Removal of FlexiLink service in zones A and B

[ozbob]

Yay!

http://translink.com.au/travel-information/services-and-timetables/buses/flexilink/ipswich-changes-3-may

Removal of FlexiLink service in zones A and B

In Tivoli and Basin Pocket (roam zones A and B) FlexiLink services will end and regular bus services will be returned to your local bus stops.

This service will be known as the route 514 Tivoli to Booval (PDF 2 MB) and will service Moores Pocket, Raymonds Hill, North Ipswich, Ipswich, Basin Pocket, East Ipswich and Booval.

View a map of the 514 service (PDF 323 KB).

The existing route 503 (Bundamba-RiverLink via Eastern Heights) will also be extended to incorporate stops at Bundamba and the Pring Street medical centre.

View a map of the extended 503 service (PDF 347 KB).

Timetables and information will be available at the following shopping centres and train stations:
27-29 April and 3 May, 9am-5.30pm

   Riverlink Shopping Centre,
   Booval Fair Shopping Centre
   Redbank Plains Shopping Centre

27-29 April and 3 May, 6.30-9am and 3.30-6pm

   Ipswich station
   Booval station
   Goodna station

Timetables are also available online or via the TransLink call centre on 13 12 30 anytime.

=====================

Enhanced FlexiLink service to continue in zones C and D

Following feedback from the community enhancements will be made to the Ipswich FlexiLink service from Tuesday 3 May.

FlexiLink services will continue for a further trial period of three months in:

   Goodna
   Bellbird Park
   Karalee
   Barellan Point

Roam zone C will now include an extended service to Redbank Plaza Shopping Centre.

Booking times for FlexiLink services in roam zones C and D will be brought forward from 24 hours to two hours to make it more convenient for passengers.

Additional seating will also be put in at Goodna station and better signage installed at Redbank Plaza to improve boarding and departure environments.

Further consultation will be held with the community to gather feedback on the FlexiLink service toward the end of the trial period.

Read more about the previous community feedback process (PDF 163KB) and community feedback report (PDF 240KB).

For more information, including roam zone maps and operating hours booking please view the FlexiLink brochure (PDF 856 KB) or call the TransLink call centre on 13 12 30 anytime.

==============

Note:  Myself and some local Goodna residents will be putting in feedback re Goodna bus deficits. TransLink will be further reviewing roam C after June 6.

[somebody]

They should never have removed the buses in the first place.  At least not without a "use it or lose it" period.

[ozbob]

They should never have removed the buses in the first place.  At least not without a "use it or lose it" period.

Absolutely.

[ozbob]

Sent to Minister and TransLink, Queensland Rail and local political representatives:

22nd April 2011

FlexiLink matters

Greetings,

Firstly I would like to thank Minister Palaszczuk and TransLink for responding and reinstituting bus services in the roam Zones A and B at Ipswich.
Details --> http://translink.com.au/travel-information/services-and-timetables/buses/flexilink/ipswich-changes-3-may

I also note the committment to further review the FlexiLink arrangements in roam zone C.  Feedback from this zone has not been as vocal as from Ipswich itself.  There are perhaps a number of reasons for this, fundamentally as it is in many respects a different demographic, and the fact that Goodna was particularly impacted with the recent  floods.
Since my return to Goodna I have noticed that it is still very busy with respect to commuters, and since Woolworths reopened the town centre itself is alive once again.

I have had some opportunity to travel on some local bus services at Goodna already (524) and it has been well supported with pax.  Over the next month or so I intend to explore in greater depth the bus arrangements around and  in and out of Goodna.  I have had discussions with some FlexiLink users in roam zone C and the problems that were in Ipswich are still here in Goodna.  I am amazed to see closed bus stops along Queen St, the major thoroughfare into Goodna (apart from the Ipswich Highway).

I note that:

Roam zone C will now include an extended service to Redbank Plaza Shopping Centre.

Booking times for FlexiLink services in roam zones C and D will be brought forward from 24 hours to two hours to make it more convenient for passengers.

Additional seating will also be put in at Goodna station and better signage installed at Redbank Plaza to improve boarding and departure environments.

Further consultation will be held with the community to gather feedback on the FlexiLink service toward the end of the trial period.

This is all welcome. Thanks.  There is still a major issue with the return journey though. Often it is not possible to accurately forecast the time for such journey eg. medical appointment.
I think that some sort of FlexiLink pass could be brought in for entitled users which allows them to access the first cab on the rank for such journeys.  This would greatly assist.

