Article: Train travel tops the lot for Brisbane commuters

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Train travel tops the lot for Brisbane commuters

Train travel tops the lot for Brisbane commuters
Tony Moore
June 13, 2009 - 6:56AM

Almost six million more people caught a bus in 2007-08  than caught a train, according to the latest figures released by Brisbane City Council.

Newly-released council figures show that 67.6 million people caught a train (this should read bus) in the 2007-08 financial year while 61.7 million jumped on Brisbane's Citytrain network.

On the eve of a State Budget, still battling speculation of funding cuts to its train services, Brisbane City Council's public transport committee chair Cr Jane Prentice said commuters were voting with their feet and choosing buses.

"Last financial year, Brisbane City Council buses carried 67.6 million and that's on track to rise to 71 million in 2008/09," Cr Prentice said.

"That's significantly more than the south-east Queensland Citytrain network, which only carried 61.7 million passengers last financial year."

Cr Prentice said between May 2008 and May 2009 bus figures had increased by 273,830 or nearly five per cent despite major disruptions caused by the floods.

"The 6,127,668 passengers who caught a Brisbane Transport bus last month surpassed the figure of 5,853,838 recorded in May 2008, which was an increase of 273,830, or nearly five per cent," she said.

In the month of May, less than one per cent of bus services - 1956 bus services or 0.93 per cent - were classed as full.
Of those, 77 per cent (1500) occurred on routes with a waiting time of less than 20 minutes for the next bus.

The State Government provides the major share of funding to Brisbane City Council's bus fleet.
Transport experts acknowledge trains and buses are complementary, rather than competing public transport services.

[ozbob]

Media Release 13 June 2009

SEQ:  Simple bus figures don't correctly paint the picture.

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 that media highlighting the fact that there are more bus trips than rail trips does not properly indicate the value of the respective modes.  Simple comparisons as that don't tell the full story.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"RAIL Back On Track members are delighted that more people are using public transport, particularly bus and rail.  For 2007/8 67.6 million people caught a bus while 61.7 million caught  a  Citytrain (1). What not is made clear in such a comparison is that in terms of passenger kilometres Citytrain figures are around three times higher than bus.  That is, rail is chocking up a lot more passenger kilometres than bus."

"This comparison in terms of passenger kilometres reflects the respective strengths of the modes.  Bus, optimum short haul flexible carrier, rail longer distance high capacity line mass transit."

"Brisbane's bus system is already under a lot of pressure and only has a limited capacity for further capacity increases.  The conga line of buses on the busways is evidence of that.  Road congestion off the busways is causing a lot of delays and problems as well.  Rather than continue to ramp up overloaded radial bus routes, more thought should be given to bus routes feeding key rail and bus stations and more lateral suburban routes."

"The Citytrain network has the capacity to double its passenger numbers easily.  The trains presently on order and track improvements underway will see this achieved within 5 years."
 
"What should be our governments and communities concerns is the continued development of a properly integrated public transport network.  All modes are necessary for an optimum system."

"Rather than continuing the sham of inappropriate road funding redirect the funds to public transport for all (2).  This is what smart government should be doing."

Reference:

1.  http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=2253.0
2.  http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=2373.0

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[Derwan]

People are choosing buses because trains are infrequent, overcrowded and don't cover enough of the Brisbane area.

Also, if someone catches a bus to the train station, each mode is counted - when the desired mode is obviously rail. 

Finally, the last thing we need is a "stoush" between bus and train.  They are complimentary services and need to work together to maximise the benefit of public transport in Brisbane.  We're supposed to have an integrated pubic transport service, not a competing one.

[ozbob]

Political posturing is part of the process ..     BCC sees QR as extension of the George St push I think.  They don't seem to grasp the integrated concept at all.   

Transport planners have told me they are concerned with the capacity constraints looming for bus.  Even BCC's own projections show that.  The answer is proper integration of all modes and build up of line transport capacity, particularly rail.  This can be done by super buses in a limited way as well. Eg. the Cityglider concept.  But they will be limited on the busways.

Bus has, and will continue to do a stirling job, but the future significant bulk capacity will be gained on rail. 

[WTN]

People are choosing buses because trains are infrequent, overcrowded and don't cover enough of the Brisbane area.

Also, if someone catches a bus to the train station, each mode is counted - when the desired mode is obviously rail. 

Finally, the last thing we need is a "stoush" between bus and train.  They are complimentary services and need to work together to maximise the benefit of public transport in Brisbane.  We're supposed to have an integrated pubic transport service, not a competing one.

This is all so true.  I often don't bother walking to the train station and catch a bus instead.  Why?  The bus is a lot closer and more frequent and goes where I often go.  Sometimes I do switch to a train, then a bus again, so that's 2 buses to 1 train.

