26 May 2024: RAIL Back On Track supports calls to upgrade Taringa station

[ozbob]

RAIL Back On Track supports calls to upgrade Taringa station

26th May 2024

RAIL Back On Track supports Michael Berkman, Greens MP for Maiwar, call to fund an upgrade of Taringa station in the upcoming state budget (1).

Currently Taringa is the busiest station in the QR Citytrain network without lift access! It receives 325k passengers per year (325k/y) (2).

In fact, the level of usage at Taringa is on par or exceeds the usage other recently upgraded stations on the Ipswich line such as Auchenflower (326k/y) East Ipswich (72k/y) and Bundamba (50k/y).

The suburb is surrounded by medium and high density residential, a private hospital and a number of different allied health practices, and a growing retail strip. This is the exact sort of location that needs to be prioritised for upgrades.

Previous petitions for upgrades have attracted thousands of signatures.

Currently access to the station concourse is via steep roads and steps, with narrow stairs to the platforms. Subway access to the platforms is also via stairs. There are no lifts, the platforms are curved, narrow as 4m wide in parts, and are not level with the carriage floors. The station building is one of the most dated in the system.

A potential solution could involve moving the station 200m further east, closer to or over Beatrice Street, where there is more space to build a modern accessible station. Lift access from Beatrice Street would allow for accessible access to the platforms.

The Government needs to pick up the pace of station upgrades. RAIL Back On Track has been highlighting the problems with Taringa station since 2009!

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

References:

1. Queensland Parliament Hansard -Adjournment
https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/events/han/2024/2024_05_23_DAILY.pdf

2. List of stations on the Ipswich line without lift access, ranked by patronage level.

Taringa 325k/y
Sherwood 176k/y
Booval 123k/y (Step free access is available via a ramp)
Chelmer 105k/y
Wacol 107k/y (Step free access is available via level crossing)
Gailes 38k/y
Riverview 28k/y
Ebbw Vale 28k/y

QR Citytrain line patronage FY 12/13 to 22/23
https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?board=109.0

QR Your station
https://www.queenslandrail.com.au/forcustomers/stations-and-maps/stationfinder

Photographs: R Dow

Taringa: Access to platforms from concourse via narrow risky stairs.

https://backontrack.org/images/taringa/16jun22/t2s.jpg


Taringa: Looking in the DOWN direction (towards the City).  Plenty of corridor room.

https://backontrack.org/images/taringa/30jun22/t1.jpg

Taringa: Looking in the UP direction (towards Indooroopilly). Low level curved platforms.

https://backontrack.org/images/taringa/16jun22/t18s.jpg

Taringa: Aerial view showing possible locations for a new Taringa station.

https://backontrack.org/images/taringa/taringa_mapba.jpg

[ozbob]

Discussion --> https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?msg=284047