Goodna railway station was flooded of course and Queensland Rail did a great job on bringing the basic station back on line promptly.  The lifts are still out, as lifts are out at many other locations. Pedestrian access is difficult generally due to the ongoing road works.  It is also dangerous for pedestrians at night particularly.  There really needs to be a safety audit and some lighting and other improvements (eg. help phone at Kiss n' Ride) at the station pick up areas and access paths.  Additional seating is welcome at the FlexiLink, Kiss n' ride, but what is also needed is weather protection from rain and sun.  See here --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=5712.msg51671#msg51671  These are minor low cost improvements that can be done now pending completion of the road works.

Goodna station itself should be in line for a major upgrade if and when the track amplification from Darra to Redbank proceeds.  The question is, is it reasonable to wait for that unknown date?  Goodna station needs at least some basic improvements now.  Car parking at and around the station is a mess of course (in line with most of south-east Queensland).  What is needed is more feeder buses to help reduce the parking pressures.  The feeder buses need to actually connect with the trains as well, something missing in many cases at the moment.  If the Springfield - Richlands rail bus fires up, that I think will help relieve some pressure at Goodna as well.

Have a happy Easter.

Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[#Metro]

I think FlexiLink booking times should vary with the urban context.
In inner city areas, the maximum wait should not exceed that of a BUZ during the off peak plus a margin of grace (plus or minus 5 minutes)- so that would be ~ 15 minutes wait between booking time and it picking you up. Which is not bad considering at Dutton Park the train comes every half hour!

Further out, I think one hour should be the maximum wait. There are hourly buses, and flexilink should probably match that. The chances of getting multiple passengers into the same vehicle could be increased by booking people in at times closest to the nearest 15 minutes in the hour. Many taxis also now text message when the taxi is approaching, so this feature would also be very useful.

[ozbob]

From the Queensland Times click here!

Taxi system is driven away

Taxi system is driven away

Zane Jackson | 28th April 2011

BUSES will return to the streets of Tivoli and Basin Pocket when the FlexiLink taxi system trial officially ends next week.

The reinstated bus service will be called the 514 Tivoli to Booval route and will service Moores Pocket, Raymonds Hill, North Ipswich, Ipswich, Basin Pocket, East Ipswich and Booval.

A previous bus service in the area was scrapped for the FlexiLink taxi system, but after a barrage of complaints, the 12 month trial was cut back to three months and then axed.

The existing route 503 (Bundamba-Riverlink via Eastern Heights) will be extended to incorporate stops at Bundamba and the Pring St medical centre.

Some commuters have told The Queensland Times that they have struggled to find timetables for the new 514 Tivoli to Booval route.

Timetables and information on the new route will be available from 9am to 5.30pm today, tomorrow and on May 3 at the Riverlink Shopping Centre, Booval Fair Shopping Centre, Redbank Plains Shopping Centre as well as the Ipswich, Booval and Goodna train stations.

Timetable information is also available at www.translink.com.au or by calling 13 12 30.

While happy at the return of buses in Tivoli and Basin Pocket, Save Our Buses campaigner Patricia Petersen said they would continue to campaign to have all buses returned.

Dr Petersen, who confirmed she would be running in the next state election as in independent, said other routes had been axed or merged to the detriment of commuters.

Meanwhile, the LNP state opposition yesterday blasted the State Government for doing little to improve public transport services in the state.

"The new transport minister, like all Labor transport ministers, has been promising action but all we've got is another committee," LNP Shadow Transport Minister Scott Emerson said.

Transport Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk said the criticism was unfounded, claiming the soon-to-be established Public Transport Advisory Group would have direct input into transport decisions.

Ms Palaszczuk said it showed they were listening to concerns of public transport commuters.

She said Ipswich residents keen to join the group could nominate at www.tmr.qld.gov.au

[justanotheruser]

They should never have removed the buses in the first place.  At least not without a "use it or lose it" period.

Depends on how the use it or lose it is done. If they say they will look at the numbers for three months and everyone gets on the bus for the next three months and then stops using it then it is a bit useless. If however it was an ongoing use it or lose it where if the numbers fall back down then they lose it without warning (except for the months notice that it will be cancelled) then that is alright. Often people will use something just so they don't lose it for a few months then they will stop using it.

[justanotheruser]

From the Queensland Times click here!

Taxi system is driven away

Taxi system is driven away

Zane Jackson | 28th April 2011

BUSES will return to the streets of Tivoli and Basin Pocket when the FlexiLink taxi system trial officially ends next week.

