30 Sep 2008: Early-bird Citytrain services welcome, but incentive fares ...

[ozbob]

Media Release 30 September 2008

SEQ:  Early-bird Citytrain services welcome, but incentive fares also needed

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport commuters has welcomed the announcement today by Premier Bligh and Minister Mickel of the additional early-bird services on the Caboolture and Ipswich lines, with promises of more to come.

Although exact timetables are not yet publicly available, it would seem that these services will be leaving Ipswich and Caboolture at around 5.30am.  This may help but to get people to travel earlier and hence ease congestion, but consideration should be given to an incentive fare structure for early-bird travel to actively drive change and help achieve certainty of the desired congestion-busting outcome.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

?Melbourne has had free early-bird rail travel for some time.  There is growing pressure to also extend this to the buses and trams in Melbourne.  Clearly it has been successful.  Brisbane would benefit if a discount incentive fare was introduced for early-bird travel.  The go card provides the means of doing this and could be made line specific to match the pilot early-bird services on the Ipswich and Caboolture lines as a trial.?

?I regularly travel on the Ipswich line and the peak early loading occurs on trains leaving Ipswich after 6am.  RAIL Back On Track members report a similar situation from Caboolture.  Therefore, to get people to move incentive fares should be introduced.  At the same time an off peak fare structure on the go card would also complement attempts to spread the peak loads.  This would then be a true congestion-busting measure. The go card provides an easy means for introducing incentive and off peak fares, and this would also encourage further uptake of the go card.?

?Rail commuters are grateful for the new trains that are being progressively rolled out. A Queensland product, they are first class.?

?Our suggestions are given in a constructive positive spirit to turn a good move into an even better move.?

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[ozbob]

I came in on the 6.44am from Oxley this morning. Car 1, it was full by Indooroopilly, overloaded there after.

The needs are obvious.

[Mozz]

Came in on the 6.11am from oxley - 50+ people standing no seats available from Taringa.

[ozbob]

From Quest Caboolture Shire Herald click here!

New early train near

New early train near
By CARLY GRAHAM and GLENN ROBERTS

INBOUND train services from Caboolture to the city will increase with a new early-bird train service beginning mid-October.

Premier Anna Bligh said a daily inbound service would leave the Caboolture station about 5.30am, arriving at Brisbane Central before 6.30am.

"Using these services commuters have the opportunity to come to work early and leave early missing the morning and evening peak
times," Ms Bligh said.

"If they are a success we will look at similar services on other lines."

The train will travel at a top speed of 130km/h with seating for 242 people and standing room for more than 500 people.

Rail Back On Track spokesman Robert Dow called for incentives for commuters to use earlybird trains to take pressure off peak hour services.

Mr Dow said such a system had worked in Melbourne and it would cut congestion in Brisbane.

"The go card provides the means of doing this and could be made line specific to match the pilot early-bird services on the Ipswich and Caboolture lines as a trial,"

Mr Dow said. "At the same time an off peak fare structure on the go card would also complement attempts to spread the peak loads."

TransLink Transit Authority spokesman Adam Nicholson said off-peak daily tickets provided incentive to travel outside peak times.

He said the go card gave discounts of 20-35 per cent and off-peak pricing was being considered.

Visit www.translink.com. au or call 13 12 30.

[ozbob]

From Ipswich Advertiser 8 October 2008 Page: 12

Extra train service on track

Extra train service on track

ONE extra train service at 5.30am each weekday has been announced for the Ipswich line; but one local commuter says an incentive scheme is needed to encourage commuters to use earlier train services. Premier Anna Bligh said the new early-bird train service would be added in mid-October.

RAIL Back On Track spokesman Robert Dow said the new service may help ease congestion. But the avid train commuter said consideration should be given to an incentive fare structure for early-bird travellers. He said this would actively drive change and help achieve certainty of the desired congestion-busting outcome.

"Melbourne has had free early bird rail travel for some time," Mr Dow said. "There is growing pressure to also extend this to the buses and trams in Melbourne. "Clearly it has been successful." Mr Dow said the Ipswich line and the rest of the QR network would benefit if a discount incentive fare was introduced.

