
Mitchelton
Nundah
Sandgate
Strathpine
Toombul
Wynnum

Other

Beerwah
Caboolture
Helensvale
Nambour
Robina

[ozbob]

Twitter

seattledot ‏@seattledot Jun 11

Thanks again Seattle voters, $45M each year for the next 6 years used to improve bus service in Seattle. All aboard!

[#Metro]

Legitimation. In US cities and some Canadian ones, if there is a big expensive project that requires increased taxes, they have a vote on it and everybody is invited to join a YES side or a NO side. And the proposals have to be good to be defended publicly. This is not a bad way to do funding.

What you would do is legitimate a 0.5% land tax or whatever to fund a transport infrastructure acceleration project. Entirely possible.

[SurfRail]

The counterpunch is you get scare campaigns which actually have the ability to kill things off as a matter of process, rather than just acting on public sentiment in the hope of changing the government's mind.

[Jonno]

What do we want ?

More money for public transport!

Where is it being spent?

On more roads?

What does that create?

More driving?

What do we want....

[verbatim9]

Twitter

seattledot ‏@seattledot Jun 11

Thanks again Seattle voters, $45M each year for the next 6 years used to improve bus service in Seattle. All aboard!

I like the Seattle System how the busses share the tunnel underneath the city with light rail. BNE could do the same with light rail running from Hamilton Harbour via Newstead Valley underground CBD in a shared bus and light rail tunnel surfacing South Brisbane West end, then tunnel to Busway that leads to UQ, then cut and cover and driven tunnel to Indooroopilly Station and shopping centre. Light rail would get a lot patronage as it would pass High Density living on its entire route

[Old Northern Road]

Twitter

seattledot ‏@seattledot Jun 11

Thanks again Seattle voters, $45M each year for the next 6 years used to improve bus service in Seattle. All aboard!

I like the Seattle System how the busses share the tunnel underneath the city with light rail. BNE could do the same with light rail running from Hamilton Harbour via Newstead Valley underground CBD in a shared bus and light rail tunnel surfacing South Brisbane West end, then tunnel to Busway that leads to UQ, then cut and cover and driven tunnel to Indooroopilly Station and shopping centre. Light rail would get a lot patronage as it would pass High Density living on its entire route

If any tunnel is built in Brisbane then it needs to be heavy rail. Anything less than that is wasteful

[verbatim9]

Wasn't implying to move away from the status quo but new initiatives to get Brisbane moving. Sure CRR will relieve  network peak but Mass transit from Hamilton to Indooroopilly via West end would compliment all the high density housing going up and ensure future growth and construction along the corridor and less reliance on cars to travel too major shopping entertainment and office precincts. It would also alleviate congestion on the busy corridor of Taringa Toowong and Coronation Drive

[James]

Kingsford Smith Drive's bus service (Route 300) doesn't run more than hourly after 7pm at night, doesn't even have BUZ frequency during the day and is hardly a bus route 'bursting at the seams'. The ferry is also run on similarly poor service frequency and span.

We need to fix the existing bus network (BUZ 300 urgently needed here) before we suggest a foamy dual light rail + bus tunnel to cross the CBD.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

14th June 2015

Greetings

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk Misses The Bus

A recent article by the Sydney Morning Herald describes the importance of bus network reorganisation and connections.

"The benefits of the Gold Coast line have extended well beyond the tram line, with a 22 per cent increase in the number of public transport trips across the Gold Coast on all modes – buses and trams. This has happened, says Cook, because light rail has allowed the reorganisation of buses.

"We've changed the bus network quite dramatically to feed into the tram at each end, and that improves your overall public transport on the coast, using this as the spine," he says.

More frequent buses now run to light rail stops, where passengers can change to the tram."

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/advocates-of-sydneys-george-street-light-rail-can-take-lessons-from-the-gold-coast-20150612-ghm7nh.html

This 22% patronage increase was achieved in the same high-fares environment that Brisbane City Council's buses operate in. And the tram is actually less frequent than the Gold Coast Highway buses it replaced.  Similar patronage gains are being made in Brisbane's sister city of Auckland, where the entire bus network is now being reorganised.

