21 Jun 2008: SEQ: Car parking, congestion, chaos and calamity. A solution!

[ozbob]

Media Release 21 June 2008

SEQ:  Car parking, congestion, chaos and calamity.  A solution!

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport users has called for dedicated buses to be introduced in the suburbs as feeder services to transport commuters from places near their homes;  to and from key bus and rail stations.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

?RAIL Back On Track has highlighted the ongoing parking problems at railway stations for some time (1).?

?As more people are forced onto public transport to save fuel costs, parking pressures around stations (rail and bus) will only increase.  Rather than driving all the way commuters will park and ride.?

?It is not possible or sensible to keep building more and more car parks. Eventually we will just have stations surrounded by hectares of car parks.?

?Car parking is causing much disruption for local residents near stations. It is causing problems with local businesses as car parks are often taken up by commuters.?

?The overload parking on streets is restricting the access of motorists and causing chaos as people attempt to drive around their suburbs.?

?Rail and bus stations need bus interchange facilities. For example with the upgrade of Indooroopilly station it would have been logical to have incorporated a bus/rail interchange as part of the upgrade.  A lost opportunity.?

?Monday to Friday, from 6am to 10am, and 3pm to 7pm daily we call for local neighbourhood buses to be introduced to provide transport for commuters to and from their residences to stations.  These buses could be painted a bright TransLink orange and become part of the local neighbourhood facilities and culture.  Routes could be chosen such that residents only have short walks to stops to catch the Station bus.?

?By having these dedicated Station buses the pressure would be off the present parking facilities, and those commuters who need to travel outside the peak times would be able to park without the present problems.?

?The parking issue is raised constantly in the media, and feedback is constantly received by us as to the problems.  Nothing substantial is ever done except more of the same; the knee-jerk response of knocking down houses and building more car parks is silly. This is a non solution for the long term. Station buses are solution that is sustainable and sensible.?

?Let?s do it!?

Reference:

1.  http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=532.0

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[richard]

Great idea Bob - and, to make it even more desirable, regardless of where the buses went, they would not add a zone to the rail journey.  (IE if someone got into a bus in Zone 4, but their station was in zone 3, and they went to the city, their charge would be for zone 1-3 travel.

richard

[ozbob]

Just show and Go!   



Mythical Station Bus

Thanks Richard. Car parks will always be needed, but if a significant number of commuters can use the Station bus it will take off a lot of pressure. Save money too, and for those people car park security not a worry either. Some days it might be necessary to drive, but  more parking spaces would be available.

[ozbob]

The message below was sent as a follow up to this media release:

------------------------------------------

22 June 2008

Greetings,

Further to our media release below.

It is time to seriously consider doing something meaningful for our community.  The present approach of just building even more car parks is farcical.

Please take the time to review this thread on our message board
-->  http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=532.0

There is a crisis in the suburbs with respect to commuter parking.  A truly smart Government would be addressing this as a priority, particularly as citizens will be using a lot more public transport as fuel prices escalate.

I watched at Blackheath Road Oxley one afternoon a week or so ago.  Cars parked both sides of the road, barely enough room for a car to pass along.
Motorists yelling and screaming at each other, residents unable to access their properties; in short a mess. This situation is replicated through out the suburbs of Brisbane.  Local businesses are being impacted as well. My local physiotherapist has to leave notes on car windows on commuters cars who are using the nearby railway station, to try to reclaim spaces for her patients.

Why is it that Government (State and Local) and our Transport Planners are stuck in yesterdays mindset?
The smart state spin comes thick and fast, but it is fast becoming a sad joke for many.

Action is needed.  Constructive action and policies.
Community education is needed.  Residents deserve better.

Thank you.

Regards
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
RAIL Back On Track

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

25 June 2011

Car parking crisis

Greetings,

Amusing if not sad the hysterical reaction to Chermside Shopping Centre moves to charge for parking.  The reaction by the BCC, the State Government, the Opposition, and many citizens just confirms the basket case that is parking policy, and public transport policy generally.

Park n' ride is only at best a part solution.  The more expensive park n' rides are built, the quicker they fill with the consequent overflow issues for all and the worse it all becomes.

This media release was first released three years ago.  Has anything really improved?   No it is hasn't ... despite millions of dollars spent on park n' rides ...

Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

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

Media Release 21 June 2008 re-released 25 June 2011

SEQ:  Car parking, congestion, chaos and calamity.  A solution!

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport users has called for dedicated buses to be introduced in the suburbs as feeder services to transport commuters from places near their homes;  to and from key bus and rail stations.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"RAIL Back On Track has highlighted the ongoing parking problems at railway stations for some time (1).

"As more people are forced onto public transport to save fuel costs, parking pressures around stations (rail and bus) will only increase.  Rather than driving all the way commuters will park and ride."

"It is not possible or sensible to keep building more and more car parks. Eventually we will just have stations surrounded by hectares of car parks."

"Car parking is causing much disruption for local residents near stations. It is causing problems with local businesses as car parks are often taken up by commuters."

"The overload parking on streets is restricting the access of motorists and causing chaos as people attempt to drive around their suburbs."

"Rail and bus stations need bus interchange facilities. For example with the upgrade of Indooroopilly station it would have been logical to have incorporated a bus/rail interchange as part of the upgrade.  A lost opportunity."

