Platform heights

[mufreight]

In 2007 the then minister for Transport Mr Mickel following a tour of Mayne operational center which took place the upgrading of Brunswick Station? Fortitude Valley was in progress had pointed out to him the ongoing problems with platform heights in relation to the floors of the rollingstock.
This resulted in the humps raising the platforms in the centre of the platforms at that station being raised to the carriage floor height to ease problems with disabled access to the trains.
At that time Minister Mickel assured Rail Back on Track that all stations which were being refurbished would have the platforms raised for the full length where possible and that it would not be possible where the platforms were curved due to clearance.
Since that time it would seem that the officers in Transport and Main Roads who are now the responsible body for all railways infrastructure as a cost cutting exercise have not been on the same page as the then Minister and the current Minister has chosen not to abide by the assurance that was given to Rail Back on Track on the matter.
Since that time there have been a number of stations that have been given a full or partial refurbishment only some of which have been given partially raised platforms despite being straight and posing no problems with clearance.
On the Ipswich line Dinmore (straight platforms) Graceville (straight platforms) Auchenflower (straight platforms) Milton platform 1 another straight platform Darra again basically straight platforms where humps in the centre of the platform were installed as an afterthought.
On Milton platform 2 any disabled person wanting to alight from the train can not do so as if the guards or station staff place the ramps to allow them to alight the ends of the ramps end up about less than a foot from the wall of the steps to the platform.
That the persons charged with the design of railway infrastructure show so little knowledge of the needs of railway passengers one must wonder if it is by design to waste money and dissuade passenger from using rail.
This is made more questionable since they continue to only put humps into the centre of platforms wit the guards on the NGR trains now being at the rear of the train.
It is also further obvious that on stations with only humps in the centre of the platforms that passengers tend to bunch up to get on the train from these raised sections of the platform, not a problem but in the peaks this increases the station dwell times.
The NGR trains were in service when Dinmore, Graceville and Auchenflower were refurbished and all of these stations have straight platforms and at the tome of their refurbishments the platforms could have been raised to the full length carriage floor heights at minimal cost.
If the Transport and Main Roads department has such little knowledge of railways and the needs of railway infrastructure perhaps it is past time for the railways to again be separated from TMR and a return to an independent department staffed by competent engineers and a commissioner reporting back to the minister.

[ozbob]

Mufreight the Minister for Transport in 2007 was Mr John Mickel (13.09.2007 - 26.03.2009).

[ozbob]

Thanks mu.  The problems with platform heights just highlights one aspect of the appalling management of public transport in SEQ the past years.

Part of the problem is without a proper dedicated authority what passes for rail in TMR is under-resourced, lacks the real technical knowledge and longer term vision to do what is right for Queensland.

There is far too much reliance on consultants (hence the constant stream of consultant reports, and financial cost for same) which give the impression that something is being done in the short term, but most of this is never realised.  E.g how many studies need to done on the Cleveland line, Heavy rail Beerwah - Maroochydore, upgrades north of Beerburrum and so on.

The failure of the Queensland State Government TMR to drive decent federal funding for rail ( other states achieve this ) is a further sign of the mediocrity we are up against.

Personally, I am disgusted in the Queensland Government, and the supporting bureaucracy that failed to ensure that a revised business case for Cross River Rail was submitted to Infrastructure Australia.  Had that been done, the state would have probably received ~ $2billion to support it.  That funding would go a long way elsewhere. This stands for ever as an indictment on the lack of moral courage, their incompetence and contempt for Queenslanders. (See > https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?msg=248419 ).

Got that lurkers?  Run to your leaders, run, run, little people ...     

We need a Transport Minister that will act to stop this constant circus and set up a proper authority, with a heavy rail division, distinct and apart from TMR.

Public Transport Queensland !