UQ Lakes bursting at the seams

[Jon Bryant]

Happy to.  It would be boring if we agreed all the time.

[#Metro]

But I think we should look again.
Look at this, its Melbourne's SmartBus.
Its the public transport version of a ring-road.



There are more and more being rolled out and the scheme has gained popularity.
http://www.transport.vic.gov.au/web23/Home.nsf/AllDocs/C78B9C7548771014CA257625001C5826?OpenDocument
http://www.transport.vic.gov.au/web23/Home.nsf/AllDocs/FF5ECD6545A6083BCA25766600141DE9?OpenDocument

If 599, 598 was cleaned up and a frequency boost trial was applied (every 15 minutes) then the result might surprise us.
Induced demand..

[dwb]

@somebody and Jonno,

Absolutely agree with Jonno here:

I find it funny that trunk routes on the busway are not supported because that requires a change of buses yet it is ok to hop of one service and walk across a Uni Campus to another route.  We need to create a connected city. Through routes that crisscross each other are needed.  Jumping off and on frequent services all over the city.

Think of a person who lives at St Lucia and works (or is a patient or a family member of a patient or a researcher) at the PA hospital. How do they currently get to work? How do you propose to meet in some way their transport demand?

If your plan is to ignore it, then you've got your head in the sand. PT should NOT be only about CBD bound traffic. All the global NETWORKS that are successful are networks and have cross links for non CBD bound traffic.

[#Metro]

Currently TLs journey planner has them walking from Chancellors Place to the UQ Lakes bus stop. A walk of almost 1km.

[dwb]

In my mind a walk of 1km is a poor connection for what should be a direct service.

[dwb]

Kinda unrelated to the concept of say a Indro to Carindale direct route, but have a look at 109 suggestion here: http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=3756.0

[somebody]

While I don't support feeder and trunk for really busy routes like the 130/150/555 and also the 140, in the west I would allow it in some form for a few routes.  If you are interested, here's a link: http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=3758.0

[frereOP]

Currently TLs journey planner has them walking from Chancellors Place to the UQ Lakes bus stop. A walk of almost 1km.

Hey, but what a picturesque walk it is down through all the greenery, the lakes, the fountains, the waterbirds - and it is all downhill except on the way back where it is all uphill.

[#Metro]

Hmm. There have been a few proposals for new routes & alterations lately.
Maybe, for the more complex ones, they should be done up in Google Maps and posted.
I can't really see and make sense of all the changes at once.

[O_128]

whats needed is the side where the current buses have there break is to make that into a platform so that the buses have dedicated drop off and pick up zones

[Golliwog]

Has anyone heard anything more on TL's plans to upgrade the UQ Lakes bus station? I asked over a month ago and they said that their planners were still planning and that once they had more defined plans they would let me know. Haven't heard anything since though.

[somebody]

whats needed is the side where the current buses have there break is to make that into a platform so that the buses have dedicated drop off and pick up zones

My understanding is that is a happenning thing.

[#Metro]

Maybe UQ should get a train line after all...

[frereOP]

I've always suggested it be part of a subway (a TRUE subway) line from Indooroopilly to the city - not a Clayton's subway that the proposed cross river rail project will provide.

[#Metro]

I think UQ has 30 000 people on a normal day (correct my estimate if it is wrong).
So it would take 2 hours and the entire capacity of the SE Busway to move everyone exclusively by PT.
What I'm pointing out is that there is still room to get more people using PT.

Discussion topic now open --->http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=3760.0

[somebody]

You're ignoring those who come from the other side of UQ.  Though it does sound like not everyone arrives at UQ at near 9am.  There's a definite need for increasing the capacity of UQ Lakes though.

[stephenk]

I've always suggested it be part of a subway (a TRUE subway) line from Indooroopilly to the city - not a Clayton's subway that the proposed cross river rail project will provide.

So what do mean by that?
Are you aware that most Japanese metro and subway line have suburban rail services running through them, rather than running a totally segregated operation?

[frereOP]

I've always suggested it be part of a subway (a TRUE subway) line from Indooroopilly to the city - not a Clayton's subway that the proposed cross river rail project will provide.

So what do mean by that?
Are you aware that most Japanese metro and subway line have suburban rail services running through them, rather than running a totally segregated operation?

To the contrary.  In Tokyo (and London, Paris, Berlin etc), the suburban rail is completely separated from the subway.  Subways are usually owned and operated by different authorities to the suburban trains (eg Paris Metro/SCNF or U-Bahn/S-Bahn in Berlin).  Subways/Metros use smaller rolling stock with more doors (6 or 8 per carriage) and less seating to facilitate boarding and alighting than suburban trains and in Paris some lines use trains with rubber tyres.  Importantly, they operate on dedicated end to end lines.  The CRRP is not a subway/metro but an extension of the suburban network (like Sydney and Melbourne) and subject to the timetabling restrictions and network delays like the rest of the system.

