21 Aug 2011: SEQ: Calling all graphic designers, where are you?

[ozbob]

Media release 21 August 2011

SEQ: Calling all graphic designers, where are you?

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers, calls on TransLink to review the presentation standard of its bus, train and ferry timetables and related publications.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Australian cities such as Perth and Adelaide have high-quality, consistently formatted and easy to read timetables.  Adelaide recently reviewed and upgraded its timetable formats to make them easier to interpret and follow, and has been seeking public feedback on the changes (1).  Perth has also recently redesigned its timetables, which are now consistently formatted for all modes of travel (2).  These maps are drawn to scale, free of visual clutter, drawn over a street map showing local features and in Adelaide's case, show bus stops and stop numbers."

"By way of comparison, Brisbane's bus, ferry and train timetables are all in different formats, and in particular private bus timetables are in a different format again.  Currently, these timetables are cluttered and difficult to interpret.  The maps have no context and are not drawn to scale.  Routes are jumbled and in particular, CBD bus routes are often difficult to interpret due to the visual clutter (3).  This is unprofessional and difficult to follow for the uninitiated."

"RAIL Back On Track also calls on TransLink to review its network maps, which are similarly of very little use.  The rail and busway map is difficult to follow in the inner city due to the profusion of new stations which have opened recently (4).  Anybody comparing the Brisbane's maps to Sydney's for ease of understanding would be able to point to several points of difference in Sydney's favour (5).  Even more disappointing (and perhaps more telling), there is no network map for Brisbane's bus network and only an incomplete (and currently out of date) network map for the Gold Coast (6)."

"SEQ's public transport system is large and comprehensive, but there is little accurate or easy to understand information on how these service interact with each other.  Accessibility to public transport is more than putting on more buses and trains.  The public needs to be able to reliably access high-quality, legible information about services, where they go and where transfers can happen.  Integrated timetables will also assist passengers to select the right option from a variety of services, rather than sticking to the single route number they might understand currently."

"While the 131230 TransLink telephone number is invaluable, integrating timetable designs and similar branding is also an important way of furthering the design of a truly integrated network.  If this information is not readily available and easy to understand, the network will not encourage people out of their cars for travel outside of the portion of the network they are immediately familiar with, and those who do not use public transport will continue to be daunted by the confusing information."

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

References:

1. Adelaide Metro is currently conducting a survey following network changes on 24 July 2011 - http://www.adelaidemetro.com.au/

2. See for instance the following examples of a TransPerth bus, train and ferry timetable with easy to read formatting and high-quality maps:

http://www.transperth.wa.gov.au/timetablePDFs/Eastern%20100%2020110220.pdf
http://www.transperth.wa.gov.au/timetablePDFs/Armadale%20Thornlie%20Line%2020091206.pdf
http://www.transperth.wa.gov.au/timetablePDFs/Ferry%201%2020050501.pdf

3. See for instance the Mains Road (130-series), Centenary (450-series) and new Old Cleveland Rd (200-series) timetables.  The 200-series timetable in particular is especially confusing to the uninitiated.

http://translink.com.au/resources/travel-information/services-and-timetables/timetables/101203_P129,130,131,132,P133,136,P137,139.pdf
http://translink.com.au/resources/travel-information/services-and-timetables/timetables/110606-450,453,454,P455,P456,P457,P458,P459.pdf
http://translink.com.au/resources/travel-information/services-and-timetables/timetables/110819-200,N200,P201,P206,P207,209,P217,222.pdf

4. http://translink.com.au/resources/travel-information/maps/110606_busway-and-train-network.jpg.  Compare for instance to Sydney's and Melbourne's system maps, both of which are for larger networks yet are easier to read - http://www.cityrail.info/stations/network_map; http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/maps-stations-stops/metropolitan-maps/metropolitan-train-network-map/

5. Compare http://www.sydneybuses.info/network-interchange-maps/south_map.pdf with http://translink.com.au/resources/travel-information/maps/region/090401-southern.pdf.  Which is more useful?

6. http://translink.com.au/resources/travel-information/maps/network/091201-gold-coast.pdf

[p858snake]

I don't mind the rail maps that much, what really needs work is this piddly little bus route maps that have no indication where the stops are...