Forest Lake Blvd review (460/1/5 + 103 + 454)

[somebody]

http://translink.com.au/resources/travel-information/services-and-timetables/timetables/110606-101,102,103,%20122.pdf

http://translink.com.au/resources/travel-information/services-and-timetables/timetables/110606-460,P461,N464.pdf

http://translink.com.au/resources/travel-information/services-and-timetables/timetables/110606-462,465,466.pdf

http://translink.com.au/resources/travel-information/services-and-timetables/timetables/110606-450,453,454,P455,P456,P457,P458,P459.pdf

Looks like my dream red/green route proposal is unlikely.  An alternate proposal is this:

A full time 460 running at a half hourly frequency, combined with:
- half hourly 454, coordinated with the 460 for 15 minute service to Fig Tree Pocket and Dandenong Rd, Mt Ommaney.  460 needs to serve Fig Tree Pocket for this to work
- weekend 453/454
- 103 extension from Inala to Forest Lake along Partridge St (provides connections to the Ipswich Line rather than funnelling everyone onto the 100)
- half hourly 465, for a 15 minute service along Forest Lake Blvd
- 4tph at Richlands

Any comments?

[david]

I think the 103 extension to Forest Lake is something that RBoT should campaign for. It seems to comply with their network planning guidelines and it just makes removing waste like the 461/462 possibly that little bit more palatable. So, in essence, I support your ideas.

Can I assume that the 453 will stay as is in your proposal? Because some simple re-timing of the 453/454/460 would provide a vastly better service for Mt Ommaney Shopping Centre, which is the main interchange in the region.

[jouzocha]

http://translink.com.au/resources/travel-information/services-and-timetables/timetables/110606-101,102,103,%20122.pdf

http://translink.com.au/resources/travel-information/services-and-timetables/timetables/110606-460,P461,N464.pdf

http://translink.com.au/resources/travel-information/services-and-timetables/timetables/110606-462,465,466.pdf

http://translink.com.au/resources/travel-information/services-and-timetables/timetables/110606-450,453,454,P455,P456,P457,P458,P459.pdf

Looks like my dream red/green route proposal is unlikely.  An alternate proposal is this:

A full time 460 running at a half hourly frequency, combined with:
- half hourly 454, coordinated with the 460 for 15 minute service to Fig Tree Pocket and Dandenong Rd, Mt Ommaney.  460 needs to serve Fig Tree Pocket for this to work

To be honest I don't see why 460 needs to go beyond Mt Ommaney shops.  Change at Richlands for trains to the city or to 454 at Mt Ommaney.  454 could run every 15 minutes & so could 460 Forest Lake <-> Mt Ommaney, so the outer ends both get a 15 minute service but without needing to run both the whole way to the City.  Of course this may need to happen during peak hours.

- 4tph at Richlands

Any comments?

Can't see that ever happening either with the current Gov't or a CanDo led LNP  

[somebody]

Truncating the 460 at Mt Ommaney would be an interesting idea if the BUZ 454 were to be proceeded with.  Without the 15 minute train frequency, it is very complicated to improve service to Forest Lake Blvd.

[somebody]

Here's a map of the proposed 103 extension:


Purple shade is the extension.

[ozbob]

Media release 8 November 2011

SEQ: Call to extend the 103 bus to College Ave/Forest Lake

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers calls for the 103 bus to be extended to Forest Lake (1,2).

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Presently there is poor connectivity between the Ipswich Line and the stretch between Inala and Forest Lake.  This is important as the Ipswich line allows connections to Ipswich, Indooroopilly Shopping town and UQ St Lucia.  Even in peak hour these people need to double change to reach Ipswich line connections.  Either use a 100 bus to Inala and then 101/102/103 to reach the Ipswich line, or by going to Richlands on the 460 bus then a train to Darra.  Only the latter option is useful for College Ave."

"An extension of the 103 bus is most useful in peak hour.  That's because the 100 bus will get caught in traffic on the Ipswich 'car park' and also the connection with express trains from Darra improves transport options.

"The hourly frequency in peak hour is also very unsatisfactory.  RAIL Back On Track members would like this route to run every 15 minutes all day, and more frequently in peak hour, to meet the express trains which run every 6 or 12 minutes.  This would help to alleviate traffic congestion on Ipswich Rd."

"Public transport needs to allow for connection to nodes other than the CBD connection which is provided by the 100 bus, and is better if it doesn't get stuck in traffic which is also the case for the 100 bus.

References:

1. http://translink.com.au/resources/travel-information/services-and-timetables/timetables/110606-101,102,103,%20122.pdf

2. http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=6934.0

Contact:

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

[Set in train]

Media release 8 November 2011

SEQ: Call to extend the 103 bus to College Ave/Forest Lake

Would the Transport ministry be churlish enough to come out and say that bus connections are adequate to RICHLANDS and ignore the need to connect with Darra?

[david]

In that case, perhaps we should fire back at them and suggest that Inala has connections to Richlands/Darra/Oxley/Corinda and Moorooka stations...

[somebody]

David, don't give them ideas.

[david]

What I would actually like to see is the 462 truncated at Richlands (ie only service Richlands to Darra) and extended to cover Oxley and Corinda Stations. There is currently a lack of a bus service which can connect these four stations and can act as a feeder service concurrently.

