24 Jun 2024: Throwing More Money at Buses Ignores Underlying Network Problems

[ozbob]

Throwing More Money at Buses Ignores Underlying Network Problems

24th June 2024

RAIL Back On Track notes that Brisbane City Council's media campaign "Back our Buses" is seeking to improve funding for buses in Brisbane whilst ignoring existing inefficiencies in the bus network that could also deliver better outcomes for all South East Queensland residents ( https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/traffic-and-transport/public-transport/buses/back-our-buses ).

RAIL Back On Track has campaigned for over 10 years, since Translink's 2013 Bus Network review was pulled down by BCC, to address:

. route duplication
. poor legibility of routes and stop for infrequent users
. low patronage on indirect/infrequent routes
. CBD centric peak hour service
. service gaps across the region
. lack of integration with the SEQ Rail Network
. limited bike facilities at stops and separated bike lanes providing safe paths to the stops

Brisbane's Bus Network has its origins in the 1970s with no major cross-city/region review ever completed to address the issues above and incorporate leading practice bus network design principles.

Even with the introduction of the SEQ Busway routes were simply funnelled onto the new infrastructure without review.

Additional funding for a bus network with its origins in the 1970s should be considered ONLY after a review/redesign of the SEQ Bus Network, including the location of dedicated bus lanes, along the lines of reviews conducted by Auckland, Houston, Dublin, Miami, Philadelphia (see references) to ensure we are getting the most out of the current investment.

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

References:

Auckland: https://www.planetizen.com/node/58779

Houston: https://jarrettwalker.com/houston-metro-transit-system-reimagining/

Dublin: https://humantransit.org/dublinbus

Miami: https://humantransit.org/2019/07/miami-the-better-bus-project-goes-public.html

Philadelphia: https://humantransit.org/2018/06/philadelphia-a-first-step-toward-a-better-bus-network.html

[ozbob]

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