30 Nov 2010: SEQ: UQ Lakes bus expansion plans underwater

[ozbob]

Media release 30 November 2010

SEQ: UQ Lakes bus expansion plans underwater

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 expresses serious concern over the lack of progress of an urgently needed upgrade and capacity expansion of UQ Lakes bus station.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"RAIL Back on Track is concerned about the  delays for upgrading the UQ Lakes Bus Station. The holiday period has begun and affords a perfect opportunity to expand the capacity of the UQ Lakes Bus station before it faces huge demand when university  returns in February 2011 for the regular academic year.

"UQ Lakes must be expanded otherwise it risks facing yet more bus-lock and the prospect of being unable to add more buses leading to huge overcrowding. This would not be a good outcome and would reflect badly on all.

"It is not clear why an upgrade of UQ Lakes apparently requires Brisbane City Council approval as it is sited on State Government land.

"Public transport is simply too important to be figuring out who is responsible for what and ignoring the community needs.

"RAIL Back on Track notes that buck passing and lack of clear lines of accountability and responsibility was one factor in Victoria's recent election result (1). We renew our call for the State Government to take over Brisbane Transport (2) The UQ Lakes situation must be sorted out before mayhem ensues when the new academic year commences in 2011."

Reference:

1.  http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=4626.0

2. 26 Oct 2010: SEQ: Brisbane Transport buses and ferries ripe for state takeover   http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=4715.0

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[ozbob]

--> http://www.iaq.com.au/images/PDF/Industry%20News/Industry%20Briefing_TTA_Handouts.pdf

Was UQ Bus station upgraded as indicated in this document?

[#Metro]

2008!
University of Queensland Lakes Bus Station expansion ($800k)

[#Metro]

AVVM Ticket machine also noticeably absent...

[ozbob]

From the Westside News click here!

Storm over bus shelter

Storm over bus shelter

3 Nov 10 @ 06:59am by Anna Hilton

A BUS shelter at the University of Queensland St Lucia campus is in the middle of a political tug-of-war between Brisbane City Council and the State Government.

The State Government has offered to complete a $4.3 million upgrade of the UQ Lakes bus station, built by council in 2006 as part of the Eleanor Schonell Bridge project.

Council's Public and Active Transport chairwoman Margaret de Wit said the Lord Mayor supported the upgrade but Transport Minister Rachel Nolan was stalling the process for political gain.

"This was just political grandstanding from Labor because an election was on," Cr de Wit said.

"We're willing to take this project out of Minister Nolan's hands and deliver it sooner rather than later if she was to give us the necessary funds."

But Ms Nolan said council red tape had held up the project for more than a year.

"Never once has council suggested taking over this project until now," Ms Nolan said.

"Their stalling has meant students have been missing out on better public transport facilities and cost of the project has escalated by more than $250,000 as a result of delays."

Meanwhile UQ Union president Michael Zivcic said while they wouldn't object to an upgrade of the shelter, there were more pressing issues for students.

"I'd be surprised to hear of students having problems with it," Mr Zivcic said.

"What we need is more bus routes and more frequent services."

[#Metro]

Underwater... 

[colinw]

Sigh.  Why am I not surprised.

We need to get BCC out of the public transport business entirely.  They have done a good job over the years, but this use of the PT system as a political football for airing of Council vs. Government grievances has to stop.