6 Sep 2015: Perth Trains: 13 million more passengers than Queensland CityTrains

[ozbob]

Media release 6th September 2015



Perth Trains: 13 million more passengers than Queensland CityTrains annually

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 announces today that Perth trains are now carrying around 13 million more passengers than Queensland Rail CityTrains each year.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"RAIL Back on Track compared train statistics on TransPerth's website with those in Queensland Rail's annual report.

"There is a very simple message in all of this: Our transport network is failing.

"Perth achieves higher patronage using similar trains to Brisbane, in a city with similar density, and with a lower population than Brisbane. The number and mix of rail lines in Perth is similar to that in South East Queensland. The patronage difference is equal to about 7 new BUZ routes or the opening of three full-length train lines. Concernedly, Queensland Rail's Annual report also revealed negative patronage growth of - 0.66% in 2013-2014, despite population in Brisbane increasing 1.7%."

"It's an embarrassment. We are not asking to be like London, Paris, New York or Tokyo. If Perth can manage to get 13 million more passengers, there must be something very wrong in Queensland.

"What is the difference between Perth and Brisbane? Perth runs trains every 15 minutes, all day. Unlike Brisbane, Perth does not have a problem connecting buses to trains at train stations. Lord Mayor Graham Quirk and Brisbane City Council must stop stonewalling bus reform, and let buses connect with trains.

"Deputy Premier Jackie Trad needs to start turning this around. We need to get the fares right, we need to get the bus network reformed, and upgraded train services on the rail network. We also think the transport portfolio needs to be a standalone portfolio with a dedicated transport minister.

"Although the previous Newman administration failed to deliver bus reforms, it did succeed in introducing all-day 15-minute train services on the Ferny Grove, and inner Beenleigh and inner Cleveland lines. Will the current Palaszczuk administration introduce frequent train services to the Springfield, Shorncliffe and Kippa-Ring lines? Ipswich??

"It is time to turn this ship around!"

Contact:

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

References:

1. "During the past financial year, there were more than 50 million passenger trips taken on Citytrain services. Passenger services provided through Citytrain are integral to the daily life of customers, whether they be students, workers, tourists or residents, moving between suburbs and cities."

Queensland Rail Annual and Financial report page 6.
http://www.queenslandrail.com.au/about%20us/Documents/QueenslandRail_AnnualFinancialReport_2013-14_FINAL.pdf

2. TransPerth Patronage (Train): 63,491,683
http://www.pta.wa.gov.au/NewsandMedia/TransperthPatronage/tabid/218/Default.aspx

3. "Between 2013 and 2014, the population of Greater Brisbane increased by 1.7%."
Australian Bureau of Statistics 3218.0 - Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2013-14

[ozbob]

This how the Public Transport Authority in WA displays patronage.

Easy, accessible, true open data ...

Transperth Patronage >> http://www.pta.wa.gov.au/NewsandMedia/TransperthPatronage/tabid/218/Default.aspx