"Monday to Friday, from 6am to 10am, and 3pm to 7pm daily we call for local neighbourhood buses to be introduced to provide transport for commuters to and from their residences to stations.  These buses could be painted a bright TransLink orange and become part of the local neighbourhood facilities and culture.  Routes could be chosen such that residents only have short walks to stops to catch the Station bus."

"By having these dedicated Station buses the pressure would be off the present parking facilities, and those commuters who need to travel outside the peak times would be able to park without the present problems."

"The parking issue is raised constantly in the media, and feedback is constantly received by us as to the problems.  Nothing substantial is ever done except more of the same; the knee-jerk response of knocking down houses and building more car parks is silly. This is a non solution for the long term. Station buses are solution that is sustainable and sensible."

"Let's do it!"

Reference:

1.  http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=532.0

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

26th October 2011

Greetings,

More car parking meltdowns highlighted in the media, eg. Chermside.
Don't you think that it is time that the parking paradigm was changed into sustainable transport options?

See the this media release from 21 June 2008, nothing has changed, the situation is just worse than ever.

It is not rocket science is it?

Best wishes
Robert

Contact:

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



Mythical station bus -->   http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=532.msg4651#msg4651

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


Media Release 21 June 2008 re-released 26 October 2011

SEQ:  Car parking, congestion, chaos and calamity.  A solution!

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport users has called for dedicated buses to be introduced in the suburbs as feeder services to transport commuters from places near their homes;  to and from key bus and rail stations.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"RAIL Back On Track has highlighted the ongoing parking problems at railway stations for some time (1)."

"As more people are forced onto public transport to save fuel costs, parking pressures around stations (rail and bus) will only increase.  Rather than driving all the way commuters will park and ride."

"It is not possible or sensible to keep building more and more car parks. Eventually we will just have stations surrounded by hectares of car parks."

"Car parking is causing much disruption for local residents near stations. It is causing problems with local businesses as car parks are often taken up by commuters."

"The overload parking on streets is restricting the access of motorists and causing chaos as people attempt to drive around their suburbs."

"Rail and bus stations need bus interchange facilities. For example with the upgrade of Indooroopilly station it would have been logical to have incorporated a bus/rail interchange as part of the upgrade.  A lost opportunity."

"Monday to Friday, from 6am to 10am, and 3pm to 7pm daily we call for local neighbourhood buses to be introduced to provide transport for commuters to and from their residences to stations.  These buses could be painted a bright TransLink orange and become part of the local neighbourhood facilities and culture.  Routes could be chosen such that residents only have short walks to stops to catch the Station bus."

"By having these dedicated Station buses the pressure would be off the present parking facilities, and those commuters who need to travel outside the peak times would be able to park without the present problems."

"The parking issue is raised constantly in the media, and feedback is constantly received by us as to the problems.  Nothing substantial is ever done except more of the same; the knee-jerk response of knocking down houses and building more car parks is silly. This is a non solution for the long term. Station buses are solution that is sustainable and sensible."

"Let's do it!"

Reference:

1.   http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=532.0

Contact:

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

[ozbob]

Twitter

danielbowen Daniel Bowen
@Robert_Dow My usual line on rail feeder buses vs parking is you shouldn't have to own a car to use public transport.
28 minutes ago

=====

Excellent point!

[Jonno]

Further a fast, frequent and networked transit system should be within walkable distance of all urban  neighbourhoods.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

27th October 2011

Re: SEQ: Car parking, congestion, chaos and calamity. A solution!

Greetings,

I understand car parking complaints is the single biggest issue in terms of complaints for council.

Little wonder.  We have been warning for years of the meltdown and grief.  We have suggested solutions.  

What is the response of governments?  Blame each other ...

How about forming a task force, local and state government, community organisations and other key stake holders and get on with providing real solutions?

Meanwhile catch a bus or train,  if you can find one.  Do folks remember how to walk?

Best wishes
Robert

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

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

4th November 2011

Oh dear,  Einstein was right ...

Greetings,

As reported in the Brisbanetimes this morning ( http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/park-n-rides-should-move-into-town-lnp-20111103-1mxo4.html ), the LNP would like to build Park n' rides within 10km of Brisbane CBD.  There are real issues with doing that.  Firstly it further encourages more cars onto the already massive congestion basket case that are the roads in inner Brisbane.  There is the cost of building the Park n' Rides which would be very expensive due to the resumptions that would be required. Also, there is a much bigger problem. Park n' rides are filled very early, what happens is that people in cars are then forced to drive further in, and overload the streets and businesses, suburbs adjacent to the Park n' Rides.   The LNP should be focused on restoring bus priority on the road network rather than implementing policies that will exacerbate the problems.  The LNP should be focussed on implementing a proper station and feeder bus network.  This then means that the present Park n' Rides can cope.   Shift workers are often excluded from using public transport because they cannot get a park at bus station or railway station, after the peak. The parking spaces are occupied by peak commuters.  Having a proper feeder bus network means the pressure is relieved, and those who do have to drive to the station for mobility reasons, or varying work hours can do so and obtain a lawful park.

There are solutions.  See -->  http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=1056.msg61230#msg61230

It is time that all political parties actually started to act on long sustainable transport solutions, not knee-jerk populist twaddle ...

One should not have to own a car to use public transport!

Best wishes
Robert

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