TransLink - Public transport performance data July 2014

[ozbob]

Later today?

> http://translink.com.au/about-translink/reporting-and-publications/public-transport-performance-data

[darthcaligula666]

it is interesting that they are publishing these figures; even if the reports themselves arent overly exciting. what i think would be interesting to know would be a breakdown of patronage for each station on the rail network individually. do they make this kind of data available? (if so, where can it be accessed. if not; why?)

if we have a station by station breakdown, it would be interesting to see which stations were carrying a large volume of commuters, and those which arent. i know a few stations are scheduled for upgrades in the near future; for memory dinmore, graceville, newmarket and alderley. with a breakdown of patronages, it would be useful data to employ when doing the upgrades. ie: stations with higher patronage, more funding towards their upgrade. more facilities (larger carparks, wheelchair access, level platforms to be flush with trains, ramps, elevators, covered shelters etc) could be provided to the busier stations; while less busy stations could be upgraded with general beautification and maintenance without budget blowing unnecessarily. i think most people look at beerburrum as an example of unnecessary overspending. it is functional and aesthetic, and i am all for having awesome stations, but thinking from an economical point of view, the patronage figures could be a useful tool for this sort of feasibility study.

also, i would be interested to see the figures for stations like tennyson; was it severely under patronaged? i cant help but compare the brisbane network to that of sydney: so many interlinked rail lines. in brisbane, the only interlinked lines are the ipswich/springfield and beenleigh/gold coast between corinda and yeerongpilly going through tennyson station, and it is no longer operational. i am not exactly a big fan of buses, but are the bus services in brisbane really that amazing that we can afford to be closing stations down? i would love to know what others think on this.

sorry to make such a lengthy post!!

[ozbob]

Welcome!

Yo, the data that is made available is superficial clap-trap mainly.  We continue to press for full patronage, all rail lines, stations, all bus routes and ferries.

Despite Government rhetoric of transparency and openness,  the data that is released is very limited.

There is no bus or ferry OTP, rail is rather limited. 
I am forced to compile the rail aggregate data here --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?board=73.0

as they only publish the last five days for all lines peak.

[darthcaligula666]

thanks for the welcome, long time reader, first time poster. i didnt know if my contributions would be all that insightful, but as a train tragic, i figured it was time to bite the bullet and jump aboard (i know, that was seriously lame!)

it is pretty amazing you have the figures that you do. i believe the network should be opening more stations (obviously in viable locations to make it worthwhile) instead of closing them down. it will be nice when the moreton bay rail link goes in, as i believe the more people on public transport, the better. hopefully all of the proposed stations get built, as this may get a larger chunk of the population onto trains. if they can provide an efficient and reliable service, regardless of cost, i really think people will use it. efficiency and reliability will get people to join, affordability will keep them on board (ok, that wasnt intended, i swear!)

i remember when i was researching the opening of the springfield line last year, there was meant to be a station go in at ellen grove. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellen_Grove_railway_station i dont know what ever happened there as to why it wasnt built, but while it isnt exactly a tragedy, i am sure the people of that suburb would have benefited. i catch a lot of trains, and keep seeing things on the network that could be improved upon, not so much structurally, i have no engineering background, but in terms of making the railway more accessible. when you compare the two network maps of brisbane and sydney, there is no comparison. im probably dreaming, but i would love to see a significantly larger investment in the infrastructure to try to get more lines and stations built, so it might encourage more people to catch the train. i try to avoid political discussions, but i presume this would have to come from the state, so the likelihood of that happening is probably remote. hopefully the new generation rollingstock will pluck up peoples interest, and bring some new people to the network. the more the better! (i personally cant wait!)

i saw a while ago, i think during the ashes when england was here, that brisbane calls itself the new age city. i dont know on what level they get this name, because while the network is pretty good, i havent had too many problems affect me directly, and of those that have, they were minor and out of control of the railways anyway. but if we wish to truly be new age, which i think is a descent ambition (why not try to be the best?) then there is a long way to go before we are a city that the rest of the world looks to in terms of being a new age city for its efficient transport networks.

damn, i hope i dont sound too negative! i generally try to keep everything really positive in what i write because i try to look for the good in things, even if i naturally normally see the negative first, i try to spin it into a positive in some way. yay for clouds and silver linings and all that jazz!

