INB - 19th May 2008

[ozbob]

Opening of the new busway Roma St - King George Square.

Everything went as planned. 

Also did two interviews on radio 612 ABC Brisbane on the Spencer Howson breakfast show.

First interview as I hopped on board G1607 (111) at platform 2 Roma St, the dual rail and bus platform complete with live go card touch!  Now that might be a world first!   
And I was the only one on board the articulated bus G1607.  Great run!!

Second interview after I got back to King George Square Bus Station.

Still to check online transactions for go card but everything seemed to work fine on board the buses.


Thanks for the interest radio 612 ABC Brisbane in what is an important day for public transport in south-east Queensland.

Journey details early this morning:

On Oxley 5.08am to Roma St - trip 1  touch off

On bus platform two Roma St (111) 5.51am  - continuation of journey (transfer 1). G1607

Off Mater Hill bus station,  trip 2 touch off.

On Mater Hill bus station (175) 6.05am to Woolloongabba - continuation of journey (transfer 2). Bus 370

Off Woolloongabba, trip 3 touch off.

On Woolloongabba to QUT KG (66, 6.32am first scheduled service) - continuation of journey (transfer 3). G1605

Off QUT KG stop, trip 4 touch off.

End of go card journey one.

--------
New journey.

On QUT KG to King George Square  G1605.


Some photographs:

Platform 2 (Bus) Roma St Station PID



Photograph R Dow 19 May 2008


Woolloongabba Bus Station sign



Photograph R Dow 19 May 2008



G1605 at Woolloongabba prior to departure with the first 66 service



Photograph R Dow 19 May 2008


G1605 at QUT KG prior to departure with the first return 66 service



Photograph R Dow 19 May 2008


Stop 2e Information King George Square bus station



Photograph R Dow 19 May 2008

[ozbob]

Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
19/05/2008

Commuters save travel time as INB officially opens

The Queensland Government's $333 million Inner Northern Busway officially opened today with commuters experiencing significant time savings.

Minister for Transport John Mickel, who met with commuters at King George Square Station this morning, said feedback had been positive.

"People were impressed with the busway and were eager to reap the benefits of extra services,'' he said.

TransLink staff provided commuters with new bus schedule guides and reported peak hour services "ran smoothly".

Mr Mickel said the busway, part of the Bligh Government's commitment to build tomorrow's Queensland today, had been delivered on budget and six months ahead of schedule.

"It will direct buses to a dedicated public transport corridor, easing congestion and delivering real time savings.''

Mr Mickel said the INB will run 250 buses in the morning peak hour and greatly improve the reliability and consistency of bus services in the city.

TransLink also today launched $5 million in new services provided in partnership with the Brisbane City Council to offer more choice to commuters.

"As part of the restructure of these services, bus stops from more than 120 bus routes in the CBD have been changed to locate bus services with similar destinations at the same stop or at adjacent stops,'' he said.

"I urge people to contact the TransLink call centre on 131230 or visit www.translink.com.au to find out more about the services and changes to bus stops,'' he said.

The INB features an underground station at King George Square with air conditioned platforms and concourse level, 24 hour security with cameras, real time information for bus travellers, a fully functional cycle centre with racks, change facilities and lockers and a first-in-Australia interactive Transport Information Centre (TIC).

The construction of the INB includes environmental design features including the use of natural light and ventilation where possible and recycled water and water saving options throughout.

May 19, 2008

==============================================================

[ozbob]

Here is link to the interviews this morning.

-->  http://blogs.abc.net.au/queensland/2008/05/inner-northern.html

Thanks Spencer for making this available.

[ozbob]

From Brisbanetimes click here!

Teething problems for new bus routes

Teething problems for new bus routes
Georgina Robinson and Tony Moore | May 19, 2008 - 9:16AM

Three brand new Brisbane bus routes kicked off this morning from the $333 million Inner Northern Busway (INB) but commuters could have done with a few helpful signs.

The new lines, which service Chermside, Carindale and Woolloongabba every 10 minutes, join more than 120 existing bus routes in the underground station at King George Square.

Commuters were largely pleased with the new station, after a long stretch boarding buses from makeshift stops in busy CBD streets.

But western suburbs resident Sally Mayne had trouble finding her connecting line and said more information signs were needed.

"I think it's better, " she said, describing her one hour, 15-minute trip in along Moggill Road.

"I want to get a bus so I can get onto Annerley Road," she said, looking towards the bus route sign on the wall of the new $333 million underground bus station.

"I usually go to William Street, but I am not sure where to go."

Ms Mayne said there was no information on the buses this morning and the bus driver on the West End 199 bus had no idea how the route changes affected his customers.

