Article: Let's climb aboard light rail

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail 24th July 2009 page 32

Let's climb aboard light rail

[ButFli]

We can only hope that the GC Light Rail will be so successful that it will pave the way for Queensland to become the Light Rail State. Light Rail sounds smart to me.

The Gold Coast's light rail could be the best thing to ever happen to Queensland!

[ozbob]

Too right ButFli!

===============

Media Release 7 July 2009

SEQ: Gold Coast light rail rapid transit is the way forward

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport has welcomed the announcement of the commencement of works for the Gold Coast light rail rapid transit network.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"The confirmation that the light rail project on the Gold Coast is under way is great news for the coast, Queensland and the Nation.  Light rail will become an iconic feature of Australia's playground."

"This marks a significant turning point in our sustainable transport future."

"Once the utility, capacity and practicality of the light rail system is demonstrated when operations commence, we predict that this will be the driver for a light rail network in inner Brisbane.  Other states will also sit up and take notice. Light rail is going to be around for the long haul."

"It is easy to discern with the 'retrospectroscope' the sheer folly of the removal of Brisbane's trams in 1969 (1).  This ranks as one of the great public transport failures along side the line  closure and sale of the original rail corridors to the Gold Coast and Tweed Heads."

"Let's learn from these disastrous outcomes and continue to put in place transport for the future!"

"Congratulations to all concerned with the project, particularly the Gold Coast City Council, TransLink, Queensland Transport and the Queensland Government."

Reference:

1.  Brisbane:  Forty years since the trams went silent ? http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=2117.0

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[Jon Bryant]

Great article.  Let the debate begin but lets make it short.  Light rail walks all over buses for trunk route haulage.  Heavy rail even better but for longer distances.  I especially liked the part about the bus supporters thinking buses can be "all things to all people".  This is the crux of the issue.

It will be interesting to see the impact of the new busways on the bottlenecks through the City and Cultural Centre.  I suspect that Translink is about to have a congestion problem (if they don't already) as buses pile up waiting to get through the Busway stops.

Surely the sums add up for a light rail line between Loganholme/Benleigh and Chermside/Aspley?  

I think we also need to have the debate about how we plan our transport system as per my post http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=2518.msg12312;boardseen#new.  Currently the planning approach is to assume public and active transport will only ever be about 12-15% of trips.  20% max.  The rest needs to be catered for by the motor vehicle and the road system and car parking planned accordingly.  And we wonder why 80% of trips are made by motor vehicle.  We planned for it!!!!

[stephenk]

 Currently the planning approach is to assume public and active transport will only ever be about 12-15% of trips.  20% max.  The rest needs to be catered for by the motor vehicle and the road system and car parking planned accordingly.  And we wonder why 80% of trips are made by motor vehicle.  We planned for it!!!!

You hit the nail on the head. The government only seem to invest in public transport when they have to for congestion to be relieved*. The government does not appear to invest in public transport to make it more attractive, so as to take cars off the road. They just build more roads instead (which just leads to more congestion!

*Examples
- Gold Coast/Beenleigh Line upgraded only when the Gold Coast Line was overcrowded, but the work done has no provision for future capacity increases or providing excess capacity to provide an attractive alternative for 1,000s of motorists who drive daily from Gold Coast to Brisbane.
- Ferny Grove Line partially upgraded only after is became overcrowded, with no increase in peak trains/hour. I have many work colleagues who live on the Ferny Grove Line corridor who drive, simply because the Ferny Grove Line's frequency (and thus overall journey time), an well as overcrowding, are not an attractive alternative to driving. Lack of feeder bus services does not help either.