Introducing selected connection opportunities means that more buses can run more often, cutting waiting time at the bus stop dramatically. This is what drives patronage UP, not down.

Brisbane doesn't have light rail, it has something better - heavy rail trains on a dedicated track. Unlike trams, trains don't have to share intersections with car traffic. More buses in Brisbane's north and west should be running to train stations. See our New Bus Network Proposal http://tiny.cc/newnetwork



Lord Mayor Graham Quirk claims that 'feedback' says that people don't like connections. The problem for him is Brisbane City Council's own Lord Mayor's Mass Transit Report on page 12 says the exact opposite. Worse, there are real-world examples functioning bus networks such as Vancouver, Auckland, Toronto, Houston and now the Gold Coast based around increased connections. And exactly how does the Lord Mayor expect residents of the Centenary suburbs to access health, education and work opportunities at Springfield without performing an interchange?

If Brisbane City Council insists on running every bus route to the CBD, it will not have the funds left over to run its bus network frequently. That's why Brisbane City Council cancelled proposed bus upgrades to Albany Creek, Yeronga and the Centenary suburbs.

In our opinion, the Lord Mayor's so-called bus 'evolution' is phoney. It would take five decades to reform the bus network this way.

Funding for any infrastructure project will not appear any time soon. Intense pressure is growing for bus reform. Deputy Premier Jackie Trad should very seriously consider refusing to sign Brisbane City Council's bus contract and instead nationalise Brisbane Transport.

Don't miss the bus like Brisbane's Lord Mayor!

Best wishes,
Robert

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

References:

Brisbane Bus Reform: Brisbane City Council's Bus Network - What Went Wrong?
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11175.0

Transferring is Good For You and Your City
http://www.humantransit.org/2009/04/why-transferring-is-good-for-you-and-good-for-your-city.html

Report: Frequency is Freedom
http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/reform/BusReformBlueprint.pdf

Lord Mayor's Taskforce: Brisbane Mass Transit Investigation http://wtsag.org.au/sites/default/files/2009-06-04-Lord%20Mayors%20Tasksforce%20Brisbane%20Mass%20Transit%20Investigation.pdf

Taskforce: The taskforce consisted of Cr David McLachlan (LNP, Taskforce Chair), Mr John Gralton and Mr Stephen Lonie supported by a working group from the Brisbane City Council's Urban Transport Section of Transport and Traffic (City Policy and Strategy Division) performing project secretariat and coordination activities.

Advocates of Sydney's George Street light rail can take lessons from the Gold Coast http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/advocates-of-sydneys-george-street-light-rail-can-take-lessons-from-the-gold-coast-20150612-ghm7nh.html

[ozbob]

A letter to the Editor Queensland Times 17th June 2015 page 15

Transport upgrade the ' best solution '

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

17th June 2015

Re: Lord Mayor Graham Quirk Misses The Bus

Greetings,

And further more if Brisbane City Council is left to ride rough shod over SEQ public transport network, is the cost and the bureaucracy of TransLink warranted?

May as go back to the days of a non-integrated shambolic public transport network under individual operator control, which is where it is heading again to today.

Either give TransLink the authority to actually do what is needed or scrap it.  There is a ' strong choice' and a ' plan ' ...

What a mess.

Best wishes
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

17th June 2015

Re: Lord Mayor Graham Quirk Misses The Bus

Good Morning,

Is it?  It certainly isn't for Brisbane bus commuters.  The Brisbane bus network is falling apart. See >> https://twitter.com/TransLinkSEQ

And this is only a small amount of the disruption.  Most no shows, lates etc. are not reported in my opinion. Patronage is nose-diving, further worsening the mess on the roads.

Buses are regularly cancelled around Brisbane because of traffic congestion, this in turn just forces more into cars and congestion, which further results in more buses being cancelled. HOPELESS!

