19 Aug 2012: SEQ: No more lazy Sundays for the Doomben line

[ozbob]

Media release 19th August 2012

SEQ: No more lazy Sundays for the Doomben line

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 Government to commit to the reintroduction of Sunday services and expanded weekday and Saturday services for the Doomben line (1).

The Doomben line is one of only 2 railway lines in Australia's capital city rail networks not to receive any service at all on a Sunday, a "distinction" shared only with the Tonsley line in Adelaide.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"With an enormous influx of development occurring in the adjacent Northshore Hamilton precinct, the time has come to make the Doomben line pull its weight.  The fact there are no Sunday services on this line and no competing freight traffic except seasonal grain trains make this even more compelling."

"Initially, we call on the government to duplicate the Saturday timetable on Sundays and public holidays.  Over time, we call on the government to commit to a minimum half-hourly frequency on the Doomben line from 6am to 9pm, 7 days a week, with additional trains in the weekday peak running at least 20 minutes apart.  These services only need to operate between Doomben and Roma Street to ensure connectivity to the rest of the railway and busway network.  Ultimately, the Doomben line's service profile should be directly comparable to the Shorncliffe line, with trains running well into the night - there is no reason for the mediocre to non-existent levels of service offered."

"Passengers on an inner-city railway line should not have to frantically consult a timetable to work out whether their train has magically turned into a bus depending on what time of day it is.  This is simply not good enough for a 21st century transport system."

"Even 3-car sets would be adequate - it would be a 3-car improvement on the current Sunday timetable!"

"With no firm commitment from any level of government to the proposed upgrades to Kingsford-Smith Drive, and thousands of people moving into the Hamilton region, RAIL Back on Track members consider that the State Government and Brisbane City Council should consider funding this upgrade in lieu of further road upgrades.  These additional services could be delivered for substantially less than the $18 million frequency upgrade being planned for the longer and busier Ferny Grove line, and certainly for less than widening Kingsford-Smith Drive."

"Building a high-density residential precinct near a working railway with practically no trains, when there is no reason why they cannot be put on will continue to entrench a culture of transport failure that we can ill afford (2)."

References:

1. http://translink.com.au/resources/travel-information/network-information/timetables/120723-doomben-line.pdf

2. http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=4852.0

Contact:

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

[ozbob]

Discussion thread --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=4852.msg107465#msg107465

[ozbob]

From the Couriermail Quest click here!

Rail lobby group calls for increased services on Doomben line to reduce traffic

Rail lobby group calls for increased services on Doomben line to reduce traffic

    by: Peta Fuller, City North News
    From: Quest Newspapers
    August 29, 2012 8:40AM

A public transport lobby group has called for Sunday services to be introduced on the Doomben line.

Robert Dow from Rail Back on Track said on top of increasing frequencies in the area, the addition of trains on Sundays would help boost patronage by making the line more attractive.

"The road situation in that area is getting worse by the day, the Kingsford Smith Drive upgrade is at a stalemate, why wouldn't you add trains to the Doomben line?''

He said increasing the service frequency was the key to making it work.

"The reason why it does not have good patronage overall is that there's poor frequency and there are plenty of examples around Brisbane that this argument works, like the BUZ bus services,'' he said.

A Translink spokesman said Sunday passengers could use the route 303 bus-rail service.

When City North News canvassed locals, many were surprised the area did not already have a Sunday train service.

Nundah's Lee Andrew said he relied on the line for work and said the mid-week service was "appalling''.

"It's a bit of an inconvenience for locals, even during the weekdays, the service is appalling," he said.

Hendra resident Bonnie Brandt said she used the train line regularly and thought locals would use a Sunday service.