The reinstated bus service will be called the 514 Tivoli to Booval route and will service Moores Pocket, Raymonds Hill, North Ipswich, Ipswich, Basin Pocket, East Ipswich and Booval.

A previous bus service in the area was scrapped for the FlexiLink taxi system, but after a barrage of complaints, the 12 month trial was cut back to three months and then axed.

The existing route 503 (Bundamba-Riverlink via Eastern Heights) will be extended to incorporate stops at Bundamba and the Pring St medical centre.

Some commuters have told The Queensland Times that they have struggled to find timetables for the new 514 Tivoli to Booval route.

Timetables and information on the new route will be available from 9am to 5.30pm today, tomorrow and on May 3 at the Riverlink Shopping Centre, Booval Fair Shopping Centre, Redbank Plains Shopping Centre as well as the Ipswich, Booval and Goodna train stations.

Timetable information is also available at www.translink.com.au or by calling 13 12 30.

While happy at the return of buses in Tivoli and Basin Pocket, Save Our Buses campaigner Patricia Petersen said they would continue to campaign to have all buses returned.

Dr Petersen, who confirmed she would be running in the next state election as in independent, said other routes had been axed or merged to the detriment of commuters.

Meanwhile, the LNP state opposition yesterday blasted the State Government for doing little to improve public transport services in the state.

"The new transport minister, like all Labor transport ministers, has been promising action but all we've got is another committee," LNP Shadow Transport Minister Scott Emerson said.

Transport Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk said the criticism was unfounded, claiming the soon-to-be established Public Transport Advisory Group would have direct input into transport decisions.

Ms Palaszczuk said it showed they were listening to concerns of public transport commuters.

She said Ipswich residents keen to join the group could nominate at www.tmr.qld.gov.au

Still can't find a timetable with this stop information on it. The 503 already goes to bundamba and they keep saying they will extenfd it to include stops at bundamba. So where exactly will it be going?

Somebody I was not able to find the get timetable link on the translink page other than the normal "find services and timetables" section which only shows the old map so is of no use. You can't type the stop into journey planner unless you know where it is unless you fiddle with the options in which case it will show alot of buses you don't want the info for. I think translink have goofed on this one because it isn't a new service so they have decided not to bring in new map for 503 and very little information.

[justanotheruser]

spoke with a senior bus driver with westside and they said 503 would run at the same time from riverlink to the hospital then go via pring st left into roderick and left into warwick rd.  The times won't change as the 503 usually waits at booval for 5 or 6 minutes and they will use that time to allow for going via pring st.

[somebody]

Still can't find a timetable with this stop information on it. The 503 already goes to bundamba and they keep saying they will extenfd it to include stops at bundamba. So where exactly will it be going?

Somebody I was not able to find the get timetable link on the translink page other than the normal "find services and timetables" section which only shows the old map so is of no use. You can't type the stop into journey planner unless you know where it is unless you fiddle with the options in which case it will show alot of buses you don't want the info for. I think translink have goofed on this one because it isn't a new service so they have decided not to bring in new map for 503 and very little information.

See the circled bit on the image below to find what I am talking about.  Some people have had trouble with this, but I don't think I can use a file sharing service from this computer, so hopefully you can see this.

[mufreight]

Timetables for the 514 service to Tivoli and Booval are yet to be sighted at the Ipswich rail station despite all other Ipswich region service timetables being avaliable there.

[justanotheruser]

Timetables for the 514 service to Tivoli and Booval are yet to be sighted at the Ipswich rail station despite all other Ipswich region service timetables being avaliable there.

The railways* probably only order when they are getting low. In any case new bus timetables are being prepared to fit in with new train timetable starting next month. Perhaps they are waiting for that.

*While it is an assumption that the railways order these timetables numerous times I have seen railway staff making a note of which timetables are required.

[mufreight]

Timetables for the 514 service to Tivoli and Booval are yet to be sighted at the Ipswich rail station despite all other Ipswich region service timetables being avaliable there.

The railways* probably only order when they are getting low. In any case new bus timetables are being prepared to fit in with new train timetable starting next month. Perhaps they are waiting for that.

*While it is an assumption that the railways order these timetables numerous times I have seen railway staff making a note of which timetables are required.

Yet Translink had staff standing in the exit from the station handing out the timetables on the first days of the new timetable, surely it would be reasonable that Translink would have either placed copies of the timetable in the rack at the station together with all the other timetables and would (read should) have supplied the station with sufficent copies of this timetable which apparently will not be altered with the introduction of the new rail timetable.
Could this be yet another oversight by the Translink Public Relations staff?
Overpriced fares, below standard service