7 Feb 2010: SEQ: Public transport rail frequency needs radical improvement

[ozbob]

Media Release 7 February 2010

SEQ:  Public transport rail frequency needs radical improvement

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 called for the immediate introduction of extra Citytrain services. One of the greatest incentives for people to use public transport is frequency of service.  The frequency of Citytrain services off peak and in some cases during peak is the nation's worst.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Passengers waiting 30 minutes, an hour or longer for a train service is an active discouragement for people to use public transport.  The apparent model for the justification of the introduction of public transport services particularly rail has changed little in the 30 years since electrified rail services were introduced to Brisbane. On many lines off peak frequency has not improved significantly over this 30 year period. It is little wonder commuters are forced to take their chances and drive in the congestion and dangerous chaos on the roads."

"Rhetoric about green sustainable public transport as the preferred option needs to be supported by improved frequency of service. Ideally on major rail lines 15 minute frequency between 5am and 9pm Monday to Friday, more services at peak times depending on loadings, outside these times 20 minutes. Some lines such as Rosewood and the Sunshine Coast line north of Caboolture at least a 30 minute train frequency is needed to encourage people to use public transport as their first choice"

"Frequent services will encourage commuters to use public transport (1), this in turn returns significant economic benefits as reduced congestion costs, lessened environmental impacts, and reduced road trauma and a reduction of the pressure and costs on the health system."

"It is time to join the rest of the nation and  move into the modern transport paradigm."

References:

1.   Mohring effect http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohring_effect

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[#Metro]

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headway

Headways have an enormous impact on ridership levels above a certain critical waiting time. Following Boyle, the effect of changes in headway are directly proportional to changes in ridership by a simple conversion factor of 1.5. That is, if a headway is reduced from 12 to 10 minutes, the average rider wait time will decrease by 1 minute, the overall trip time by the same one minute, so the ridership increase will be on the order of 1 x 1.5 + 1 or about 2.5%.[14] Also see Ceder for an extensive discussion.[15]

30-15 = 15 (time difference)
15/2 = 7.5 (average wait time)

So...

7.5 x 1.5 +7.5 = 18.75% which is ~ 19%

I'll have to do some searching, but if the reference is credible, an increase in frequency from every 30 minutes to every 15 minutes could boost ridership by 19%, far more powerful at attracting patrons than any tinkering by adding a new station or reducing prices.

[#Metro]

Add a 2 tier timetable as well... and we will be looking at huge increases  

Boyle is here: http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/tcrp/tcrp_syn_66.pdf Its a thick and dusty document.