Some areas (like Garden City) are nowhere near a train station, but have very frequent bus services.

One should look at what Surfside Buslines does - I've seen them wait and coincide with connecting trains at the station.

So, double dipping anyone?

[Arnz]

One should look at what Surfside Buslines does - I've seen them wait and coincide with connecting trains at the station.

Surfside and Sunbus on the Sunshine Coast is owned by the same company, hence the rail/bus wait integration.

Also to add, This is pretty much the case with any bus company in the greater Brisbane area (I'm talking  Caboolture Bus Lines and Bribie Island Coaches@Caboolture Station, Kangaroo Bus Lines@Caboolture and Narangba, Hornibrook@Sandgate/Petrie, Westside@Ipswich, Logan City@Loganlea, etc) They will wait for the train.

[Emmie]

Surely by now - even with a take up rate below 30% because of the fare structure - it should be possible to dig out some decent data from GO card use.  It's not enough to know that 67m or 67m trips take place.  These are all individual trips, and the sort of data that's been available for yonks.

If Translink really looks at the data that GO makes possible, it should be possible to find out:

- how many joint bus/train trips take place?
- how long is the average wait between touching off and touching on (from bus to train, and from train to bus)?
- how well do integrated interchanges work ? do more people use public transport when buses connect well with trains?  how about experimenting with a new integrated junction and seeing what the impact is in - say - 3 months?

At the moment, the data will be biased towards 5-day a week commuters, for whom the GO fare works best - but even so, it would help us know more.  I thought that was one of the objectives in moving to GO - but 18 months down the track, no sign yet that the raw data that's now available is being put to use.

[david]

One should look at what Surfside Buslines does - I've seen them wait and coincide with connecting trains at the station.

I've actually had this happen once. I travelled down to Nerang station by train, but was about 15 minutes late, since the train was an EMU. When I got off, lo and behold, the connecting bus to Surfers Paradise was still waiting there.

It's a shame that BT doesn't do this. I regularly see bus drivers driving off at Darra, despite the fact that they can SEE the train arriving at the station. I mean, does another 2-3 minute wait actually hurt their schedules that much?

Some areas (like Garden City) are nowhere near a train station, but have very frequent bus services.

There are some areas, where there is a perfectly functional station that is completely underutilized and a mind-blowing number of bus services going straight past it. I'm thinking the Mains Road corridor, Altandi station and the 130 and 140 BUZ routes. Is it not possible to divert these buses to Altandi station or are people too lazy to change services?

[WTN]

Surfside and Sunbus on the Sunshine Coast is owned by the same company, hence the rail/bus wait integration.

Also to add, This is pretty much the case with any bus company in the greater Brisbane area (I'm talking  Caboolture Bus Lines and Bribie Island Coaches@Caboolture Station, Kangaroo Bus Lines@Caboolture and Narangba, Hornibrook@Sandgate/Petrie, Westside@Ipswich, Logan City@Loganlea, etc) They will wait for the train.

Ah my bad.  I experienced it up north too, just that it wasn't that obvious.  But it does make interchanging a lot more pleasant.  With BT, it's more hit and miss, unless your bus service runs frequent enough (say every 15 minutes or less) that the gap is negligible.  

There are some areas, where there is a perfectly functional station that is completely underutilized and a mind-blowing number of bus services going straight past it. I'm thinking the Mains Road corridor, Altandi station and the 130 and 140 BUZ routes. Is it not possible to divert these buses to Altandi station or are people too lazy to change services?

I'd be one of those people are too lazy to change if the bus will take them where they're going (eg City).

[Emmie]

Also to add, This is pretty much the case with any bus company in the greater Brisbane area (I'm talking  Caboolture Bus Lines and Bribie Island Coaches@Caboolture Station, Kangaroo Bus Lines@Caboolture and Narangba, Hornibrook@Sandgate/Petrie, Westside@Ipswich, Logan City@Loganlea, etc) They will wait for the train

And the train will wait for the bus, occasionally.  I've had this happen at Sandgate, when the Hornibrook bus is late arriving from Redcliffe.  We get an announcement that we're waiting for the bus to arrive, and wait for it - up to about 5 minutes, I should think.  There's time to catch up the schedule within a stop or so - it may not be possible during peak hour.

That's what an integrated system should be all about, and particularly necessary when - like on the Shorncliffe line - there are only 2 trains per hour.

[Derwan]

I've had this happen at Sandgate, when the Hornibrook bus is late arriving from Redcliffe.  We get an announcement that we're waiting for the bus to arrive, and wait for it - up to about 5 minutes, I should think.

I often wondered how the train could be 5 minutes late at Boondall when it originated just 4 stations beforehand.  I guess that explains it - and makes me feel better about it being late.