Sir Fred Schonell Drive - issues

[ozbob]

Media release 9th May 2012

SEQ: Sir Fred Schonell Drive Congestion

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 action to be taken to address the frequent peak hour delays experienced by bus users along Sir Fred Schonell drive, and calls for peak direction T2 lanes to solve the problem.

Gavin Seipelt Brisbane West Region Spokesperson for RAIL Back On Track said:

"T2 Lanes sort the traffic, allowing bus travellers and carpoolers alike to escape traffic congestion, and have certainty in journey times."

"Given the number of 402 and 412 bus users making rail connections, and possible onward feeder bus connections, there can be real knock on effects of this slow bus leg to individuals' journeys."

"On evening of the 04/04/2012 we recorded a time of 26 minutes to make the 3km trip from UQ Chancellors Place to Toowong Station. A journey scheduled to take just 8 minutes. An average speed of under 7km/h can best be described as hellish, to the point where many have been witnessed ditching the bus early and walking the rest of the way. It is a lot quicker to ride a bicycle.  Delays like this are a common occurrence."

"At the busiest times of the day in peak direction, Sir Fred Schonell Drive sees a bus every 3 minutes, so the volume of bus users alone is certainly there to justify this move."

"If we don't make moves like T2 Lanes then the current quality of bus service being experienced along this important corridor is how it will remain permanently, congested and prone to ever increasing delays, and nobody wants that."

Contacts:

Gavin Seipelt
Brisbane West Region Spokesperson for RAIL Back On Track

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

[ozbob]

Feedback received, thanks:

I know some of the problems going to the Uni along  this road is at the end where the Round-about is the cars coming from the right have right away so the smarties rat run to get off this traffic jam then on to a feeder road so they can come out at this rouna about

also the round about is only one lane and the merging of the traffic is causing much of the congestion a upgrade to two lanes would improve the traffic flow.

Another solution is to introduce a Rocket service from the Benson Street Service and to allow this bus to travel up Ryans Road like the 407 (which is now long gone) used to do in peak hours.

Talking about the Uni any buses leaving the uni going to Indroopilly and Terminating at Indroopilly as a 428 should be renumbered 403 and the 428 be used for the complete Chapel Hill service.  Tis bus could also make its last stop on Swan Road then to Moggill Road then Indroopilly "C" thus eliminating the cattle crush at Lambert Road, the 403 was a defunt uni to indroopilly  service

[#Metro]

That roundabout needs to be made into a T-intersection at minimum...

[Golliwog]

That roundabout needs to be made into a T-intersection at minimum...

I don't dispute that something needs to be done, but I think maintaining a r'bout is better than a T intersection.

[#Metro]

I don't dispute that something needs to be done, but I think maintaining a r'bout is better than a T intersection.

I was referring to Munro Street being turned into a cul-de-sac.

[Golliwog]

I was referring to Munro Street being turned into a cul-de-sac.

I know, but even if you took Munro St off, I'm pretty sure a r'bout would flow better due to the differing giveway rules. If I had data on the vehicle volumes I could use the uni's intersection modelling software to model it, but pretty sure the decent number of right hand turns from Sir Fred into Coleridge would lead to large delays in a T intersection.

[#Metro]

I know, but even if you took Munro St off

I just want Munro St. closed

[Golliwog]

Justification?

[ozbob]

From the Couriermail Quest click here!

Commuter anger at long slow crawl from St Lucia campus

Commuter anger at long slow crawl from St Lucia campus

    by: Vanessa Croll, Westside News
    From: Quest Newspapers
    May 22, 2012 8:56AM

A public transport lobby group is calling on council to implement T2 lanes on a major St Lucia road, notorious for major peak time congestion.

Rail Back on Track Brisbane West Region spokesman Gavin Seipelt said he travelled along Sir Fred Schonell Drive by bus to and from the University of Queensland and Toowong train station four times a week during peak times.

"Congestion is particularly bad heading away from the uni. A trip that should take eight minutes, consistently takes about 26 minutes," Mr Seipelt said.

"Given the number 402 and 412 bus users making rail connections, and possible onward feeder bus connections, there can be real knock-on effects.

"If we don't make moves like T2 lanes, then the current quality of bus service being experienced along this important corridor is how it will remain permanently, congested and prone to ever-increasing delays."RACQ senior traffic and safety engineer Greg Miszkowycz said preliminary studies were needed.

"We would like to see some background research on traffic volumes and vehicle occupancy rates to gain a better understanding on the users of the road currently," he said. "If it is taking significantly longer than it should to travel on the road, then there is an issue there but the solution will have to improve travel times for all traffic in the corridor, not just those using the transit lane."

Deputy Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the completion of the Legacy Way tunnel in 2014 would have flow-on benefit

Heavy traffic on Sir Fred Schonell Drive. Picture: Angie Simms Source: Quest Newspapers

RACQ, just doesn't get it ... 

[#Metro]

"We would like to see some background research on traffic volumes and vehicle occupancy rates to gain a better understanding on the users of the road currently," he said. "If it is taking significantly longer than it should to travel on the road, then there is an issue there but the solution will have to improve travel times for all traffic in the corridor, not just those using the transit lane."

Deputy Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the completion of the Legacy Way tunnel in 2014 would have flow-on benefit

This is effectively saying "we don't like it" without writing "we don't like it". Vehicle occupancy rates? 1.2 is a good guide!
The buses themselves carry heaps of passengers - there is probably more people in the bus than in the cars on the left lane in the photo!
RACQ have effectively slapped an impossible condition that "all traffic be faster" how is that going to happen? The only thing I can think of
is toll gantries (impossible politically) or an extra lane (dream on - and super expensive). T2 peak lanes are cheap and can be implemented overnight.

[somebody]

Not sure if Legacy Way will have any effect but it can only be negative.

[Gazza]

Not sure if Legacy Way will have any effect but it can only be negative.

I think the notion is that traffic on Moggil Rd and Coro Drive would reduce, meaning Sr Fred Dr traffic can feed in easier.
Personally, I think it will be much the same as before because most of the impact will be on Milton Rd, and because Legacy Way is not an option for getting to the city, so Coro Drive will still have its own traffic.

[Golliwog]

On the topic of buses along Sir Fred, we got a triaxial on the 412 yesterday evening. The benefits of the Sherwood depot. Good to see bigger buses being used along here

[O_128]

This congestion disappears once it merges into coro drive, its the roundabout near UQ and the lights feeding onto coro.

[Golliwog]

This congestion disappears once it merges into coro drive, its the roundabout near UQ and the lights feeding onto coro.

And the signal phases which is typically just controlled by a computer that has set signal times (there is a control centre that can override the signals and hold greens for longer, but I'm not sure if this is connected to all signals) and I can't see this changing dramatically, if at all, when Legacy Way opens.