Article: Commuters angry as Translink reverses decision to provide car parking

[ozbob]

From the Couriermail Quest click here!

Commuters angry as Translink reverses decision to provide car parking at North Lakes bus station

Commuters angry as Translink reverses decision to provide car parking at North Lakes bus station

    by: Stephanie Morgans, North Lakes Times
    From: Quest Newspapers
    May 22, 2012 4:41PM

Translink has reversed a State Government promise to include carparking at the new North Lakes bus station, which is due to be finished later this year.

The decision means commuters will have to walk or be dropped off at the $3.8 million station.

The bus station plans originally had no provision for a park and ride but after public pressure, former state member for Murrumba Dean Wells announced he had secured 100  spaces.

However, when the Times questioned TransLink about the park and ride facility, we were told the plans did not include any parking spaces.

North Lakes resident Matt Roue said this would discourage people from using public transport.

"Not having parking at this new station is a terrible idea,'' Mr Roue said.

"In order for my family to use this station we would have to either drive to the station and find a park nearby, probably in the Westfield (carpark), or get someone to give us a lift.''

Mr Roue said he felt other North Lakes families would hesitate to use the station.

"I think no parking around the station will actually discourage people from using it, especially the ones who live further out in North Lakes who in order to get to the station anyway would have to drive, so will probably just drive the whole way,'' Mr Roue said.

"There is no way they will get the same people using it with no parking, as they would if they did provide parking.''

In an online poll conducted in November, when TransLink first said it would not provide carparking at the interchange, 95.33 per cent of voters (673 people) felt parking should be included. Just 4.67 per cent (33) disagreed.

State Member for Murrumba Reg Gulley said he was disappointed by the decision.

"It is disappointing to see that despite promises made by the former local member, no car parks had been budgeted for this project,'' Mr Gulley said.

"I am committed to the North Lakes bus station project, which will offer great benefits to the local community.''

Minister for Transport and Main Road Scott Emerson said construction on the project would begin this month.

"The bus station will make it easier for customers to access North Lakes shopping centre and town centre via public transport.,'' Mr Emerson said.

"There was no funding allocated by the former government for parking at North Lakes bus station and parking does not form part of the design.''

[#Metro]

I always think that there should be minimum basic parking for disabled, special reasons etc. No more than 5-10 spaces for this.
100 parking spots x 1.2 vehicle occupancy = 120 people divided by 65 seats on a bus = 1.8 buses full. That's negligible.

Cost? 40 000 x 100 = $4 million dollars

We have got to start making the costs explicit.

[SurfRail]

Why would people be driving to this station anyway?  It's a local interchange.  You would catch a bus there.

Very different scenario to the Bribie Island one, which is actually intended to be a park'n'ride so people do not have to drive all the way to Caboolture to get on a train.  Here, you can drive to Dakabin (ducks...) or Petrie if you don't want to catch a bus.

[HappyTrainGuy]

How about extending the bus operating hours/improved frequency aswell so people can access it without worrying about being left at Petrie/North Lakes.

[techblitz]

How about extending the bus operating hours/improved frequency aswell so people can access it without worrying about being left at Petrie/North Lakes.

Agreed,they need to extend the 680 inbound (& outbound for that matter) operating hours. People wishing to travel inbound to city after 8pm should not have to head to redcliffe to get the long 690/sandgate connection when its much quicker to petrie/ipswich line.
According to hornibrook buslines people dont deserve a service to petrie after this time. Oh and on saturdays the last leaves north lakes at 5.15 pm! Seriously hornibrook whats the deal?  Last time i checked people like to head to the city on a saturday night!
I will put it bluntly, they are `hopeless` when it comes to servicing inbound from northlakes to petrie.Things had better change when the new interchange timetable comes through.

For the people of redcliffe/margate etc the 690 timetable works in well with the sandgate station connection.How about showing a little respect to the people of kallangur/northlakes etc and increase the services to petrie station.

[somebody]

It's not Hornibrook, it's Translink.

[Gazza]

It's not Hornibrook, it's Translink.

Lol, belongs on the blogs with all the people who think QR run the GoCard.

[Arnz]

It's not Hornibrook, it's Translink.

Lol, belongs on the blogs with all the people who think QR run the GoCard.

Same can be said with the blogs where random joe claims that _X_ major operator (Logan, Hornibrook, BT, etc) runs the go card

[Golliwog]

It's not Hornibrook, it's Translink.

Lol, belongs on the blogs with all the people who think QR run the GoCard.

Same can be said with the blogs where random joe claims that _X_ major operator (Logan, Hornibrook, BT, etc) runs the go card

As annoying as they are, theres not much we can do. Also, I feel this applies:

From http://xkcd.com/386/

[Set in train]

It's not Hornibrook, it's Translink.

Lol, belongs on the blogs with all the people who think QR run the GoCard.

Yes, 'we' know who runs what, but this highlights the complexity of the system, the confusion it creates for general commuters who are too busy with other aspects of life than to study public transport.

[Set in train]

From the Couriermail Quest click here!

Commuters angry as Translink reverses decision to provide car parking at North Lakes bus station

The bus station plans originally had no provision for a park and ride but after public pressure, former state member for Murrumba Dean Wells announced he had secured 100  spaces.

Did the 100 spaces ever exist in the plans/budget in the first place? Cynical me says no.