4 Jan 2011: SEQ: Still no improvement on Airtrain

[ozbob]

Media release 4 January 2011

SEQ: Still no improvement on Airtrain

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 called for the Queensland Government to offer Airtrain a reduced rate to improve off peak services.  Airtrain does reasonably well in peak times due to road traffic congestion and the fact that they provide a reasonable service at these times.  RAIL Back On Track doesn't support discounts for peak services.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"RAIL Back On Track believes that it is not an issue if Airtrain's profits increase due to a reduced hire rate for additional services.  What is an issue is that a substantial amount of the State taxpayers' money that has been spent on upgrading the roads to access the Airport.  $327m was spent for the replacement of the Airport Roundabout (1), which doesn't include what was spent to provide the new Moreton Drive exit.  This is more than the whole airport line originally cost at $220m, even at current dollar terms.  This has not solved the traffic congestion on roads to and from the Airport (2).  Much or all of this money could have been saved if more passengers could have been enticed on to the Airtrain.  Airtrain have publicly committed to running more services if a more attractive charge than the current $460 per train was offered (3). Increased train frequency and hours of operation can only improve patronage on the line."

RAIL Back On Track suggests that a discount could be offered for the extra trains to increase off peak frequency to the Airport.  To put it another way, the current $460 per train should apply if the service is to be half hourly out of peak, and during peak times, but for a 15 minute frequency service in the off peak times, a charge of $299 per train should apply.

RAIL Back On Track believes that such a discount is justified because:

(a) No extra rolling stock is required.  It is merely properly employing existing under utilised rolling stock assets.

(b) Crews have to endure a 24 minute dwell at the Domestic Terminal station due to the single track constraints.  A 15 minute service would reduce this to 9 minutes.

(c) This would also allow for the reduction in the dwell time at Varsity Lakes from the current 32 minutes to 17 minutes with re-timing of the Gold Coast trains.  This is important not just from a crew wages point of view, but also as the current long dwell effectively consumes a space in the 7 space Robina stabling yard.  Reducing this dwell would allow for the addition of an extra peak service in each direction, or the re-timing of a morning southbound service into the evening to delay the onset of the hourly frequency by another hour.

RAIL Back On Track believes that at the reduced rate, Airtrain would like to operate at a 15 minute frequency until at least 10:30pm, and if so, the reduced rate could then apply to a half hourly service until midnight.  The 24 minute dwell requirement wouldn't apply after this as the Gold Coast line isn't running at a half hourly frequency any more in either direction.

References:

1. http://www.brisconnections.com.au/Portals/0/docs/ARU%20Media%20Release%20Premiers_090424.pdf

2. http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/emergency-parking-to-ease-airport-bottleneck-20101223-196df.html

3. http://blogs.abc.net.au/queensland/2010/10/airtrain-answers-its-critics.html?site=brisbane&program=612_breakfast

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[ozbob]

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