Scott Emerson MP : Speech to Parliament re: MP's Train Day

[Fares_Fair]

From the Hansard
Wednesday, May 11, 2011.

http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/view/legislativeAssembly/hansard/documents/2011.pdf/2011_05_11_DAILY.pdf

Sunshine Coast, Public Transport

Mr EMERSON (Indooroopilly—LNP) (12.00 pm): Last week I took the opportunity to join
commuters on their early morning daily train trip from the Sunshine Coast to Brisbane, boarding at
Palmwoods and travelling to Central station. It gave me the opportunity to hear first-hand from
passengers concerned about train service schedules and higher fares, particularly the scrapping of
periodic tickets.
As I spoke to commuters, the same issues were raised over and over again. Many of those
commuters are spending more than four hours each day travelling to and from home. The new
timetable, due to come into force early next month, will make this journey even longer in duration. With
an extra five stops added to the express service, commuters will be forced to spend an additional halfhour
on the train every day. Several commuters told me that they had reached breaking point. The extra
time was too much and they would have to move closer to Brisbane or abandon the train to use their
private cars. They expressed frustration that the previous transport minister had refused to attend public
forums over the changes to the timetable, effectively telling Sunshine Coast commuters that she was
not interested in their plight.
The increased cost of using public transport was the other issue that was raised repeatedly. Apart
from the fare rises that have already occurred last year and this year, and the annual 15 per cent rises
due each year for the next three years, the scrapping of monthly, six-monthly and 12-monthly tickets has
also hit commuters hard when they can least afford it. Sunshine Coast commuters to Brisbane have
seen their annual transport bill jump from more than $3,200, based on a 12-month ticket, to more than
$5,800 this year. By 2014 they will be paying more than $8,000 to commute from zone 16, which is
nearly three times the cost of five years ago. The commuters I spoke to said that, while the government
should be encouraging more people to use public transport, it seems the government is doing
everything it can to force them off the trains and into their cars.
(Time expired)

[Golliwog]

I would like to be clear with my opinion on the timetable changes. I certainly think the Sunshine Coast commuters get the sh%t end of the stick on this one, but until there are capacity upgrades on the line from Northgate to Caboolture they are going to have to put up with the longer commute. Thats just the way it is. Would it be right to give the 1000 people who use the SC trains a faster service and force the 11000 who catch a train from between Caboolture and Northgate to suffer from increased over crowding?

To me the fact that the patronage on the SC line could be low due to to poor service frequency is irrelevant in the matter, the fact is there are far more passengers already using the service inbound of Caboolture who shouldn't be forced to suffer for the benefit of those who may start to use the service from further out.

[Stillwater]

Maybe next time, when the Honorable Member is allotted more time to speak, he could start with these words: "To address this situation, Mr Speaker, and LNP Government would do .................... and ...............  We would also ensure that .........................  To encourage more public transport usage on the coast and to Brisbane, it is clear that ................................ must be provided by way of infrastructure.  An LNP government would ................. ."

[colinw]

Ah, but would that be any more believable than these?

Hansard, February 15, 2006

Queensland Rail is progressing the delivery of $665 million in rail projects. I also announced
yesterday the major initiative of QR going national, and I table more details on that with a package of
information for the information of the House. As I said, Queensland Rail is progressing the delivery of
$665 million in rail projects. The projects to be completed between 2009 and 2012 include the
Caboolture and Beerburrum duplication, the Robina to Reedy Creek extension, the Corinda to Darra
third track and the Beerburrum to Landsborough duplication.

Press release, August 14, 2006

"Construction of the $550 million rail corridor is expected to start in early 2009 and be completed by mid-2012"

Hansard, October 10, 2007

The 17-kilometre, stage 2 upgrade from Beerburrum to Landsborough is in the preliminary
planning stage. We have done the community consultation. We have looked at the land uses and the
route has been decided. All the work for the planning of that is rolling on so that construction can
continue as soon as the rail makes it to Beerburrum. It will then continue to roll out to Landsborough. It
is vital that we do this because being a single track it has limited capacity. We currently run a rail bus
which I understand the member for Nicklin, Peter Wellington, was very instrumental in getting up quite a
few years ago. That provides the additional services that cannot be provided on the railway line. This
government identified that many years ago and is building it as we speak.

