11 Dec 2023: Greens Policy - Brisbane: Doubling high frequency buses ...

[ozbob]

Greens Policy - Brisbane: Doubling high frequency buses & connecting suburbs directly

11th December 2023

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web-based community group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers has welcomed The Greens latest policy announcement to essentially double the high frequency buses and connect suburbs directly (1,2).

The Brisbane City Council Bus network is broken.

RAIL Back On Track has been lobbying Translink and Brisbane City Council for 10 years to prioritise BUZ bus frequency upgrades for existing bus routes. In 2014, our members put together a detailed proposal for redesigning Brisbane's Bus Network, which we sent to Brisbane City Council and the Queensland Government (3).

We would like to see known public transport blackspots such as Bulimba, Centenary, Yeronga and Albany Creek fixed before the 2032 Olympics. More BUZ routes to these suburbs would be ideal.

Bus reform is the fastest and cheapest way to improve public transport and increase patronage. It requires virtually no new infrastructure, can be delivered within one term of office, and at a fraction of the cost of infrastructure projects. Brisbane City Council's own data shows just how incredibly effective the high-frequency BUZ routes are, with 100% or more increases in patronage reported (4).

We think that Translink and Brisbane City Council can come to a co-funding agreement to fund new high-frequency BUZ bus routes ahead of the 2032 Olympics.

Under such an agreement, Translink and the Queensland Government could release funds for one new BUZ route in exchange for BCC removing two old bus routes from the BCC bus network. This could be up to a pre-set limit of say 15 new BUZ routes, with funding released progressively as BCC updates its bus network.

RAIL Back On Track looks forward to Lord Mayoral candidates Adrian Schrinner (LNP) and Tracey Price (Labor), among other candidates, announcing their policies on public transport.

References:

(1) Greens roll out ambitious bus policy in bid for City Hall
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/queensland/greens-roll-out-ambitious-bus-policy-in-bid-for-city-hall-20231209-p5eq9q.html

(2) Jonathan Sriranganathan: Bus Boost to Revolutionise Public Transport
Doubling high frequency buses & connecting suburbs directly
https://www.jonathansri.com/busboost

(3) Brisbane buses: Call for CityGlider in Centenary suburbs
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/brisbane-buses-call-for-cityglider-in-centenary-suburbs-20141105-11gxl3.html

(4) BUZ Routes, Frequency + Reliability - the winning formula
https://ses.library.usyd.edu.au/handle/2123/6058

(5) 15 Aug 2022: BCC Must Expand BUZ and Brisbane Metro to Solve Northside Traffic
https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=14787.0

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

[ozbob]

Discussion --> https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?msg=278053