9 Sep 2012: SEQ: Public Transport Non-users must feature in bus review

[ozbob]

Media release 9th September 2012

SEQ: Public Transport Non-users must feature in bus review

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 has welcomed the the commencement of the SEQ Bus Network Review (1).

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"RAIL Back On Track members want to see the basic transport backbone done right. From this basic 'Core Frequent Network' backbone, everything else can be built."

The Core Frequent Network is the minimum, basic network required to connect the suburbs to the Brisbane CBD and major suburban centres to each other. It consists of:

- A high frequency 'Bus Grid' running along main arterial roads - Improved CityCat services

- 'Perth Standard' Train Upgrade Zones where trains depart every 15 minutes or better, all day and all week

- A Core Frequent Network Map which displays all-day, high frequency services, regardless of what vehicle is used to transport the passenger

- Abolition of paper ticketing entirely

- Integrated bus priority network (bus priority lanes on arterial and sub-arterial roads).

"Sydney is currently embarking on a transport master-plan which will likely see the bus system entirely re-organised (2,3). We would like to see the bus network redesigned from the beginning here in Brisbane too, rather than just tweaking existing routes."

"The current radial one-seat bus service network, which attempts to provide single-service bus transport from many origins to many destinations, has little capacity for growth and is not adequate to the task of meeting complex 21st century travel patterns. In an improved network the need for interchange may be increased, but the inconvenience of interchange is reduced due to higher service frequencies."

"In Brisbane, this means that major improvements need to be made to break up and reform the Great Circle Line, as well as introduce 'around town' circumferential routes on selected arterial roads. The introduction of the high frequency Stafford Road cross-town service - bus route 369, is a good example of what we want to see. Similar 'no-holds barred' reviews have taken place overseas as well, such as in Portland, Oregon, USA (4).

"We hope that the web based feedback includes a free-form text box so that participants can give a fuller, more detailed response to the review. An image/document submissions upload facility could also be considered. Furthermore, we call on TransLink to survey a group of people who do not use public transport, even though it is provided in their area as a 'control' or 'non-transit user reference' group. This will allow TransLink to identify new market share and what it needs to do in order to get more people using the system. This is essential - the more people who use the system all day, the more the farebox and the less government subsidy is required."

"The RAIL Back On Track Core Frequent Network model (5) can be downloaded here (http://backontrack.org/docs/tt/BrisbaneCoreFrequentNetwork.kml) and allows the public to draw/redraw services by loading it into Google Maps (http://maps.google.com)."

"We look forward to the review!"

Contact:

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

References:

1. SEQ Bus Network Review http://jp.translink.com.au/travel-information/service-updates/details/1346370543

2. Plan to turn buses around before they hit the city
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/plan-to-turn-buses-around-before-they-hit-city-20120905-25e6p.html#
ixzz25a9y2Ufm

3. Sydney - Grid networks for gridless cities
http://www.humantransit.org/2010/03/sydney-grid-networks-for-gridless-cities.html

4. Portland: the grid is 30 years old ... thank a planner!
http://www.humantransit.org/2012/08/portland-the-grid-is-30-thank-a-planner.html

5.SEQ: Do-it-yourself Brisbane Bus Network Review!
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=8959.0

[ozbob]

Discussion thread --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=9045.0

[duncan]

This would be great,  if Brisbane actually had anything remotely ressembling a road "grid",  which it doesn't.

[ozbob]

This would be great,  if Brisbane actually had anything remotely ressembling a road "grid",  which it doesn't.

... So yes, your city may not be a grid.  But still, if you want a transit network that's useful for going at high frequencies from anywhere to anywhere, the answer will be some kind of grid, built on connections, with some mix of rectangular and spider-web elements, all fitted with more or less struggle to the unique shape of your city ...

http://www.humantransit.org/2010/03/sydney-grid-networks-for-gridless-cities.html

[#Metro]

This would be great,  if Brisbane actually had anything remotely ressembling a road "grid",  which it doesn't.

We don't have a perfect grid, but we can make do with altering strategic grid elements. Everything to the CBD is failing - there's no more capacity at Cultural Centre, no matter how much spin wants to be heaped upon that situation, and high duplication is also hugely costly.

The Great Circle line needs to be improved and from the CFN model we can also see that there is scope for a second and third circumfrential route - one to Ashgrove and another one between Bulimba and Moorooka.

[Gazza]

This would be great,  if Brisbane actually had anything remotely ressembling a road "grid",  which it doesn't.

on the northside there is