This morning in the Brisbanetimes Brisbane rates to rise 2.5% > http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/bcc-budget-brisbane-rates-to-rise-25-per-cent-20150616-ghpntl.html

... Cr Quirk said the council's bus network subsidy would rise to a record $81.9 million, with an additional $7.1 million for the CityGlider high-frequency services and $25.4 million for CityCats and ferries.

"As the only city council in Australia that runs a public transport system, we will continue our commitment to the bus and ferry network with a $114 million in the budget," he said.

"Our bus fleet is now the most modern in Australia – we have delivered 1090 new buses since 2004 with another 60 new buses in the coming year, 100 per cent of the fleet is air conditioned and 100 per cent low floor disability accessible.

"We will continue to improve the wheelchair and mobility aid accessibility of Brisbane's bus network with a $7.6 million project to upgrade the city's network of bus stops.

"Council will also undertake a trial of dedicated priority seating at CBD bus stops to make these bus stops more accessible to passengers who are elderly, people with a disability, pregnant women and parents with small children." ...

There is a very good reason why Brisbane council is the only one that runs a public transport system.  IT DOES NOT WORK.  What is TransLink really about?  We need a proper integrated public transport network with all modes working optimally.  Brisbane City Council puts petty self interest and politics before a proper integrated public transport for all of SEQ.

We have outlined a road map to reform.  The public transport system is in crisis.  Time it was sorted.

Best wishes
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

14th June 2015

Greetings

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk Misses The Bus

A recent article by the Sydney Morning Herald describes the importance of bus network reorganisation and connections.

"The benefits of the Gold Coast line have extended well beyond the tram line, with a 22 per cent increase in the number of public transport trips across the Gold Coast on all modes – buses and trams. This has happened, says Cook, because light rail has allowed the reorganisation of buses.

"We've changed the bus network quite dramatically to feed into the tram at each end, and that improves your overall public transport on the coast, using this as the spine," he says.

More frequent buses now run to light rail stops, where passengers can change to the tram."

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/advocates-of-sydneys-george-street-light-rail-can-take-lessons-from-the-gold-coast-20150612-ghm7nh.html

This 22% patronage increase was achieved in the same high-fares environment that Brisbane City Council's buses operate in. And the tram is actually less frequent than the Gold Coast Highway buses it replaced.  Similar patronage gains are being made in Brisbane's sister city of Auckland, where the entire bus network is now being reorganised.

Introducing selected connection opportunities means that more buses can run more often, cutting waiting time at the bus stop dramatically. This is what drives patronage UP, not down.

Brisbane doesn't have light rail, it has something better - heavy rail trains on a dedicated track. Unlike trams, trains don't have to share intersections with car traffic. More buses in Brisbane's north and west should be running to train stations. See our New Bus Network Proposal http://tiny.cc/newnetwork



Lord Mayor Graham Quirk claims that 'feedback' says that people don't like connections. The problem for him is Brisbane City Council's own Lord Mayor's Mass Transit Report on page 12 says the exact opposite. Worse, there are real-world examples functioning bus networks such as Vancouver, Auckland, Toronto, Houston and now the Gold Coast based around increased connections. And exactly how does the Lord Mayor expect residents of the Centenary suburbs to access health, education and work opportunities at Springfield without performing an interchange?

If Brisbane City Council insists on running every bus route to the CBD, it will not have the funds left over to run its bus network frequently. That's why Brisbane City Council cancelled proposed bus upgrades to Albany Creek, Yeronga and the Centenary suburbs.

In our opinion, the Lord Mayor's so-called bus 'evolution' is phoney. It would take five decades to reform the bus network this way.

Funding for any infrastructure project will not appear any time soon. Intense pressure is growing for bus reform. Deputy Premier Jackie Trad should very seriously consider refusing to sign Brisbane City Council's bus contract and instead nationalise Brisbane Transport.

Don't miss the bus like Brisbane's Lord Mayor!