This would allow for the 101 and 102 to be cut back to Oxley. Then, the 103 would need to be extended to Forest Lake in order to replace the lost (albeit terrible) 462 connection to Darra Station. 460/465 can cover the Forest Lake/Richlands feeder. Inala Plaza has the 466.

Win-win situation for everyone (except those too lazy to interchange at Oxley if they need to get to Corinda).
Except for Translink, because it would cost a lot more buses.

[somebody]

What I would actually like to see is the 462 truncated at Richlands (ie only service Richlands to Darra) and extended to cover Oxley and Corinda Stations. There is currently a lack of a bus service which can connect these four stations and can act as a feeder service concurrently.

This would allow for the 101 and 102 to be cut back to Oxley. Then, the 103 would need to be extended to Forest Lake in order to replace the lost (albeit terrible) 462 connection to Darra Station. 460/465 can cover the Forest Lake/Richlands feeder. Inala Plaza has the 466.

Win-win situation for everyone (except those too lazy to interchange at Oxley if they need to get to Corinda).
Except for Translink, because it would cost a lot more buses.

I'd say extend the 110 to Richlands.

If the 462 is still to run, why not extend along the 465 route?  It allows connectivity in the Ipswich direction without adding a change.

Definitely agree about chopping the 101/102 at Oxley and retiming.  God forbid that such an enhancement would be implemented in Brisbane! 

[david]

Just noticed this discussion in the On The Buses forum topic -> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=195.msg73597#msg73597

Re: Indro - perhaps the drop offs could be done at the stop approaching Station Rd.  Only served by the AM peak 460, apparently.  Or stop 24.

Most impressive re: 40% load on out of Richlands after 9am.  I presume 40% seated load.

I'm very unsurprised that a number of Inala-ites wanted to go to Ipswich.  This is where the BUZ 103 and improved counter peak service comes in IMO.

Honestly I don't think there is really that many wanting to go to Ipswich via Darra from what I saw, ie that's worth upgrading the 103 to a BUZ, when I was there there was a bunch of people but not a busload.  I would need to sit there all day for a week to get a good solid idea of how many passengers are heading to Ipswich via Darra. The majority of the people I saw were only going as far as Inala shops.  I would suspect that those wanting to go to Ipswich would be those heading to work, whether shift work or 9 to 5.  By the way, those people were asking about the 101/102, not the 103.  It seems that, from what I saw and heard, they are going via Corinda or Oxley, not Darra, amazingly.

I do think that the 460 could be canned completely or cut off to Mt Ommaney and those heading to the city can use the train from Richlands or to catch the 450/453/454.  I'm not sure about the 461 though as it's impossible for me to be there when it's running, except if I have a look in the evening peak.

Yes - 40% seated load in Car 3 from what I saw, which is pretty good I must admit.  If there are standees I will say so eg: 100% + 10 for example.

The major problem with cutting the 460 is that it cuts service to Sumners Rd.  That should be combined with a full revamp of the Centenary area if it is to be done.

Not sure why the 103 would be not thought of - perhaps it came later or the potential users don't realise it serves the train station.  102 would be FAR slower than that run.  Without improving the train service you are probably correct that BUZification would be overkill.  There could be merit with the Sinnamon Park side though.

[david]

Yes, there needs to be better advertising with regards to the 103. It is the FASTEST route out of the 101/102/103 to get to a train station. By BUZ-ing the 103, or at least upping the frequency to every 30 minutes, people at the Inala Interchange will stop relying on the 101/102, as per the observation from STB. The 103 is a popular route. I am always surprised to see the numbers of people on that bus, especially with the new weekend services. It's a good cross-town route which has been designed well in that it is relatively quick and direct. An extension to Forest Lake would make perfect sense, as well as providing further means to scrap the 460.

(Just as a side note, South-West Transit actually operate the service on behalf of BT. This makes it very reliable - in fact, it operated during the floods, when all other buses were cancelled! Amazing!)

With regards to the 460, the Sumner Park bus stop that used to be located on Sumners Rd has now been shifted to Dandenong Rd. This means that the stop is now a hop, skip and a jump away from the Jamboree Heights bus stop used by the 450/454. If confused, take a look at the timetable at the top of the page. Adds more fuel to the fire to scrap the route entirely.

The 461 just has to go. Full stop. NO ONE will be disadvantaged from the removal of such route. Sure, it only saves 3 buses during peak, but those 3 buses could be invested elsewhere (like upping the 103 frequency). Passenger numbers are low on this route - you'd be hard pressed to fill even 1/4 of the bus (except when there are train delays).

[somebody]

Mapped out a change to the 103, here: http://www.whereis.com/?id=3FB02C5C527294

Basically removed the double deviation to access Darra station along Railway Pde for a single deviation to access it along Manburgh Tce.

Downside is not serving Monier Rd shops without a walk.

[ozbob]

The local MPs as a result of community feedback had the 103 moved to go into Monier Shops.  It is important for the locals, as the post office at Darra got moved there, and a lot of bus dependent folks need to go there.

They won't move it away from Monier shopping centre is my guess.