Article: Queensland Rail says no plans for express trains on Springfield line

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Queensland Rail says no plans for express trains on Springfield line despite commuter push for services

Queensland Rail says no plans for express trains on Springfield line despite commuter push for services
Shannon Sagaidak  February 12, 2014 12:00AM

Commuters are making a push for express trains on the new Springfield rail line.

With more than 100,000 passenger trips made at Springfield and Springfield Central stations in the two months to February 2, commuters want Queensland Rail to cut unnecessary stops to Brisbane CBD.

Springfield Lakes resident Tom Smith said he relied on the train for his daily commute but the timetable hadn't captured the increasing demand for services.

"A few express trains in peak times would really be the jewel in the crown of our new rail link," Mr Smith said.

"Peak times are okay, but if you want an express train you have to change at Goodna and it's hit and miss if you make that train."

Queensland Rail said there were no plans to introduce express trains on the line, which shared tracks with the Ipswich/Rosewood and Darra to CBD lines.

A spokesperson said the timetable design "ensures each station on the Ipswich/Rosewood and Springfield lines receives a train service every 6-12 minutes or better in peak periods".

"Ipswich/Rosewood customers are prioritised for an express service due to their length of journey (Central to Rosewood 1 hr 19 mins, Central to Ipswich 58 minutes).

"Running both Ipswich/Rosewood and Springfield express trains would significantly disadvantage excluded stations with a lowered service frequency."

[STB]

I agree with QR, we're using a much fairer two tier timetable.  If Springfield residents want an express, they can catch it from Goodna or interchange at Darra.  To the residents complaining, tough, this is how timetables work with two lines overlapping, one line will generally run express, and the other will stop all stations to get an even frequency.

[BrizCommuter]

Oh dear, another outbreak of "I want an express to my stationitis".

[#Metro]

This is the kind of philosophy that sees the invention of multiple duplicating bus routes and rockets for buses. It does not work on rail because the trains are stuck to the track.

If people want an express, jump in the car and pay for the privilege! Not everybody can have their own BT personalised home rocket 161.

The view that people should get express to their station at the expense of everyone else is so pervasive that QR really should put a section up on their website explaining the concept that express services reduce line capacity.

That to one side, if more trains were added to the Springfield line in the off peak, express services could be introduced to Ipswich. This would be strongly supported by me because it would mean that trains on the inner section of the Ipswich Line (Darra---> CBD) would generally have lots of spare capacity for bus interchange at Indooroopilly).

[James]

Oh dear.

The other reason Springfield deserves expresses less is because the railway line is a lot faster than the Ipswich line. Once EMUs and SMU 200/220s are taken off this line, pax will be able to travel at 130kph on the line. Compared to the Ippy where the average speed is quite a bit slower - the express is almost an absolute necessity in order to keep travel times competitive.

[petey3801]

Wow, really?!?

Springfield is my local now, all stations is fine for me! It's really not that long of a journey in to the City.. If you want an express, change trains at Darra (Not Goodna, as it says in the article!).

Also agree with LDT with regards to off-peak higher frequencies on the Springfield line (15min services) so the Ipswich trains can run express all day. Would be nice, don't see it happening though unfortunately, not for a while at least! But we can always dream!

[BrizCommuter]

This is the kind of philosophy that sees the invention of multiple duplicating bus routes and rockets for buses. It does not work on rail because the trains are stuck to the track.

If people want an express, jump in the car and pay for the privilege! Not everybody can have their own BT personalised home rocket 161.

The view that people should get express to their station at the expense of everyone else is so pervasive that QR really should put a section up on their website explaining the concept that express services reduce line capacity.

That to one side, if more trains were added to the Springfield line in the off peak, express services could be introduced to Ipswich. This would be strongly supported by me because it would mean that trains on the inner section of the Ipswich Line (Darra---> CBD) would generally have lots of spare capacity for bus interchange at Indooroopilly).

At the moment in the busiest part of the am peak, the Ipswich and Springfield Lines have a 6 min frequency each. A Springfield Line express service would result in a 9 min frequency for all stations on these lines, to allow a 3 service patterns. That's a 33% decrease in frequency for most users of these lines (exceptions being the few stations served by expresses and all stations).

[Derwan]

One commuter is pushing for express and it makes it to the CM, complete with comment from QR.