Best wishes,
Robert

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

References:

Brisbane Bus Reform: Brisbane City Council's Bus Network - What Went Wrong?
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11175.0

Transferring is Good For You and Your City
http://www.humantransit.org/2009/04/why-transferring-is-good-for-you-and-good-for-your-city.html

Report: Frequency is Freedom
http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/reform/BusReformBlueprint.pdf

Lord Mayor's Taskforce: Brisbane Mass Transit Investigation http://wtsag.org.au/sites/default/files/2009-06-04-Lord%20Mayors%20Tasksforce%20Brisbane%20Mass%20Transit%20Investigation.pdf

Taskforce: The taskforce consisted of Cr David McLachlan (LNP, Taskforce Chair), Mr John Gralton and Mr Stephen Lonie supported by a working group from the Brisbane City Council's Urban Transport Section of Transport and Traffic (City Policy and Strategy Division) performing project secretariat and coordination activities.

Advocates of Sydney's George Street light rail can take lessons from the Gold Coast http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/advocates-of-sydneys-george-street-light-rail-can-take-lessons-from-the-gold-coast-20150612-ghm7nh.html

[ozbob]

Twitter

My Aural Fixation ‏@myauralfixation 18h

@TransLinkSEQ I don't think TransLink has a realistic perspective at all of what's going on with public tpt in Brisbane. Worst in Aus.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

17th June 2015

Greetings

Lord Mayor Quirk to announce new CityGlider bus services?

RAIL Back on Track is cautiously optimistic that Lord Mayor Graham Quirk may announce new CityGliders in time for the 2016 Brisbane City Council elections in an attempt to ward off lord mayoral challenger Rod Harding. In our New Bus Network Proposal http://tiny.cc/newnetwork we detail two new CityGlider services - a 230 BulimbaGlider via Riding and Thynne Roads, and a 400 CentenaryGlider superbus to the Centenary suburbs. The reported additional $7.1 million dollars for CityGlider services in the Lord Mayor's budget suggests to us that either one or both a BulimbaGlider or CentenaryGlider will be announced by the Lord Mayor before he goes to an election in 2016.

RAIL Back on Track would welcome funding for either a CentenaryGlider or BulimbaGlider, as CityGliders.

Brisbane City Council's bus network requires major reform. In our opinion, the Lord Mayor's  bus network 'evolution' - taking around 50 years to complete - is phoney and unacceptable.  The Lord Mayor's statements against increased use of bus connections are also contradicted by Brisbane City Council's own Lord Mayor's Mass Transit Report. If Lord Mayor Graham Quirk insists on running every bus to the Brisbane CBD, then he will not have the funds left over to run the bus network frequently or make upgrades. That's not just our opinion, it is also a fact - driving a bus twice the distance costs at least twice as much.

Brisbane City Council's bus contract is up for renewal in September. The cost explosive fare increases from rising bus network costs hit minimum wage workers the hardest, and were the downfall of previous state governments. Deputy Premier Jackie Trad should seriously consider nationalising Brisbane Transport in September, reversing the Queensland Government's 1925 decision to outsource public transport to Brisbane City Council.

Best wishes
Robert

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

References:

Brisbane Buses: Call for CityGlider in the Centenary Suburbs
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/brisbane-buses-call-for-cityglider-in-centenary-suburbs-20141104-11gxl3.html

BCC Budget: Brisbane rates to rise 2.5 per cent
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/bcc-budget-brisbane-rates-to-rise-25-per-cent-20150616-ghpntl.html

Calculation:
approximately 200 bus routes / 4 bus routes changed per year = 50 years

Sent to all outlets:

17th June 2015

Re: Lord Mayor Graham Quirk Misses The Bus

Greetings,

And further more if Brisbane City Council is left to ride rough shod over SEQ public transport network, is the cost and the bureaucracy of TransLink warranted?

May as go back to the days of a non-integrated shambolic public transport network under individual operator control, which is where it is heading again to today.

Either give TransLink the authority to actually do what is needed or scrap it.  There is a ' strong choice' and a ' plan ' ...

What a mess.

Best wishes
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

17th June 2015

Re: Lord Mayor Graham Quirk Misses The Bus

Good Morning,

Is it?  It certainly isn't for Brisbane bus commuters.  The Brisbane bus network is falling apart. See >> https://twitter.com/TransLinkSEQ

And this is only a small amount of the disruption.  Most no shows, lates etc. are not reported in my opinion. Patronage is nose-diving, further worsening the mess on the roads.

