Update: Draft 2011 Timetable Information Session, Nambour

[Fares_Fair]

Draft 2011 Timetable Information Session, Nambour held today, Saturday 4th December, 2010.

There was a large turnout at this mornings information session regarding the Draft 2011 Sunshine Coast timetable.
Much of the feedback given was common to many commuters and both QR and TRANSLink heard the messages loud and clear.

QR also announced that the draft timetable is NOT a fait accompli
and that there is room to move on the arrival and departure times.
These are the core issues, at the heart of much of the angst felt by Sunshine Coast commuters.
We await their response, expected some time early next year.

I also received an assurance from QR that all Sunshine Coast services will have toilet facilities by June 2011.
I was told that these are currently limited by the availability of appropriate rollingstock for our line.

We were also very pleased with the attendance of 3 current serving state MP's to bolster our cause.
Tracy Davis MP, Shadow Minister for Public Transport and Member for Aspley;
Andrew Powell MP, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Mental Health, Drug Strategy and Health Personnel and
Member for Glass House and Mark McArdle MP, Shadow Minister for Health and Member for Caloundra.

Many of the commuters arrived and expected a formal meeting, rather than the walk-in, walk-out scenario.

One of my fellow commuters contacted TRANSLink by 'phone almost 2 weeks ago asking this specific question;
"What is the format of the meeting?" and the customer service person did not even know of the information sessions,
let alone their format !
He was given the usual "we will respond in 10 working days" response.

I raised this typical TRANSLink response directly with them in no uncertain terms,
and let them know I was still awaiting their response to my questions found here and submitted to them online:
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=4884.0
I now know the answer to Q1 is yes; Q2 is yes; Q6 is incorrectly worded by me; and Q7 is no.

I also asked that TRANSLink stop sending stock-standard replies that avoid the questions asked of them
and actually respond to the feedback with real and relevant answers.
I told them that this was very frustrating for commuters and only raised our ire.

Our 3 State MP's have offered to host a forum for Sunshine Coast commuters
to express their views in this manner (rather than the walk-in, walk-out scenario).
QR and TRANSLink will be invited to attend and do a presentation and receive questions from the floor.
Stay tuned for more information as it comes to hand on the date, time and venue.

Many, if not all of the issues raised, were also addressed by RBoT as a media release on 23 November 2010.
"SEQ: New timetable for the Sunshine Coast line leaves commuters behind"
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=4899.msg41657#new [Scroll to top of page].

I also asked if all disaffected persons would write to the Transport Minister,
Rachel Nolan MP, Member for Ipswich and tell her directly of their concerns.

Thank you for all of the support today shown by Sunshine Coast commuters.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[ozbob]

It was a good turnout, probably the most commuters for any of these sessions.  Guess about 200 all up.

I am confident that some improvements will be made.

[Family Man]

Thanks for the update. Great news.

[somebody]

It was a good turnout, probably the most commuters for any of these sessions.  Guess about 200 all up.

That's a good proportion of the users of the service!  Almost 1/4.

[Fridge]

We had the Nambour CRG last night, the topic was not about the draft timetable however Jeremy (the facilitator) gave us all an opportunity to provide some more feedback.  At the end of the night, I asked if the next meeting had a topic which it didn't so we suggested for the next meeting to have Graham S or one of the other QR timetable team to come along to discuss any changes as a result of the consultation.  Let's hope it happens!

[Stillwater]

Hopefully, the next CRG meeting will also discuss the rumoured upgrade of the Nambour railway station and bus interchange.

[Fares_Fair]

At the meeting on Saturday, I notified TRANSLink that they had been invited to our North Coast Line CRG
meetings on a number of occasions and they had thus far refused to attend (when we discussed issues relevant to them).

Regards,
Fares_Fair.