27 Nov 2014: Brisbane Bus Reform: More Buses, More Often for Everton Electorate

[ozbob]

Media release 27th November 2014



Brisbane Bus Reform: More Buses, More Often for Everton Electorate

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 Everton electorate candidates Tim Mander MP and Jeff Frew to support bus reform for an upgraded hi frequency 359 Albany Creek bus service.


http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/reform/bus359.png

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"The neglect has gone on for far too long. The voters in Everton electorate deserve a 359 High Frequency bus service coming every 15 minutes from 6am to 9pm at night, 7 days a week. Albany Creek and Eatons Hill is grossly under-serviced compared to similar outer city suburbs such as Bracken Ridge. Bracken Ridge residents get approximately 150 services per day on hi frequency BUZ 330, while Albany Creek residents get just 34 services per day on the 359. Bracken Ridge residents are getting almost five times more bus service than residents at Albany Creek and Eatons Hill."

"Under bus reform, the current hourly 359 would feed into the Ferny Grove Line at Mitchelton Rail station and stop at Brookside Shopping Centre. This new, upgraded 359 service would begin at Eatons Hill (Queen Elizabeth Drive), stop at Albany Creek Village, travel through Albany Creek, along Old Northern Road, stop at Brookside Shopping Centre and then feed into Mitchelton Rail. By not running the service all the way into the CBD,  funds can be raised to go towards upgrading the 359 bus to high frequency service, coming every 15 minutes during the day and every 10 minutes or better in peak times. By serving Brookside Shopping Centre, residents have the opportunity to do their shopping at Brookside during the day or after work, boosting patronage on the service. Connections to frequent trains at Mitchelton station means a reliable and congestion free trip directly into the Brisbane CBD in the morning and afternoon peak hours."

"It is an embarrassment that after two bus reviews conducted by two different levels of government, bus services in Albany Creek, Eatons Hill, McDowall and Everton Park are just as bad and expensive as ever. Our New Bus Network Proposal will allow Everton electorate voters unprecedented freedom to use public transport to travel to more places, more often, without a car. By amalgamating feeding the hourly 359 bus service into Mitchelton Rail more buses more often can be put on, while keeping a lid on fares."

"The New Zealanders in Auckland can manage to do a proper bus review, so why can't we? Only genuine reform of rail and bus networks, together with fare reform will guarantee abundant and low cost public transport for all."

Contact:

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

References:

*Services were counted by adding inbound and outbound services for the selected routes over the entire weekday.

Auckland Transport New Bus Network


Bus Reform Survey
http://tiny.cc/busreform

The Principles Of Bus Network Reform, Frequency is Freedom
http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/reform/bus_reform.pdf

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