Queensland Transport Minister John Mickel said the busway would save commuters up to 20 minutes in peak hours and cut traffic in the CBD.

"Part of the reason for these changes is to locate bus services with similar destinations at the same stop or at adjacent stops," Mr Mickel said.

"The INB will run 250 buses in the morning peak hour and greatly improve the reliability and consistency of bus services in the city."

[Zoiks]

Those information displays look ugly and unpolished

[ButFli]

Those information displays look ugly and unpolished

It might look that way in the photo but in the flesh (so to speak) they look smashing.

[david]

I aslo trialled the new route 66 today. Trip to QUT Kelvin Grove was very quiet (only about 5 people) but the return journey saw all seats taken on an artic at QUT Kelvin Grove. I was very impressed with the new King George Square Station and Roma St Station. However, the lack of staff surprised me, which left many people confused.

I just have one issue...The artic servicing the route 66 scraped the edge on the tunnel whilst turning from the Queen St Bus Station into the Inner Northern Busway (heading towards King George Square). This corner seems to be excessively tight and if artics are having troubles turning this corner, imagine the "superbuses" trying to turn this corner...

[dwb]

I went on a little expedition of the Inner Northern Busway today and it all seemed to be working fantastically. I caught the 196 in from West End, and the Cultural Centre seemed a normal level of operation in terms of people but less congestion on the busway. Adelaide St was reasonably free of bus congestion, although there were a normal level of people queueing and a small level of confusion over 'missing' bus stops (despite the info packs handed out last week and tonight) and the new timetable info on the Adelaide St blades.  The King George Square station was operating well, the platforms weren't too busy and buses were coming and leaving very quickly due to prepaid operation to access the station.  I checked out both platforms and wandered around. The 385 turned up right on time at 620, boarded about 40-50 passengers in about a minute and got to Paddington in 4mins, down from the old 15mins at that time of night. It got to Bardon right on 630 - fantastic, only a 9min journey!  I'm going to go and explore how KGSS is working tomorrow around 4pm and also how Queen St station is working - last time I was in there at evening peak it was bedlam.  If I can be bothered I might check it out in the morning peak as well.  Fingers crossed the INB and the service improvements that started today have made a significant impact to the city's over-congested PT (and allows more commuters to switch from their cars) and all with the convenience of being dropped right to people's local bus stop near their house. hehe, I'll stop trying to convert you all to the busways (I know you'd prefer light or heavy rail), but really if you've got time this week go and check it out

Also, if you happened to be at Central around peak, I'd be interested to know whether it was extra busy or normal operation - people may have decided to avoid the buses tonight and catch the train til it all settles down - who knows!

[ozbob]

Early morning Roma Street Station, shortly after the arrival of the XPT from Sydney.
Platform 2 Roma Street Station.  A unique location, 4'8.5"/3'6" gauntlet track, shared bus platform opposite.



Photograph R Dow 20 May 2008

There are go card touch devices on the rail side of platform 2, this is for possible suburban train use on the 3'6".

[dwb]

I went for another expedition on the INB today on the new 66 route. Most things went really well, I boarded at South bank around 1250, I think it only took 10mins to get to Kelvin Grove where I disembarked, walked across the overpass and waited for it to turn around.  It was a little slower in the reverse (15mins), as we had bad light timings at the busway lights just after the King George Square station (near the underground turnaround) despite there being no buses wanting to turn around! We then got a green to turn right in Queen St mall bus station but had to wait two cycles to exit out the tunnel and go across the Victoria Bridge, it seems Council (who I'm sure control this intersection) have taken extra signal time for the cars crossing the busway   The bus wasn't particularly full either there or back. However this is likely due to the 333 ahead of us that picked up the majority of passengers. I believe in the coming weeks passengers will start to notice the new route and change their habits, leaving the more familiar 333 in favour of whichever comes first. Interestingly, my entire journey was within zone 1 - I had never realised that KG was in zone 1!!

The 111 stop for KGSS is at 2e, which can sometimes block the entrance to the busway station as there is a narrow pinch point, I'd be surprised if Translink didn't shuffle these stops around in the next couple of weeks/months, particularly as in the evening peak two of the busiest routes 345 and 385 both leave from the same stop (Roma St direction, platform 1b or c)!

[Zoiks]

Those information displays look ugly and unpolished

It might look that way in the photo but in the flesh (so to speak) they look smashing.

Have seen them in real life... The ones at the QSBS and even moreso the Brunswick train station are much easier to read and have nicer asthetics

Went through from QSBS - Roma today. It scared me how close the buses had to get to the corner of QSBS -> INB in order to not cross lanes. Double length buses had no hope and had to cross right over into the oncoming lane.