8 Mar 2012: SEQ: Perth overtakes SEQ rail patronage

[ozbob]

Media release 8 March 2012

SEQ: Perth overtakes SEQ rail patronage

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 said it is time is well overdue to sort out the rail network in south-east Queensland.

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

"In 1992 Perth's old diesel rail network was on verge of closure with just 7 million annual users.

"But a high level of public support for the network led the government to follow a different path.

"What followed was a directed effort of:

-Electrification
-New trains
-Bottleneck removal
-Segregation from freight trains.
-Fast new lines
-High frequency timetables
-Support by with comprehensive feeder bus network.

"The investment has paid off, and now, 2 decades later Perth is now carrying 59 million passengers annually, leapfrogging the 51 million passengers carried by the QR Citytrain network in 2010-11, with no signs of abating.

"This is despite the lower population of Perth and smaller sized network of 69 stations and 173km of lines in Perth, compared to 145 stations and 300km of lines in SEQ.

"It's at a point now where many of the excuses as to why we don't have a better rail network simply don't wash any more.

"Over in the West they've been able to achieve more in less time. Both cities use the same model of train. Both cities started off with mixed passenger/freight operations on networks built at the turn of the century.

"In fact they have had an electrified network for less time than us."

"Why are they getting the results and we are not?

"With Adelaide's $2 Billion network revitalisation, and Melbourne recently announcing a shift to high frequency 10 minute timetables, 7 days a week, SEQ is falling further and further behind the pack.

"RAIL Back On Track renews calls for increased investment to remove bottlenecks and increase capacity on the rail network, and the implementation of more frequent services 7 days a week."

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]

Some recent observations from Perth --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=7686.0

[ozbob]

Media release 8 March 2012 re-released 20 October 2012

SEQ: Perth overtakes SEQ rail patronage

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 said it is time is well overdue to sort out the rail network in south-east Queensland.

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

"In 1992 Perth's old diesel rail network was on verge of closure with just 7 million annual users.

"But a high level of public support for the network led the government to follow a different path.

"What followed was a directed effort of:

-Electrification
-New trains
-Bottleneck removal
-Segregation from freight trains.
-Fast new lines
-High frequency timetables
-Support by with comprehensive feeder bus network.

"The investment has paid off, and now, 2 decades later Perth is now carrying 59 million passengers annually, leapfrogging the 51 million passengers carried by the QR Citytrain network in 2010-11, with no signs of abating.

"This is despite the lower population of Perth and smaller sized network of 69 stations and 173km of lines in Perth, compared to 145 stations and 300km of lines in SEQ.

"It's at a point now where many of the excuses as to why we don't have a better rail network simply don't wash any more.

"Over in the West they've been able to achieve more in less time. Both cities use the same model of train. Both cities started off with mixed passenger/freight operations on networks built at the turn of the century.

"In fact they have had an electrified network for less time than us."

"Why are they getting the results and we are not?

"With Adelaide's $2 Billion network revitalisation, and Melbourne recently announcing a shift to high frequency 10 minute timetables, 7 days a week, SEQ is falling further and further behind the pack.

"RAIL Back On Track renews calls for increased investment to remove bottlenecks and increase capacity on the rail network, and the implementation of more frequent services 7 days a week."

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