[ozbob]

We pushed for Ellen Grove.  We also lobbied hard for duplication from Richlands to Springfield Central (achieved), and construction of Springfield Lakes (now Springfield - achieved).  Believe or not the authorities were going to only build Richlands and Springfield Central and single line.   Fortunately that was turned around, we missed out on Ellen Grove.  I expect it will be built in another 5 years or so.

Old media release --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=890.0

Yes, the public transport network overall is poorly integrated and high cost.  As you have probably noted it is a slow task to sort ... but we are getting there.

[darthcaligula666]

great job in getting it duplicated, i think i have mentioned before in one of my blogs (possibly helensvale) that it is 2014 not 1914, so the track really should be duplicated. how can one become a part of this lobbying group you mention whereby you say you pushed for duplication and ellen grove. as mentioned before, the most stations the better, if rail is made accessible, people will come to it. if it is efficient and reliable, i believe more people will use it and if it becomes more affordable, they will stay. if there is some sort of pro train group out there that i dont know about, dude, sign me up asap!

from reading the posts on the facebook page queensland rail have set up, it seems most commuters are frustrated by the track faults or overhead failures which screw up the services (reliability). a lot are annoyed with the price, though thankfully that hasnt affected me yet (student go card until the end of this year, god help me then!).

i have said it before but i will mention it again as i havent said it here: people are willing to pay for things they deem necessary or superior. prescription drugs are a great example. some will refuse generic because they believe inferiority; which is their rite to choice. if they are willing ot pay up to $10 more for an identical product, because they believe it is worth it, then they will. if the trains are reliable, people will pay. if they are efficient people will pay. if they are more accessible, more people will come, and more affordable, like non generic drugs, if the originator is virtually the same price as the generic, why go generic? the generic car ride to the city has the same net result, you still get there in the end. i really hope we can swing more people to the original mode of transport, after all, trains were around before cars!

oh, and yay for the potential for ellen grove to be built in a few years time! i hope for the sake of the people in that suburb that they get the station they have wished for. (my friends in inala will be happy! another station to choose from, lucky buggers!) the springfield stations are simply amazing. (no need for graceville to have an overhaul quite like that!) i still dont quite grasp naming springfield lakes simply springfield and springfield as springfield central, because the announcements sound a bit weird over the public address system when the springfield central train is arriving in approximately 2 minutes. i heard that this line may one day be extended further, to say redbank plains. i say the more stations, the better; though i heard that this may be some time well into the future....

[dancingmongoose]

Welcome darth, wondered when you'd turn up here! I love your blog, looking forward to more from you.

The single track section at Helensvale is to be duplicated in 2018, Springfield line will be extended to Ipswich station through Ripley Valley. Don't expect Ellen Grove until after we get BaT/CRR.

[darthcaligula666]

youre kidding me mongoose! seriously?! i didnt think anyone other than my friends from uni had been reading it, haha. thanks for the kind words

im certainly looking forward to the cross river rail and bat tunnel. i was worried when i heard that dutton park could have been closed down. the potential closure of that station, while not directly affecting me, would affect a lot of the nurses and patients at the p.a. hospital nearby. of a morning when we detrain, it isnt uncommon to see elderley people or nurses walking up the ramp to kent street on their way past pace to the hospital. a lot of patients use the medical centre at pace now too, many quite frail, so dutton having a ramp on both platforms is, in my opinion, one of the most important features of that station. i was incredibly glad to hear it was remaining open! (open more stations, dont close them!!)

