16 Sep 2008: SEQ: Additional Citytrain services eagerly awaited for the Ipswich

[ozbob]

Media Release 16 September 2008

SEQ:  Additional Citytrain services eagerly awaited for the Ipswich line

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport commuters has said Ipswich railway line commuters are eagerly looking forward to the additional services promised for September.  We are more than half way through September but there have been no announcements of additional services.  We are still hopeful though.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

?The Quest Ipswich news reported on the 5th June 2008 that a spokeswoman for the Minister for Transport said Queensland Rail will introduce timetable changes in September that would focus on the heavily patronised Ipswich line (1).?

?Congestion on the Ipswich line continues to get worse and worse but there has been no action to address the problems.  For example, where are the incentive fares for the go card to encourage pre-peak, early peak and off peak travel and help ease peak congestion??

?The bus-centric transport policies pushed as short term expedient solutions are falling apart in Brisbane.  The CSIRO Report Fuel for thought (2) has highlighted the looming problems for buses, although bus commuters in Brisbane can describe the failures today clearly enough.?

?We still have time to ramp up our rail networks, light and heavy for a sustainable transport future. Rail will cope with the loads, buses are not trains!  Line mass transit is best provided by high capacity rail ? light and heavy, fed by local integrated buses.?

?Are we heading for a public transport meltdown??

References:

1.   Quest Ipswich News 5 June 2008 page 11

2.   http://www.csiro.au/resources/FuelForThoughtReport.html

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[ozbob]

Here is the article --> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=982.0

From Quest Ipswich News 5 June 2008 page 11



Now that we have the commitment for the ongoing roll out of the new trains, hopefully a ramp up of frequency of all lines will now happen in a steady manner as each batch becomes available for service, crew are in place and stabling arrangements are progressively put in place.

Go RAIL!

[ozbob]

I just caught the last part of a story on Channel 7 News tonight that was highlighting the congestion and some strategies to help manage it. 

A good sign, maybe the ideas ourselves and others put forward are starting to stick ....

[ozbob]

From Courier Mail click here!

Brisbane buses too overcrowded to pick up commuters

Brisbane buses too overcrowded to pick up commuters
Article from: The Courier-Mail

By Alison Sandy

September 16, 2008 07:25pm

MORE than 2000 Brisbane City Council bus services were too full to pick up passengers last month, the latest figures have revealed.
Public transport chairwoman Jane Prentice said while 2242 buses from August 4-29 were full, they only made up 1.08 per cent of more than 200,000 scheduled trips.

Cr Prentice blamed the State Government for failing to provide more services over the Ekka public holiday, which resulted in an extra 95 full bus loads.

"We approached Translink prior to the public holiday and recommended they increase service levels to a more appropriate level given prior years' experience, however Translink were unwilling to fund the Saturday timetable," she said.

A council bus passenger survey revealed two in five passengers were left behind last year, but Cr Prentice said patronage had increased 40 per cent in the past four years and most passengers didn't wait more than 20 minutes for the next bus.

"Although we're talking about a relatively small number of full buses, there's still room for improvement and that's why we're undertaking an unprecedented investment into the city's public transport," she said.

"The Lord Mayor has committed to another 500 new buses by 2012.

"Eight super buses, which carry 1.6 times the capacity of a standard bus, have been ordered and will be on the road by the end of the financial year."

Opposition Leader Shayne Sutton said the LNP rejected a Labor proposal to allocate another $40 million towards about 80 more buses.

"Until the Lord Mayor invests more money in public transport we will continue to see these large numbers of overcrowded buses," she said.

Will 500 buses really do anything?  Of course not, light rail is needed today on the main trunk routes.