Too close stop spacing making buses slow

[#Metro]

I took a ride on the 196 earlier this week to see how it might go as a BUZ.

I have to say, this is RIDICULOUSLY slow due to the extremely close bus stops.

Browning Street, West End is only about 600 or 700m in length and it has THREE 196 bus stops in it.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=West+End+QLD,+Australia&aq=0&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=34.450489,88.066406&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=West+End+Queensland,+Australia&ll=-27.478568,153.01363&spn=0.001178,0.003712&t=h&z=19

Then later on, Fairfield Park has TWO bus stops, one at the very start of the park and one at the other end. They must be around 200 m or so apart... which is even closer than Melbourne tram stop spacing!

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=West+End+QLD,+Australia&aq=0&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=34.450489,88.066406&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=West+End+Queensland,+Australia&ll=-27.503694,153.026901&spn=0.002355,0.007424&t=h&z=18

And then outside St. Itas school, two bus stops, within rock throwing distance of each other. There is one at Pope St and another at Bower street- only 200m apart.

This is making 196 S-L-O-W

Time to consolidate some stops. are there other routes with stops at infuriatingly close spacing?

http://www.humantransit.org/stop-spacing/
http://www.humantransit.org/2010/03/stop-spacing-the-endless-thankless-and-essential-struggle.html
http://www.humantransit.org/2009/06/mundane-things-that-really-matter-stop-spacing.html

[Golliwog]

I was always assuming they were reducing the number of stops from 6 June.

[#Metro]

I've heard no word on that? I just thought they were going to up the frequency?

[somebody]

I've heard no word on that? I just thought they were going to up the frequency?

I believe so.

I for one am much more concerned with the lack of a re-route into UQ.

[Golliwog]

I've heard no word on that? I just thought they were going to up the frequency?

When they BUZ'ed the 412 did they say they were reducing the number of stops? I didn't think it was limited stops till it became a BUZ. What about the 120? It's new timetable has set stops marked on the route.

[#Metro]

No. 412 and 412 BUZ has the same number of stops as it always did.
BUZ 199 also has close stop spacing

the only exception seems to be CityGlider

[O_128]

the 428 is infuriating, some of the stops you could throw a ball between

[Andrew]

I for one am much more concerned with the lack of a re-route into UQ.

Well I think that would be a bad idea.

Re-routing the 196 to UQ Lakes would be a bad idea as Fairfield Gardens is a patronage generator for the bus route. It is normal to pick up at least half a dozen people each trip during the day. The 196 is also a lot more frequent than the 105 etc.

As for the stops being too close together.  You guys have to understand that a lot of these bus routes are old tram routes and the tram stops were closer together than the bus stops are.  The 196 is an old tram route as far as Dutton Park (the tracks poked through last year when they resurfaced Browning St!).  The same with most of the 199 as well.  Same can be said for the 174/175 (to Mt Gravatt Central), 124 (to Salisbury), 370 (to Chermside) etc.  Putting stops in is easier than taking them out.  The amount of effort a planner has to go to to remove a stop is enourmous.

[somebody]

The Fairfield Rd service could be upgraded though.  Currently the 105 is the only other route besides the 196/197 going past there.  Soon, the 104 will also pass it.

[Mr X]

Bus stops on the 196 are diabolical, but like most all stopper routes, it needs to cover the catchment area well.
Aside from your comments (useless 2 Fairfield Park stops) I think:
1. MAXIMUM of 2 stops on Browning Street, not three; remove the middle stops (far side of Russell St).
2. Remove the bus stop near the German restaurant on Gladstone Rd, it is 1 min walk from the bus stop after it (one at the lights).
3. Remove the inbound bus stop on Melbourne St that is 2 sets of lights away from the Cultural Centre.
4. Fix up the access to Fairfield Gardens- having a BUZ go through a shopping centre carpark is hardly ideal.
5. Relocate the I/B bus stop on Vulture St, why is it in the middle of an intersection?  :conf

I've gotta go to work but I'll think of more comments to post later.

[O_128]

Same Issue on most routes, There are way to many stops on the 230 on riding road, every 150m or so. Heidelberg street also needs a stop canned. getting rid of the stop that is in sight of the gabba busway station would help to.

[Mr X]

Heidelburg St has 3 stops, right? And another stop at the park on Mowbray Tce?

[O_128]

Heidelberg has 2 but there is one 20 meters away on wynnum road. Getting rid of the one closest to wynnum road would help.


What kind of spacing should we be aiming for, I would like to think 300-400m. I find nothing more infuriating than being on a peak hour bus with people getting off at every stop when they are so close together.

[Mr X]

When you can walk between two stops in less than a minute, you've got a problem.

I think 5mins walk minimum, so 400m maybe?

[Golliwog]

When you can walk between two stops in less than a minute, you've got a problem.

I think 5mins walk minimum, so 400m maybe?

I'd go for something like that. Most BUZ routes are what, 800m?

[WTN]

300-400m seems to be sensible, with an exemption for steep hills (stop at the top and bottom allowed). Make them too far apart and the service becomes a disincentive if your origin/destination is right between stops. Some of the limited express services (not just BUZ) have stops placed a bit too far.

During the construction of the Eastern Busway, the "Buranda Railway" stops on Logan Rd were temporarily removed. Then months ago, the outbound stop was reinstated, followed by the inbound stop just recently. Those stops could be removed permanently because the next stops 150m inbound were about the same distance to the railway station. Instead we get stops replaced beside construction sites (and soon to be empty space) instead of shops and houses that were once there.

[SurfRail]

Similar set-up with the PA Hospital station.  Adjacent stops need to be completely redesigned to allow interchanging between all Ipswich Rd services (ie including expresses) and the busway.  It probably means redesigning the set up so there are express stops on both sides of the road at the Centro and the busway.