extension of the springfield line to ipswich would be interesting. its a shame they are going to take so long to duplicate the coomera to helensvale stretch of the gold coast. i had figured it would be when the line was ultimately extended past varsity lakes, which i was hoping may be sooner rather than later now that the light rail has been rolled out. at least the people near ellen grove have a few options which are somewhat nearby to their suburb. i must admit i was a touch disappointed last december when my buddy and i caught the train to springfield central for the first time and i only got to travel 2 stations further than richlands. i do hope that when it goes in, regardless of which government is in power at the time, that ellen grove gets the kind of station it deserves. it would be grossly unfair if richlands, springfield and springfield central are all big flash impressive (new age) stations, and it doesnt get something to match. i know i cant expect the stations soon to be upgraded (poor dinmore) to look like those 3, but it would be fantastic if ellen grove and the moreton bay rail link stations all fit into a similar mould (like the string of similar stations on the beenleigh line!)

and i am glad i finally got around to joining this forum, i probably wont get to post much, as the assessment load for our final semester is rather intense, so i have discovered. i will certainly be pushing it to get to all the stations before i graduate! not to mention get all of my assessment work done in time. if i spent as much time studying as i did working on my blog, i could possibly have a slightly better grade point average.....

[ozbob]

As predicted, slip it out in the post ' fare cut ' mild hysteria ...

Abysmal affordability continues along ..

http://translink.com.au/sites/default/files/assets/resources/about-translink/reporting-and-publications/open-data/2014-july-snapshot.pdf

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[Gazza]

With respect to opening more stations, the tradeoff is that it can discourage patronage on the rest of the line if it starts making journey times too slow. It also increase the number of trains needed to work  the line.

In some locations new infill stations could work....Hope Island, possibly one at Bracken ridge at the overpass.

In other locations stations need to go, or be merged into a single station with better facilities, eg get rid of Wynnum, Gailes, Bindha, merge Moorooka and Rocklea.

Some stations could be "slid along" to be better located, eg move Strathpine a bit north.

[Jockosaurus]

i was worried when i heard that dutton park could have been closed down. the potential closure of that station, while not directly affecting me, would affect a lot of the nurses and patients at the p.a. hospital nearby. of a morning when we detrain, it isnt uncommon to see elderley people or nurses walking up the ramp to kent street on their way past pace to the hospital. a lot of patients use the medical centre at pace now too, many quite frail, so dutton having a ramp on both platforms is, in my opinion, one of the most important features of that station. i was incredibly glad to hear it was remaining open! (open more stations, dont close them!!)

Have to disagree with you here.  Dutton Park is a terrible station with low patronage. It is poorly located at the bottom of a steep hill, has lousy access, and major safety issues.  The PAH is well served by buses along Ipswich Rd and Cornwall St, and train passengers can alight at Park Road and catch one of the frequent buses along the busway. This will *save* most travellers time as it drops them on the "better" side of the hospital.  And there would of course be cost savings and reduced travel time for through passengers by closing the station. 

cheers,
Jockosaurus

[STB]

i was worried when i heard that dutton park could have been closed down. the potential closure of that station, while not directly affecting me, would affect a lot of the nurses and patients at the p.a. hospital nearby. of a morning when we detrain, it isnt uncommon to see elderley people or nurses walking up the ramp to kent street on their way past pace to the hospital. a lot of patients use the medical centre at pace now too, many quite frail, so dutton having a ramp on both platforms is, in my opinion, one of the most important features of that station. i was incredibly glad to hear it was remaining open! (open more stations, dont close them!!)

Have to disagree with you here.  Dutton Park is a terrible station with low patronage. It is poorly located at the bottom of a steep hill, has lousy access, and major safety issues.  The PAH is well served by buses along Ipswich Rd and Cornwall St, and train passengers can alight at Park Road and catch one of the frequent buses along the busway. This will *save* most travellers time as it drops them on the "better" side of the hospital.  And there would of course be cost savings and reduced travel time for through passengers by closing the station. 

cheers,
Jockosaurus

Hate to break it to you, but obviously Dutton Park will be staying.  The other part of that, is that Dutton Park station is actually geographically closer to the PA Emergency department and the Renal Dialysis Unit which are both on Cornwall St at the back of the main hospital building.  So, it's still useful (aside from also UQ's stuff at the TRI Building, and surrounding houses and apartments).

[Gazza]

Why are you replying to a post from 8 years ago?