4 Apr 2010: SEQ: Rail timetable gaps need urgent attention

[ozbob]

Media Release 4 April 2010

SEQ:  Rail timetable gaps need urgent attention

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 said the Citytrain service frequency needs rapid improvement.  There also are some gaps in timetables that should be fixed this coming week (1).

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Let us just look at the basket case that purports to be the PM Peak evening timetables for some representative lines."

"Caboolture line, Monday to Friday a train departs Central at 6.06pm, the next service departs at 6.36pm.  A 30 minute gap in the late peak period on arguably the heaviest loading line of the system."

"Shorncliffe line, Monday to Friday a train departs Central at 3.49pm, the next service departs at 4.27pm. A 38 minute gap in the early peak, what sort of incentive is this for commuters?"

"Nambour line , Monday to Friday a two hour gap early evening.  A train for Nambour departs Central at 7.27pm, the next Nambour service departs at 9.28pm.  A two hour wait if you happen to be a Sunshine Coast line commuter and you cannot make the 7.27pm service due to a business meeting or other engagement. This is third world stuff."

"Rosewood line, a train leaves Ipswich at 4.38pm, the next train departs at 5.51pm, a gap of 73 minutes at peak! Crikey, they don't come much worse than this in the developed or undeveloped world."

"Public transport commuters would like to know when the promised 80000 odd weekly rail seats will be delivered.  Promised for the 1st July this year time is running out (2)."

References:

1. http://www.translink.com.au/tt_results.php?mode=RAI

2. http://statements.cabinet.qld.gov.au/MMS/StatementDisplaySingle.aspx?id=66877

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

Edit.  amended 7.27pm Nambour service to correct time

[somebody]

I want to see the draft copy of the new timetable for the Ipswich-Caboolture lines.

[ozbob]

Ipswich is one of the fastest growing regions in Australia ..

It is not as though this hasn't been clearly identified before, but still the train frequency and timetable is not good. Similar situation on the Caboolture line.

E.g.

Media Release Ipswich City Council  click here!

Ipswich set to top list of population growth in Queensland

Ipswich set to top list of population growth in Queensland

29 August 2008

NEW population growth forecasts have propelled Ipswich to the top of the list of local government areas in Queensland with a predicted 205% increase in population by 2031.

Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale said the city was well placed to achieve this level of growth with significant areas of land reserved for future residential development.

"Today the city has a population of 155,000 having grown at around 5,000 per year for the past couple of years.

"This latest data predicts Ipswich will have a future growth rate of 4.6% and a population of 434,788 by the year 2031.

"The city has 43% of available industrial land in south east Queensland which will make Ipswich an employment provider to the western corridor.

"The city also has two universities and incredible growth at RAAF Base Amberley.  Ipswich is a job generator.

"With all this growth we remind everyone that heritage and culture is paramount and one the many reasons why people come to Ipswich and fall in love with our city."

Cr Pisasale said Brisbane needs Ipswich more than ever before and the city is happy to play its part in accommodating growth with the support of the state and federal governments.

"The state government's regional and infrastructure plans firmly back Ipswich as a major regional centre.  Planning must include getting people out of their cars and on to a public transport system based on a fully integrated approach.

"I will be working with all levels of government to bring forward the passenger rail to Springfield Central and to fast track the future public transport corridor between Ipswich Central and Springfield via Yamanto and Ripley Valley," Cr Pisasale said.

Member for Ipswich Rachel Nolan said growth had been a positive thing for Ipswich and provided a real sense of optimism for residents.

"The extent of cooperation between council and the state government is unprecedented and the missing partner in our growth - the federal government - is now strongly supporting Ipswich," Ms Nolan said.

"Priority sections of the Ipswich Motorway upgrade are well underway with the promise and commitment to a full upgrade.

"The state government is building a second link to Brisbane with the Centenary Highway extension between Springfield and Yamanto due for completion mid next year.

"We know Ipswich will grow across all sectors of retail, commercial and residential.  We will also continue to work in partnership with council and private investors to revitalise Ipswich city centre."

-ENDS-

[ozbob]

From the Queensland Times click here!

City leads Qld population growth

City leads Qld population growth

Peter Foley | 31st March 2010

IPSWICH pride shone like a beacon from the Growth Summit after the city was crowned champion of Queensland's population growth.

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show Ipswich has the state's fastest-growing population over the past year with five per cent.

