Ministerial Statement: Early birds can continue to catch the train

[ozbob]

Minister for Transport
The Honourable Rachel Nolan
22/09/2010

Early birds can continue to catch the train

The early-bird train service from Varsity Lakes to Brisbane city and airports will remain a permanent fixture on the Gold Coast and Airport lines.

Transport Minister Rachel Nolan said the service, which had been trialled since April this year, provided another option for commuters and helped reduce passenger congestion on later peak services.

"This new train service is for early-starters working in Brisbane who want to arrive in the city before 6am or for people catching early morning flights who need to be at the airport before 6.30am," Ms Nolan said.

"Despite the trial service starting in winter when it ran almost entirely during the hours of darkness, more than 500 passengers used the service on weekdays in June.

"We expect this service to become increasingly popular as commuters become familiar with the service and when mornings become lighter as summer approaches.

"The train leaves Varsity Lakes at 4.34am and stops at all stations on the Gold Coast line to Beenleigh before running express to Loganlea and Cooper Plains, then all stations from Park Rd into the city and out to the airports."

"The new six-car train used on this service has extra leg room and includes enhanced disability facilities, toilets and baby change facilities and advanced CCTV coverage on board.

Ms Nolan said the new train and bus services for the Gold Coast showed the Bligh Government was committed to providing more regular public transport services to help make travel easy.

"This new early-bird service is the eighth new train service for the Gold Coast line since 2007."

"In addition we also rolled out a new Gold Coast bus package in June that added extra frequency and new services for customers across the Gold Coast, including more buses for Varsity Lakes train station and a new route running directly between Tweed Heads and Robina."

For more details on public transport, visit the TransLink website www.translink.com.au or phone the Call Centre on 13 12 30.

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[#Metro]

Transport Minister Rachel Nolan said the service, which had been trialled since April this year, provided another option for commuters and helped reduce passenger congestion on later peak services.

"This new train service is for early-starters working in Brisbane who want to arrive in the city before 6am or for people catching early morning flights who need to be at the airport before 6.30am," Ms Nolan said.

More evidence that the reason why the peak is so 'peaky' is because that's when all the services are put on, and the frequency dies after peak hour. Passengers rationally respond by traveling during peak hour.

There will always be a peak hour surge, but there should be far more options in the off peak and shoulder peak. 30 minute train frequency for somewhere like Brisbane is just ridiculous and puts us at the bottom of the pile nationally.

[somebody]

"This new train service is for early-starters working in Brisbane who want to arrive in the city before 6am or for people catching early morning flights who need to be at the airport before 6.30am," Ms Nolan said.

Did she really say that?  There is no change in the airport service, except that it has been back-extended!