[Fares_Fair]

... gotta like a (modern) history buff !   

Regards,
Fares_fair.

[colinw]

You guys up on the Sunshine Coast have been royally screwed by this Government.  They maintained the fiction they were actually building the project for years on end, then failed to deliver.

I cannot help thinking the change of incumbency in the electorate of Glasshouse might have something to do with it.

[#Metro]

"This government will buy a lot of concrete... but before we do that we are going to buy a lot of paper... and time...."
Thanks for your votes!

Sunshine Coast in this case needs the concrete. CAMCOS stub to interconnect with the Coast Connect feeder bus system.

[Stillwater]

I think you hit on the issue, ColinW.  Carolyn Male is no longer the (Labor) Member for Glass House.  The government does not seem fazed by all the evidence of their very clear (broken) promises to the people of the Sunshine Coast about their rail upgrade.

The very sad thing is there exists evidence that the government was warned in briefing notes that the full benefit of a SC Line duplication would be achieved only by pushing ahead with duplication to Landsborough; that duplication to Beerburrum would result in hardly any gains.

Seemingly, the government ignored that advice for pure political reasons, with the result that we have the mess today.

Not only has the government broken several promises, all of which are documented, it deliberately ignored departmental advice regarding the need for duplication to Landsborough.  That displays both contempt and irresponsibility.

[Golliwog]

Hmmmm, just thinking about it, is there much point in doing the SC line duplication before increasing capacity further in? Even if you can run more trains on the SC line, where/how will they be squeezed in during peak?

[Fares_Fair]

Couldn't you just extend the existing Caboolture terminating services further up the line, say to Landsborough or even Nambour ?

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[Arnz]

Couldn't you just extend the existing Caboolture terminating services further up the line, say to Landsborough or even Nambour ?

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

Depends on paths in both directions, as well as crew availability.  Theres a 48 min gap between the 4:30pm and 5:18pm City departures that is filled with a bus.

Extending the 4:50pm departure to Landsborough seems to be a do-able, the issues of extending that train would likely be crew availability.

[Golliwog]

Couldn't you just extend the existing Caboolture terminating services further up the line, say to Landsborough or even Nambour ?

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

Perhaps, but aren't the Caboolture services already crowded?

[Fares_Fair]

Couldn't you just extend the existing Caboolture terminating services further up the line, say to Landsborough or even Nambour ?

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

Perhaps, but aren't the Caboolture services already crowded?

Currently yes, but we await the impact of the extra services provided once the new timetable comes into effect on June 6.
There are 8 new weekday Sunshine Coast services (including a rail bus).
I do not know how many extra Caboolture services there are.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[Arnz]

To me the fact that the patronage on the SC line could be low due to to poor service frequency is irrelevant in the matter, the fact is there are far more passengers already using the service inbound of Caboolture who shouldn't be forced to suffer for the benefit of those who may start to use the service from further out.

Typical afternoon peak patronage beyond Caboolture:

Weekend Patronage with only 3 cars (Extended to 6-cars eff 6 June)

[Golliwog]

I know its crowded up there, but unless you're voting for shuttles (which I would support) I don't think you're going to get much, and even then the single track is fairly limiting. I'm not saying you don't deserve a better timetable, just that with the limitation as they are, this is what they have to do.

Talking about overcrowding, the loading on this mornings 7.06am train from Ferny Grove was fairly impressive. Pretty damn close to standing room only when it left Ferny Grove.

[BrizCommuter]

Talking about overcrowding, the loading on this mornings 7.06am train from Ferny Grove was fairly impressive. Pretty damn close to standing room only when it left Ferny Grove.