That equates to an extra 7700 people calling Ipswich home, with Lockyer Valley and Somerset also growing by more than four per cent. That compares with Brisbane on 2.1 per cent and the Gold Coast (3.1 per cent).

Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale heard the news as he prepared for a debate at the Growth Summit called: "Growth is not a dirty word. It's great news; we should all be celebrating," he said.

"We're number one in Queensland and (demographer) Bernard Salt, who's here, tells me we're in the top 10 around Australia. It means all the hard work we've done is paying off. But it also means that while we're growing, we have to grow smart.

"We have to maintain a strong economy and continue to promote cultural diversity."

He said that 15 years ago Ipswich was going backwards, land valuations were going down, there was no economic growth, no jobs, no self-respect, no education, rising crime and young people couldn't wait to get out.

"Now we've turned that all around but we have to grow properly," he said. "We have made mistakes before and the road can be bumpy but we are engaging with the youth, we are working to ensure there is affordable housing, we have to protect our rivers and our environment, we have to make sure we continue to create growth."

Federal MP Shayne Neumann said the ABS data "reflects a real sense of optimism for Ipswich and surrounds".

"With two universities and the Amberley RAAF Base expansion, Ipswich is a town to be reckoned with and now with the Ipswich Motorway upgrade well and truly under way there is no impediment to the growth of this town," Mr Neumann said.

[ozbob]

The situation with the train timetables is farcical ....

[Barbar]

"Nambour line , Monday to Friday a two hour gap early evening.  A train for Nambour departs Central at 7.37pm, the next Nambour service departs at 9.28pm.  A two hour wait if you happen to be a Sunshine Coast line commuter and you cannot make the 7.37pm service due to a business meeting or other engagement. This is third world stuff."

Yep, agree wholeheartedly with this observation ozbob.....I can't understand why an ~8.30pm Nambour express service is omitted....this is just totally outrageous 

[somebody]

Isn't that train 7:27pm, not 7:37pm?

Looking at the timetable it isn't possible to get out of the single track with even a 2 hour frequency.  I suppose it would be nice to have a cross at Landsborough or somewhere, and freight fleeted with the passenger trains, but I'm not too sure about crossing loops etc for freight.  I still can't believe they stopped the duplication at Beerburrum.  Shouldn't they have gone on to Landsborough?

[ozbob]

Yes thanks, meant 7.27pm, typo and myopia (might be running late  ) have corrected it ..   the failure to carry on to Landsborough was very sad indeed. Some early works had been started.  There is a rumour that half hour services may extend to Beerburrum ...

[Barbar]

Isn't that train 7:27pm, not 7:37pm?

Looking at the timetable it isn't possible to get out of the single track with even a 2 hour frequency.  I suppose it would be nice to have a cross at Landsborough or somewhere, and freight fleeted with the passenger trains, but I'm not too sure about crossing loops etc for freight.  I still can't believe they stopped the duplication at Beerburrum.  Shouldn't they have gone on to Landsborough?

Yep,  stopping the duplication at Beerburrum has really stuffed up the opportunity to increase any Sunshine Coast "express" services given the line still shares with freight. IMO Landsborough out rates Nambour and Calboolture as the peak period  passenger boarding point...it even has the largest commuter car parking area. 

What about the following idea

For all City->Nambour express services remove stopping at Elimbah, Beerburrum, Glassshouse Mts and Beerwah and to service these stations run a 3-car EMU shuttle ex-Calboolture departing directly after the express leaves Calboolture. it could use the Landsborough or Beerwah crossing loop as the shuttle's turn-around point, would this free up enough time for extra City->Nambour PM express services?

The objective is to increase the Sunshine Coast express frequency while decreasing express service travel times.

[somebody]

I really can't see express patterns north of Caboolture, unless perhaps Caboolture terminators are simply extended to Beerburrum.

[ozbob]

Caboolture terminators are simply extended to Beerburrum

This may well happen ...  expand park and ride at Beerburrum as well .. sort of gives a purpose to the Caboolture - Beerburrum duplication pending  further work ...

[Barbar]

I really can't see express patterns north of Caboolture, unless perhaps Caboolture terminators are simply extended to Beerburrum.

+ "This may well happen ...  expand park and ride at Beerburrum as well .. sort of gives a purpose to the Caboolture - Beerburrum duplication pending  further work ..."

