It's almost a wrap -- good bad and ugly things about 2015

[ozbob]

To get started ...

Good

Well Wulkuraka is nearly complete.

MBRL is in the final stages.

Fare review is proceeding.

Some progress with suburban ATP

Coomera - Helensvale track amplification is getting sorted

GC Light rail stage 2 is proceeding

Bad

Bus neworks in SEQ falling apart

Fare review not finalised

Not enough NGR trains ordered - needs another 25 6 car sets additional to the 75  (as was originally planned for)

Ugly

Nothing in the major infrastructure pipeline .. zero   naught .... 

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

Feel free to add your highlights and low-lights ....

[ozbob]

[SurfRail]

The ecstasy of Goldlinq

[James]

Good:
- TTCC scrapped and replaced with a more logical solution
- Fare review
- GCLRT Stage 2

Bad:
- Fare review appears to be going nowhere
- No action at all on the failing BCC bus network
- No infrastructure plan
- No major infrastructure in the pipeline (new heavy rail, CRR, busway extensions etc.)

Overall, the government has done absolutely nothing this year aside from the fare review and GCLRT stage 2. The rest are just legacies from previous governments which they take credit for (not saying the LNP didn't do the same).
But hey, if you don't do anything you can't lose votes, right?

[ozbob]

Doesn't gain votes either.  Guess that is why the polling is essentially the same as it was a year ago ...

The ' do very little ' approach, both by Government and Opposition.

[#Metro]

The network is improving - glacially, but it is improving.
15-minute trains on some lines is a godsend. Entirely possible that we would still have 30 min trains if changes had not been made earlier.

Biggest bads are bus network stagnation (can't court any controversy what so ever) and the fact that unemployed still ripped off. Fares are still high.

[ozbob]

Good

New electronic Vision Impairment Travel Pass  > http://translink.com.au/tickets-and-fares/concessions/vision-impairment-travel-pass

Ugly very

Thanks for reminding me LD,  unemployed still without concession fare entitlement despite this being Labor Party Policy  (October 2014) !

[ozbob]

Twitter

Robert Dow ‏@Robert_Dow 1m

It's almost a wrap good bad & ugly things re 2015

> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11844.msg165490#msg165490 ... #qldpol @AnnastaciaMP @StirlHinchliffe

[bcasey]

Good:

Real-time gps tracking being rolled out across the majority of the SEQ network, (including trains, which I didn't expect would happen this year). Fairly basic implementation, which has it's drawbacks in terms of applications, but some real-time data is better than no real-time data.

Bad:

Lack of Data Transparency (OTR, etc)

[ozbob]

Ugly

The scourge of ad-wrap over windows/doors continues ...

[Arnz]

Good
- The commencement of the Fare Review
- Removal of TTCC for for a hopefully reasonable replacement in 2016.
- Simplification of Sunshine Coast Line stopping patterns in 2016 post MBRL opening, plus minor improvements to Sunshine Coast Line rail timetables.

Bad
- No upcoming infrastructure investments since Labor took office (exception being GCLR Stage 2 which is jointly funded with the Feds and GCCC)
- (Lack of) Infrastructure Plan addressing issues such as the NCL duplication north of Beerburrum, CRR, etc.
- Fare review appears to be stagnating
- No action on the failing BCC bus network, which in turns affects the rest of SEQ and Queensland (through cuts elsewhere).

[Mozz]

All my thoughts have been covered already.. but in the Ugly category (although not public or active transport) and possibly something that could only happen in Queensland........

UGLY
Brisbane City Council pressing ahead with a $650.0M plus black tarmac upgrade of Kingsford Smith Drive, when we have tunnel nirvana close by and the full upgrade is not even supported by the peak road body the RACQ, who like pretty much all right minded people, believe the funding envelope could be much better spent on more pressing and value for money (ROI) upgrades....

[dancingmongoose]

Not SEQ but the Newcastle debacle is pretty ugly.

Wulkuraka maintenance facility is good, the station upgrade is literally the most half baked project of the year.

[Stillwater]

Ugly:  Lack of a FUNDED Transport Infrastructure Plan.  The Federal Cities Minister summed it up .... if Canberra responded to the Queensland Government's 'show us the money' call with a $1 billion offer for PT project, state would not be able to spend it!

[ozbob]

Good

Price St Nambour rail over road bridge is finally getting some beam protection

Bad

Bridge strikes still occurring with some regularity

Ugly

Lack of a campaign by the authorities to sort.  Needs education and increased sanctions, as well as improved administrative controls (documented route selection etc.)

[ozbob]

Good

Queensland Rail 150 years celebrations outstanding success.  Well done.