"I regularly travel on the Ipswich line and the peak early loading occurs on trains leaving Ipswich after 6am," he said. "RAIL Back On Track members report a similar situation from Caboolture. "Therefore, to get people to move incentive fares should be introduced."

Ms Bligh said the new service would add more capacity on the busy line. She said the new train was part of a $585 million roll-out of 44 three carriage trains and associated stabling yards work. "Since February we've added 57 extra carriages to the fleet and by early 2009 we will have added another 24," Ms Bligh said. "We all need to change our behaviour to bust congestion and that's why I want services like this to give people the opportunity to change their own routines.

"Using these services commuters have the opportunity to come to work early and leave early, missing the morning and evening peak times. "If they are a success we will look at similar services on other lines."

Robert Dow is advocating an earlybird ticketing incentive scheme.

[ozbob]

Early bird services starting Monday 13th October.

Details here!

[ozbob]

I caught the inaugural 'early-bird' service on the Ipswich line this morning (13th Oct).  I boarded EMU 53/27 at 05.57am at Oxley.

612 ABC Radio Brisbane did an interview as the train arrived at Oxley.  Thanks for the interest Spencer and 612!

I counted about 90 passengers in total as we left Auchenflower.  Arrival at Roma St station was at 6.22am, a minute early!

Some photographs to note the occasion:

Inside EMU 53



PID on arrival at Roma St station. One minute early or thereabouts!



The Inaugural 'Early-Bird' Train departing Roma St station for Central



Photographs R Dow 13 October 2008

[Mozz]

Sorry Bob - couldn't make the earlybird, caught the 6.44am from Oxley - train driver advocating over the speakers for people to catch the next train which was 8 minutes behind as an attempt to ameliorate the overcrowding.

[ozbob]

Thanks Mozz, no worries.

I am kicking myself I missed getting a photo of the doors on EMU 66 (new power button assisted doors) which ran on the 5.38am from Oxley to town.

Yes, the old 6.44am is a classic!   

It was marvellous travelling on the 5.56am from Oxley!

[ozbob]

Brisbane mX 13 October 2008 page 4

Big tick for early bird rail

[ozbob]

Spencer Howson 612 ABC Radio Brisbane did a short follow up interview today (15 Oct) on the early-bird following a listeners comments.  Good to get the word out there.

Last night (14 Oct) I noticed this poster at Toowong railway station.

[ozbob]

I boarded the new 'early bird' service that left Ipswich at around 5.25am at Oxley again this morning (5.56am on time)  Friday the 17th October.  On boarding I did a quick count and already 96 pax on board in comfort on SMU 201/203.

Leaving Auchenflower there were 192 pax on board.  This is a gain of 108% over the week!  This is roughly equivalent to 4 buses!
On Monday the first day the service commenced there was 92 pax on board leaving Auchenflower.

Here is a photograph of our 'early bird' SMU 201 leading arriving at Oxley today at 5.56am.



Photograph R Dow 17 October 2008

Some incentive ticketing will continue to drive change, and more room in the early and peak overloads.

Spencer Howson Breakfast Announcer 612 ABC Radio Brisbane did a short interview again this morning.

Thanks for the support in getting the word out Spencer.  It is greatly appreciated.

Arrival at Roma St  a minute early!

[ozbob]

Travelled from Oxley to Roma St on Friday 24th October on the 5.56am 'early-bird' service from Oxley.

Counted about 235 pax on leaving Auchenflower. 

[ozbob]

Come in on the early-bird today (Thursday, 30th October 2008)  about 185 passengers on board as we left Auchenflower.

I think we need some incentive ticketing.

[ozbob]

A lovely surprise this morning (13th November) the early bird service on the Ipswich line was SMU 266/261







Photographs R Dow 13th November 2008

[ozbob]

I caught the earlybird at Oxley again this morning, SMU 263/264!

Aren't we the chosen ones!!