[Golliwog]

RE: The UQ Lakes upgrade.

Just received an update on it from TL today. It is progressing and they are now trying to come to an agreement on lease operation arrangements with UQ, BCC and TL. As part of the upgrade they will be extending passenger platforms, providing aditional stops, increasing layover area for out of service buses and modifying pavement, landscape and stormwater management. They have also said that closer to the construction date, they will be putting the plans for the upgrade up on their website.

To me it sounds like this should hopefully be getting started soon.

[somebody]

RE: The UQ Lakes upgrade.
...
To me it sounds like this should hopefully be getting started soon.

Let's hope so.  Sounds like this is a very urgently needed upgrade.

[#Metro]

It will help, but considering the growth has come so suddenly- the bridge and station has only been open for a mere 4 years and is now full, any upgrade might last.. what...10 years max?

Time to think of a mass transit line connection. Its not as crazy as people might think, especially when UQ is the second most travelled to destination apart from the CBD.

[Otto]

RE: The UQ Lakes upgrade.

Just received an update on it from TL today. It is progressing and they are now trying to come to an agreement on lease operation arrangements with UQ, BCC and TL. As part of the upgrade they will be extending passenger platforms, providing aditional stops, increasing layover area for out of service buses and modifying pavement, landscape and stormwater management. They have also said that closer to the construction date, they will be putting the plans for the upgrade up on their website.

To me it sounds like this should hopefully be getting started soon.

It will be interesting to see if the plans are the same as the plans I saw at the beginning of the year...

[Golliwog]

Just out of interest Otto. The plans you saw, which was did they expand the stop? Towards the Schonell theatre building, the gardens or towards the carpark?

[somebody]

Plans I've seen or read about have new stops on the north side, and the layover area moved to the middle.  No extra area.

[Sir Loin]

Just my two cents...maybe I'm being fussy?

As someone who has seen first-hand the devastating damage done by skin cancer, I am quite concerned with the design of the St Lucia Lakes stop.

Everytime I have caught the 109 bus from St Lucia, you are required to line up if you wish to get on the bus. If you don't line up and attempt to join the back of the line when the bus arrives, you're most likely going to be left behind as there are so many people waiting. Due to the platform usually being busy, the line for the 109 is formed in the opposite direction of the platform shade. Today for example, I waited for about 20 minutes in the line in the hot blistering sun.

Drivers of course need their break, and obviously the platform needs to be clear for other buses to arrive into, but it seems a bit irresponsible that passengers are made to stand out in the elements while their sheltered and air-conditioned bus is parked 20 metres away while the driver usually sits there staring out the window (which they're entitled to do).

For someone like myself wearing work attire, you sweat like Joe Hockey on a treadmill. For the student's wearing singlets and shorts etc, I just hope they're wearing sunscreen. There is plenty of advertising for sun-smart/smart-state initiatives, but the concept doesn't seem to apply to some of the public transport stops.

The cultural centre (inbound side) in the summer morning is another one where there is no shade to hide in. The sun is too low for the platform shelter to have any effect.

[dwb]

Shade is a major issue across the network.

Unfortunately very few stops are actually in a position that enables you to sit, or even stand under the cover and actually be in the shade, even at midday. A prime example is the CityGlider stop at West End... even at 1230pm the other day the entire seated/standing area was in full sun due to the height of the the cover and the time of day and orientation of the street.

However my stop doesn't have any cover, from rain or sun. At all! And there are usually at least 20 people there in the morning peak waiting, and up to 15 at any other time of day, on a BUZ route, that is popular in both peak and counter peak directions.

[Emmie]

Shade is a problem - and so is the lack of protection from rain.  The 'shelter' is anything but.

[Golliwog]

The shelters at UQ Lakes plus on the Eleanor Schonell Bridge can't be seen as a sun shade at all. These structures are built so there is no protection from the north, which given Brisbanes location, is the side from which the sun always shines. The only times I've seen it being used for shade is during the first few runs back towards the CBD when those waiting stand on the grass behind the structure to wait. Of course this doesn't happen if a large number of people turn up as everyone wants to make sure they actually get on the bus.

[johnnigh]

Bus stop shelters are, of course, advertising sites. Each shelter is supplied by the franchise holder (forgotten the name at the moment, but a multinational, just like Decaux who are supplying the Mayor's bikehire scheme for the same advertising reason). They are supplied for their ability to get in the face of passing traffic, mainly car drivers, so they have little interest in bus stops like UQ Lakes (which should be a proper bus station should it not???).
Bus shelters might give some commuters a bit of shade, but that's not what they are for. These shelters often obstruct pedestrians and sometimes cyclists because they are not sited for convenience of passengers, let alone peds. 

[Golliwog]

What exactly do you mean when you say UQ Lakes should be a proper bus station? How exactly is it not?

As for shade, I'm hoping they start the upgrade soon, because the plan I have seen has large trees being planted in the central island which should provide the required shade.