There is no point using Beerburrum as a termination point as Landsborough is already established as the main rail passenger hub north of Caboolture

As further track duplication is many years away Express patterns must be changed to reflect this fact......it's totally unnecessary to stop at stations where the likelihood of large numbers of passengers to alight is a big fat ZERO, namely Elimbah, Beerburrum, Glasshouse and Beerwah....does anybody at TransLink listen or care?   

[somebody]

What you are saying is that you might as well close those stations.

You aren't making any sense.

[Arnz]

As further track duplication is many years away Express patterns must be changed to reflect this fact......it's totally unnecessary to stop at stations where the likelihood of large numbers of passengers to alight is a big fat ZERO, namely Elimbah, Beerburrum, Glasshouse and Beerwah....does anybody at TransLink listen or care?  

I think you'll find Beerwah is the 3rd most busiest station on the Sunshine Coast Line (ahead of Palmwoods or Woombye but well behind Landsborough and Nambour IIRC).  Beerwah handles a fair bit of O+D peak traffic as well as the Australia Zoo traffic.

It would be simply better to build a turn-back siding at Landsborough in the interim (eg replace the triangle) so we can turn back extra trains at Landsborough.

[Barbar]

What you are saying is that you might as well close those stations.

You aren't making any sense.

well, look at it this way....currently there is no such thing as an express service running between Nambour & Caboolture, all services stop all stations right?

What I'm suggesting is to look at the possibility of having at least one peak time service run as a true express stopping only Nambour:Landsborough:Caboolture:Petrie:City:reverse for the PM service ....it makes sense as these stations are the most patronized during this time. The objective is to reduce intercity service travel times while maintaining pax load levels. But I guess I'm dreamin' 

[somebody]

But I guess I'm dreamin' 

I think so.  You aren't the one though; several weeks back Gold Coasters were whinging that their trains weren't express enough.  Given that the Gold Coast already have the best train service in Brisbane I can't believe their temerity.  But that has a far better case than what you are suggesting.  On the Sunshine Coast the frequency doesn't allow for express trains.  The skipped stations would have a terrible service.  And I don't think your suggestion of only using a 3 car set would make much difference to the costs.

currently there is no such thing as an express service running between Nambour & Caboolture, all services stop all stations right?

And nor should there be.  Be happy that you only have 2 stops between Caboolture and Bowen Hills.

[Barbar]

As further track duplication is many years away Express patterns must be changed to reflect this fact......it's totally unnecessary to stop at stations where the likelihood of large numbers of passengers to alight is a big fat ZERO, namely Elimbah, Beerburrum, Glasshouse and Beerwah....does anybody at TransLink listen or care?  

I think you'll find Beerwah is the 3rd most busiest station on the Sunshine Coast Line (ahead of Palmwoods or Woombye but well behind Landsborough and Nambour IIRC).  Beerwah handles a fair bit of O+D peak traffic as well as the Australia Zoo traffic.

It would be simply better to build a turn-back siding at Landsborough in the interim (eg replace the triangle) so we can turn back extra trains at Landsborough.

Yep agree Beerwah is the 3rd most busiest station on the Sunshine Coast Line however this doesn't translate during peak times, indeed, it would be fair to say a large majority of Beerwah resident commuters actually board at Landsborough due to its large park and ride facility.

In the interim: There was an old siding at Landsborough that ran off to nowhere particular perhaps that could be resurrected for a turn-back...good thinking trolleybus!

[Barbar]

But I guess I'm dreamin' 

I think so.  You aren't the one though; several weeks back Gold Coasters were whinging that their trains weren't express enough.  Given that the Gold Coast already have the best train service in Brisbane I can't believe their temerity.  But that has a far better case than what you are suggesting.  On the Sunshine Coast the frequency doesn't allow for express trains.  The skipped stations would have a terrible service.  And I don't think your suggestion of only using a 3 car set would make much difference to the costs.

currently there is no such thing as an express service running between Nambour & Caboolture, all services stop all stations right?

And nor should there be.  Be happy that you only have 2 stops between Caboolture and Bowen Hills.

OK, so I'm having a whinge but you have to agree the Sunshine Coast line needs urgent attention given the appalling service suffered by its users....and don't get me started on the condition of the ICE rolling stock, that's another whinge for another topic

[somebody]

Yep, I'd agree with that.  But things like abolishing changing at Caboolture for an all stations service are far more important than express patterns north of Caboolture.  More importantly: 2 hour gaps are pathetic.