Buses are regularly cancelled around Brisbane because of traffic congestion, this in turn just forces more into cars and congestion, which further results in more buses being cancelled. HOPELESS!

This morning in the Brisbanetimes Brisbane rates to rise 2.5% > http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/bcc-budget-brisbane-rates-to-rise-25-per-cent-20150616-ghpntl.html

... Cr Quirk said the council's bus network subsidy would rise to a record $81.9 million, with an additional $7.1 million for the CityGlider high-frequency services and $25.4 million for CityCats and ferries.

"As the only city council in Australia that runs a public transport system, we will continue our commitment to the bus and ferry network with a $114 million in the budget," he said.

"Our bus fleet is now the most modern in Australia – we have delivered 1090 new buses since 2004 with another 60 new buses in the coming year, 100 per cent of the fleet is air conditioned and 100 per cent low floor disability accessible.

"We will continue to improve the wheelchair and mobility aid accessibility of Brisbane's bus network with a $7.6 million project to upgrade the city's network of bus stops.

"Council will also undertake a trial of dedicated priority seating at CBD bus stops to make these bus stops more accessible to passengers who are elderly, people with a disability, pregnant women and parents with small children." ...

There is a very good reason why Brisbane council is the only one that runs a public transport system.  IT DOES NOT WORK.  What is TransLink really about?  We need a proper integrated public transport network with all modes working optimally.  Brisbane City Council puts petty self interest and politics before a proper integrated public transport for all of SEQ.

We have outlined a road map to reform.  The public transport system is in crisis.  Time it was sorted.

Best wishes
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

14th June 2015

Greetings

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk Misses The Bus

A recent article by the Sydney Morning Herald describes the importance of bus network reorganisation and connections.

"The benefits of the Gold Coast line have extended well beyond the tram line, with a 22 per cent increase in the number of public transport trips across the Gold Coast on all modes – buses and trams. This has happened, says Cook, because light rail has allowed the reorganisation of buses.

"We've changed the bus network quite dramatically to feed into the tram at each end, and that improves your overall public transport on the coast, using this as the spine," he says.

More frequent buses now run to light rail stops, where passengers can change to the tram."

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/advocates-of-sydneys-george-street-light-rail-can-take-lessons-from-the-gold-coast-20150612-ghm7nh.html

This 22% patronage increase was achieved in the same high-fares environment that Brisbane City Council's buses operate in. And the tram is actually less frequent than the Gold Coast Highway buses it replaced.  Similar patronage gains are being made in Brisbane's sister city of Auckland, where the entire bus network is now being reorganised.

Introducing selected connection opportunities means that more buses can run more often, cutting waiting time at the bus stop dramatically. This is what drives patronage UP, not down.

Brisbane doesn't have light rail, it has something better - heavy rail trains on a dedicated track. Unlike trams, trains don't have to share intersections with car traffic. More buses in Brisbane's north and west should be running to train stations. See our New Bus Network Proposal http://tiny.cc/newnetwork



Lord Mayor Graham Quirk claims that 'feedback' says that people don't like connections. The problem for him is Brisbane City Council's own Lord Mayor's Mass Transit Report on page 12 says the exact opposite. Worse, there are real-world examples functioning bus networks such as Vancouver, Auckland, Toronto, Houston and now the Gold Coast based around increased connections. And exactly how does the Lord Mayor expect residents of the Centenary suburbs to access health, education and work opportunities at Springfield without performing an interchange?

If Brisbane City Council insists on running every bus route to the CBD, it will not have the funds left over to run its bus network frequently. That's why Brisbane City Council cancelled proposed bus upgrades to Albany Creek, Yeronga and the Centenary suburbs.

In our opinion, the Lord Mayor's so-called bus 'evolution' is phoney. It would take five decades to reform the bus network this way.

