Smart state transport related blunders current and recent

[ozbob]

Three images:

Now, with the present flow, and the alternative.  



Present flow



Alternative - roundabout replaced with traffic light intersection.  Pedestrian crossing placed there.  Will allow the buses to come out against the traffic.  Delays due to the haphazard nature of the pedestrians crossing reduced.  Much improved for all.  Remember Oxley is also to get a fourth platform as well.  Now is the time to sort it.  Local residents believe it should be.



Images nearmap.com

[somebody]

No, I followed what you were saying.  I'm just saying it will add a road crossing for bus/rail interchange pax, as the bus door is now on the side of the bus facing away from the station.

I don't quite follow the advantage of this, but I'll take your word for it.  Perhaps traffic westbound on Cook St blocks the buses from leaving the bus bay.  A "Do not queue across intersection" zone should sort this IMO.

[ozbob]

That can be got around.  The other option is to do as you suggest but the traffic is out of control and only going to get worse. 

Some bus drivers will force themselves out into the traffic stream.  Lot's of near misses and grief all round.  The pedestrian crossing issues are enough of a driver to sort it.  Lots of near misses and has been some fatalities on crossings at Oxley.

[Golliwog]

Well if the extra platform is built on top of the bus interchange (instead of shifting the interchange towards the shops) if you have reversed the flow then you could just put a set of stairs/a lift up to the new platform, although pax would still have to cross to get to the other platforms.

[somebody]

I also cannot see room for the extra platform here.

Some bus drivers will force themselves out into the traffic stream. 

Well, they should be given right of way to do so, shouldn't they?  That's where I was thinking of a "do not queue across intersection".

[ozbob]

I also cannot see room for the extra platform here.

There are plans for it (not public though).  It is to be a suspended platform and will be built.  The wall behind bus stop A as part of the up sub line work,  was done with a future view to that.  If money had have been available we would have the 4th platform by now.  It is possible the bus stop upgrade work (part of the 2.3$M Oxley tart up) will be further positioning for the platform support as well.

(in case the reader is not aware, the track is elevated at Oxley with respect to the bus stop A levels.  The 4th platform  structure will form part of shelter for the roads beneath.  This is not clear from aerial photographs)

[somebody]

Raised section of Fortitude Valley station does not extend for the full length.  The positive is that the raised section is the ideal arrangement, with a low section extending far enough that it is impossible to put your foot between the train and platform.

Other problem here is that the trains which lock the back three cars can have no open part of the train over the raised section.

I guess with the Oxley 4th platform it either needs to be not directly in line with the other three platforms or take out the bus stop.  But the latter could be done by reversing the bus direction as has been suggested.

[somebody]

(in case the reader is not aware, the track is elevated at Oxley with respect to the bus stop A levels.  The 4th platform  structure will form part of shelter for the roads beneath.  This is not clear from aerial photographs)

Ahh, Ok.  That makes sense then.

Could it be that the current direction of bus traffic was chosen to prevent the need for pedestrians to cross the traffic to reach bus stop A?  Is a solution which keeps this worth pursuing?

[ozbob]

Could it be that the current direction of bus traffic was chosen to prevent the need for pedestrians to cross the traffic to reach bus stop A?  Is a solution which keeps this worth pursuing?

The setup at Oxley is a bit odd now anyway.  A lot more people cross the bus lane than don't.  It is the main thoroughfare.  Reversing the buses won't matter at all in this context.  It is only buses and they stop at the crossing now in the bus lane to give way to pedestrians. It just needs a bit of thought and depends a bit on what they decide for  the 4th platform (which will be platform 1 when built) as well.