25 Jul 2012: SEQ: Bus review - the one we have been waiting for ...

[ozbob]

Media release 25th July 2012

SEQ: Bus review - the one we have been waiting for ...

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 supports the recent announcement by the Government that bus routes will be reviewed (1).

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"In any public transport system the city it serves changes over time. Some routes become needed, but at the same time some become irrelevant. What might have been a logical route design 10-20 years ago might not recognise current travel patterns. New routes that are progressively added over time eventually become a jumble, and a full review becomes the only way to clean things up and provide a proper network."

"In Brisbane there are many cases where there are several variations on a particular bus route which are only a little bit different to each other.

"Trying to cater to every possible niche makes the network more confusing - with bundles of routes, and means very few of the routes get enough resources to make them frequent enough to be useful."

RAIL Back On Track supports a shift to a Core Frequent Network model, a simpler network of fast, frequent, direct routes down main roads, supported by short run local routes that feed into core routes at interchanges. This operates in conjunction with the rail network (2).

"There is much scope to find efficiency through a smarter overall network design."

"We welcome the suggestion of bringing logic to the city stop locations.  This has always been sadly lacking.  Ideally this should remove the break up of routes along operator lines which currently applies.  They are all TransLink services."

However, RAIL Back On Track would like details on the following significant potential issues:

- Assurances that late night buses of routes will be retained, even if the last few runs of the day are nearly empty. Whilst it may sound counter intuitive at first, the presence of late night services improves patronage overall, and allows people to avoid buying extra cars. The peace of mind knowing you won't be stranded late at night if you are stuck late at work, or the unplanned happens gives people the confidence to rely on the service in the first place, and incorporate it into their day to day life.

- Assurances that routes that provide primarily a social service (such as the elderly or the mobility impaired) will exist in some form, for example as Paratransit (3).

"Community consultation needs to be a cornerstone of this review."

"A number of bus routes presently operate in direct competition with rail and this is inefficient.  More frequent feeder bus services into core frequent services, bus and rail with a wider span of hours is needed, this also helps with parking issues."

"Redeployment does not mean cutbacks, it means providing more opportunities for frequent, efficient, direct services."

References:

1. http://www.scottemerson.com.au/media-releases/newman-government-to-improve-bus-networks.html

2. Building a Core Frequent Network http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=5173.0

3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paratransit

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

[ozbob]

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