Funding for any infrastructure project will not appear any time soon. Intense pressure is growing for bus reform. Deputy Premier Jackie Trad should very seriously consider refusing to sign Brisbane City Council's bus contract and instead nationalise Brisbane Transport.

Don't miss the bus like Brisbane's Lord Mayor!

Best wishes,
Robert

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

References:

Brisbane Bus Reform: Brisbane City Council's Bus Network - What Went Wrong?
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11175.0

Transferring is Good For You and Your City
http://www.humantransit.org/2009/04/why-transferring-is-good-for-you-and-good-for-your-city.html

Report: Frequency is Freedom
http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/reform/BusReformBlueprint.pdf

Lord Mayor's Taskforce: Brisbane Mass Transit Investigation http://wtsag.org.au/sites/default/files/2009-06-04-Lord%20Mayors%20Tasksforce%20Brisbane%20Mass%20Transit%20Investigation.pdf

Taskforce: The taskforce consisted of Cr David McLachlan (LNP, Taskforce Chair), Mr John Gralton and Mr Stephen Lonie supported by a working group from the Brisbane City Council's Urban Transport Section of Transport and Traffic (City Policy and Strategy Division) performing project secretariat and coordination activities.

Advocates of Sydney's George Street light rail can take lessons from the Gold Coast http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/advocates-of-sydneys-george-street-light-rail-can-take-lessons-from-the-gold-coast-20150612-ghm7nh.html

[ozbob]

Twitter

Robert Dow ‏@Robert_Dow now

'Counting down to mayhem' > http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11443.msg157213#msg157213 ... #qldpol #GetMovingSEQ  you're most welcome!! #auspol O_o

[Stillwater]

The treasurer, Curtis Pitt, has told the Queensland Property Council that he will bring down an 'innovative budget' next month that will address debt without selling assets, bring about reform and cover off an estimated $3 billion downturn in state revenue from subdued mining sector royalties.  It sounds like a Magic Pudding budget!

Mr Pitt said, in true Labor tradition, the government will spend big on education and health.

Both are sinkholes for government funding, which means probably precious little for transport infrastructure.  That explains Jackie Trad's political rhetoric -- 'if only the feds give us the money, we could build something.'  She has bugger all else to say because she has been rolled in Cabinet by ministerial colleagues representing Health and Education.

In typical holding pattern tactics, the government is saying it won't spend money on big-ticket transport items (money it doesn't have), until it receives reports on projects such as the SCL and until Infrastructure Queensland gets up and running and sorts through some projects.  If sheets of paper were sections of steel rail, the pages of the 15 or so reports on the need for the SCL duplication would stretch in two lines between Beerburrum and Nambour, easily.

[#Metro]

The treasurer, Curtis Pitt, has told the Queensland Property Council that he will bring down an 'innovative budget' next month that will address debt without selling assets, bring about reform and cover off an estimated $3 billion downturn in state revenue from subdued mining sector royalties.  It sounds like a Magic Pudding budget!

Mr Pitt said, in true Labor tradition, the government will spend big on education and health.

Both are sinkholes for government funding, which means probably precious little for transport infrastructure.  That explains Jackie Trad's political rhetoric -- 'if only the feds give us the money, we could build something.'  She has bugger all else to say because she has been rolled in Cabinet by ministerial colleagues representing Health and Education.

In typical holding pattern tactics, the government is saying it won't spend money on big-ticket transport items (money it doesn't have), until it receives reports on projects such as the SCL and until Infrastructure Queensland gets up and running and sorts through some projects.  If sheets of paper were sections of steel rail, the pages of the 15 or so reports on the need for the SCL duplication would stretch in two lines between Beerburrum and Nambour, easily.

Papermill tactics... reams and reams!

CURTIS Pitt will attempt to channel famed Federal Labor leaders Bob "The Silver Bodgie" Hawke and Paul Keating in next month's State Budget through a suite of "innovative" reforms.

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/national/state-budget-to-deliver-innovative-reforms-says-treasurer-curtis-pitt/story-fnii5v6y-1227413608815

Well, Hawke and Keating were Privatisation Central, so I'm not sure what they're going to talk about!