SEQ Bus Review - SurfRail's submissions

[SurfRail]

OK, these are the final versions I am proposing to send off tomorrow directly to somebody at TransLink.  Anybody want to think up anything to add, jump in.  I am planning to say it was developed with the "assistance" of other RailBoT members and some people in the industry (drivers mainly), but make it clear that it is my position and not necessarily RailBoT's or anybody else's.

Some reasoning on the Gold Coast ones:

- Green routes are the "HFP" routes which are suggested should, in an ideal world, be running at 15 minute headways 6am-9pm 365 days minimum except for probably Christmas when a skeleton service would run on these routes.
- Orange routes are the local routes which in an ideal world would run between 30-60 minutes in the off-peak (with a preference for 30 minutes wherever achievable) 6am to 9pm, with some services running more frequently in peak and some routes having a shorter span of hours to suit local needs.
- Blue routes are the TX routes, which I have split up a bit better than what happens now.  You have the TX1 (Tweed to Burleigh then express to theme parks), TX2 (Burleigh to Broadbeach then express), TX3 (Pac Fair to Main Beach then express) and TX4 (Surfers Paradise non-stop to theme parks).  The TX4 is a suggestion based on serious loading problems at the main stop at Appel Park (you can often fill a bus from empty at this stop alone).  It could potentially be funded by the theme parks and have free entry for pre-purchased theme park ticket holders.  The TX1 would only run a few times per day as it does now - most resources would be spent on the TX2 and TX3.

I have tried to keep the route numbering system as logical as possible.  70# for highway and Seaworld runs, 71# for north of Helensvale, 72# for Pac Pines and Arundel, 73# for the northeast and Ashmore/Bundall, 74# for Nerang, 75# for Robina and Miami, 76# for south of Burleigh, TX# for theme parks.  HFP routes are numbered 70# (all the highway and Seaworld runs which total only 5) and 7#0 or 7#5, like most Brisbane express or BUZ routes.

The system is set up to be immediately plugged into the LRT network with minimal changes.  No services in my plan continue from the north or west of Southport via the Sundale Bridge without an interchange being needed, except for Route 704 to Seaworld (which is just a rebadged and more frequent route 715).  Routes 700, 701 and 703 all operate between Broadbeach and Griffith Uni.  On opening, route 701 would be decommissioned entirely and the 700 and 703 would be truncated to operate no further north than Broadbeach - same for Route 745.  Frequency would be bumped up south along the highway from Broadbeach to a bus every 5 minutes or better all day.  The only buses entering Surfers would be TX routes, the 702 and its 705 shortworking from Broadbeach to Seaworld, the 740 (terminating) and the 739 (basically the current Route 5 - in via Chevron Island and out via Isle of Capri, and vice versa).

By mid-2014, people would be thoroughly used to transferring at Southport and Griffith Uni.  Broadbeach would be a snap to implement with the practical lessons learned from Southport and Griffith and the likely much better facilities there.

Notionally, I would call the LRT service route 777, but it probably wouldn't need any kind of number unless/until branches occur.

[nathandavid88]

The Logan route recommendations get a bit  from me! Good work on putting this together SurfRail! I hope your hard work catches the eye and imagination of some of the Translink planners!