It has to be one of the most overcrowded services on the network. A 21 minute gap precedes this service!

[Fares_Fair]

Talking about overcrowding, the loading on this mornings 7.06am train from Ferny Grove was fairly impressive. Pretty damn close to standing room only when it left Ferny Grove.

It has to be one of the most overcrowded services on the network. A 21 minute gap precedes this service!

Are you being facetious, BC ?
The 4pm and 4:30pm Nambour trains from Central had 30 people standing per carriage this week
when I caught them home, and that's a shock, horror, 30 minute gap from Central ...

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[Jonno]

Maybe next time, when the Honorable Member is allotted more time to speak, he could start with these words: "To address this situation, Mr Speaker, and LNP Government would do .................... and ...............  We would also ensure that .........................  To encourage more public transport usage on the coast and to Brisbane, it is clear that ................................ must be provided by way of infrastructure.  An LNP government would ................. ."

here here. This is they key for me as well.  What is the LNP going to differently?  Their "Can do the Wrong Thing" leadder-from-the-outside is a roads, roads, roads, roads, roads man and I am confient little will be done to move people out of cars and onto rail and public tarnsport. Until our pollies are paying for their fuel out of their own pockets they are never going to be serious about PT.  They are happily sitting in their "Road-Coloured" world.

[Golliwog]

Talking about overcrowding, the loading on this mornings 7.06am train from Ferny Grove was fairly impressive. Pretty damn close to standing room only when it left Ferny Grove.

It has to be one of the most overcrowded services on the network. A 21 minute gap precedes this service!

Are you being facetious, BC ?
The 4pm and 4:30pm Nambour trains from Central had 30 people standing per carriage this week
when I caught them home, and that's a shock, horror, 30 minute gap from Central ...

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

FF, thats leaving Central, one of the main CBD stations. I'm talking about the train leaving the first station on the line and being already almost standing room only. Theres a big difference.

[Fares_Fair]

Talking about overcrowding, the loading on this mornings 7.06am train from Ferny Grove was fairly impressive. Pretty damn close to standing room only when it left Ferny Grove.

It has to be one of the most overcrowded services on the network. A 21 minute gap precedes this service!

Are you being facetious, BC ?
The 4pm and 4:30pm Nambour trains from Central had 30 people standing per carriage this week
when I caught them home, and that's a shock, horror, 30 minute gap from Central ...

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

FF, thats leaving Central, one of the main CBD stations. I'm talking about the train leaving the first station on the line and being already almost standing room only. Theres a big difference.

There is. I agree G. and note your point.

Sounds like the equivalent of the 5:26am Nambour service.
It will soon have another service under the new June 6 timetable at 5:50am.
We await to see it's impact on the severe overcrowding that the 5:26am service currently also has.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[somebody]

Talking about overcrowding, the loading on this mornings 7.06am train from Ferny Grove was fairly impressive. Pretty damn close to standing room only when it left Ferny Grove.

It has to be one of the most overcrowded services on the network. A 21 minute gap precedes this service!

Are you being facetious, BC ?
The 4pm and 4:30pm Nambour trains from Central had 30 people standing per carriage this week
when I caught them home, and that's a shock, horror, 30 minute gap from Central ...

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

Long distance commuters need to accept lower frequency than short distance commuters, and especially if they would like faster services, which they do.  The fact is that there will still be a 32 minute gap in the Shorncliffe timetable from 6 June while Sunshine Coast will have 15:34, 16:04, 16:34 (slower 9 station express), 17:22 (slower 9 station express), 17:49 (faster Gympie train), 18:04, 19:04 services ex-Central.

While there is a gap of doom from 16:34 to 17:22 (48mins), other than that it isn't too bad.  I'd wonder if a train could use the suburbans to leave the CBD in that time?  I'd imagine the Gympie train could be overcrowded though due to people targeting it.