26 Jan 2010: SEQ: Inner northern busway delays drive commuters back to cars

[ozbob]

Media Release 26 January 2010

SEQ: Inner northern busway delays drive commuters back to cars

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 again called for an increase in bus frequency on the Inner Northern Busway (1), and a new bus route based on a combined 109 and 66 routes (2).

Robert Dow, spokesperson for RAIL Back On Track said:

"RAIL Back On Track members, observations and public feedback have reported constant overloading and long waits for buses to board between the new busway station at RBWH, RCH Herston, QUT Kelvin Grove, and the CBD (3,4). During the past 5 months now some passengers have had to wait up to 50 minutes at RCH Herston to board a bus!  Acceptable? Of course not! Given the RBWH's serious parking problems, this has been a great chance to get people to switch to public transport, wasted!"

"Many commuters are now tired of the long waits to board a bus and have gone back to cars.  This is just adding to congestion and environmental impacts.  Why are bus commuters being treated in such an off hand manner?  Promises of increased services following the fare price rises have not been delivered. The grandstanding and spin that accompanied the launch of the then new busway has evaporated into despair."

"One solution would for the route 66 bus to be extended to RBWH and increased in frequency.  The introduction of a new additional bus route utilising the new and existing busways, essentially a combined route 66 and 109 would provide a one seat connection between all the major medical campuses in Brisbane, and UQ and QUT Kelvin Grove and assist in the overloads (5)."

"The problems of passengers not being able to board buses in timely manner is not encouraging continued use of public transport. The huge public transport infrastructure investment demands maximum use of the asset. The INB has turned into a farce of the highest order."

"Government and  TransLink need to focus on service delivery and properly resource the operators. There is now a distinct community impression of inaction in terms of addressing the obvious service shortfalls on bus and rail."

"Increasingly, public transport commuters are just left to blunder on hoping that today is their lucky day and they can squeeze on a bus or train first time, and now paying a lot more for the wait! Can something  be done to fix this appalling situation please?"

References:

1.  6 Sep 2009: SEQ: Bus is busted! http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=2709.0

2.  15 Aug 2009: SEQ: Bring on the Buz!   http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=2613.0

3.  SEQ: New busways are 'not buz-ing'!   http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=2558.msg12540#msg12540

4.  Bus Routes which need fixing   http://railbotforum/mbs/index.php?topic=2542.msg13534#msg13534

5.  SEQ: Where's our Buz?   http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=2538.0

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[stephenk]

Thanks for putting out this press release Ozbob. Let's hope Translink do something soon!

[ozbob]

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