3 July 2007: Ipswich railway line the key to easing the mess on Ipswich Highway

[ozbob]

Media Release 3 July 2007

Brisbane:  Ipswich railway line the key to easing the mess on Ipswich Highway

RAIL ? Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community organisation for the promotion of rail throughout Australia has called for some immediate timetable changes on the TransLink Citytrain services to Ipswich to help move commuters from cars to rail.

Robert Dow said:

?Ipswich highway is arguably now the most dangerous and congested road in Australia.  It seems almost daily, sometimes many times a day, traffic is brought to a standstill with accidents and traffic overload.  As road works are undertaken it is only going to get worse, much worse. The Ipswich highway runs virtually parallel to the railway line to Ipswich.  It is time that an active program was undertaken to encourage commuters to leave their cars behind and relax on the train.?

?In order to encourage commuters some timetable improvements are needed today. In the morning there is too big a gap between the 5.41 am and 6.14 am services from Ipswich to Caboolture.  The 6.14 am service is often overloaded by the time it reaches Oxley and rarely runs on time as a result. An additional service leaving Ipswich at 5.59 am to Bowen Hills would be a major improvement.?

?Also in the afternoon there is presently a service from Central to Redbank that leaves Central at 4.12pm.  This train has a light passenger loading as it follows the 4.06pm Central to Ipswich.  The next service is a 4.21 pm Central to Ipswich, which is then followed by the 4.38 pm Central to Ipswich.  The 4.38 pm Central to Ipswich is experiencing chronic heavy passenger loadings; it would help if the 4.12 pm Central to Redbank service was re-timetabled to leave Central at 4.30 pm.  This would allow for more passengers to use the 4.38 pm service to Ipswich in reasonable comfort.?

?Presently during the week days there is a fifteen minute frequency of service of trains from Corinda to the City.  It would be within the present crew and train service capacities that instead of terminating the trains at Corinda these could be terminated at Darra.  This is only two stations past Corinda. This would then give a fifteen minute frequency from both Oxley and Darra.  Both these stations have high passenger loadings, and by feeding buses into these stations it would enable commuters' fast and safe access to the City and beyond.  The unused platform at Darra needs to be reopened as well.?

?As the new trains are progressively introduced, another way of increasing capacity would be to increase the unit train length on some express services from 6 car to 9 car.  This would require some modification at some stations but would require no additional train staff. To complement these improvements education campaigns promoting the benefits at a personal and community level of using the rail service are needed.?

Contact:


admin@backontrack.org
Administration RAIL Back On Track

http://backontrack.org

[ozbob]

The Satellite, a community newspaper published a story on Wednesday 11th July 2007 which followed up this media release.  Thanks to the Satellite newspaper.

Copy of the article here (PDF) -->  http://backontrack.org/docs/satellite1h.pdf

Regards
Ozbob

[ozbob]

Queensland Parliament Hansard today 26 Feb 2008 click here! PDF

The Minister in response to a question re Gold Coast rail services let us all know that the Corinda to Darra upgrade will mean more express services from Ipswich.  Now isn't that good news?   

[Mozz]

In true parliamentary spirit may I be the first to say:

Here Here!!!!

[ozbob]

From Courier Mail click here!


Kevin Rudd kicks off Ipswich Motorway upgrade

Kevin Rudd kicks off Ipswich Motorway upgrade
Article from: AAP

March 02, 2008 12:05pm

THE Ipswich Motorway upgrade west of Brisbane was a critical piece of infrastructure for southeast Queensland, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said today.

Speaking at a sod-turning ceremony for stage one of the Wacol to Darra project, Mr Rudd said many people were spending an eternity in their cars getting to work.

But traffic congestion would ease after the road was boosted to six lanes and the Centenary Highway roundabout was replaced with a new high-standard interchange, he said.

The upgrade, one of Labor's election promises, also would take about 20 per cent of vehicles off the motorway with new services roads that could cater for local and cross-suburb trips.

"We said the way forward was to ensure that we upgrade the Ipswich Motorway," Mr Rudd told today's ceremony.

"Today we are here to honour that commitment.

"We have been the government of Australia for three months and we take seriously the commitments we made to the Australian people and this is one of those commitments."

Mr Rudd said an estimated 80,000 cars and trucks use the Ipswich Motorway every day.

The Federal Government is contributing $700 million towards the upgrade.

My comment on the blog:

Six lanes will just mean more cars.  Where are  the additional trains for the Ipswich line?  Already congested, how will the line cope with the many people who will be forced to use the train during the chaos of construction.  And with the rapid expansion of the Ipswich/Springfield area generally, who is kidding who that this upgrade of the Ipswich Highway is going to be anything but a temporary aberration in the grid lock procession.

And where do the cars go? Just enter more congested roads as they journey along the highway.

Quadruplication of the railway line is now essential.  You know fifty years ago some structures were built with this in mind.  Our catch up state Government is still behind.

[ozbob]

This morning as the 6.44am from Oxley arrived at Roma St a school student collapsed.  The congestion on the train was intense. (Approaching a 5 on the Derwan scale .. --> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=557.0).  I assisted briefly on platform 9 until some TOs promptly arrived.  The student should be fine, students do faint from time to time but the early peak congestion on the Ipswich line (and other lines too) is becoming a problem.  The student commented 'it was squishy' ...
I would call it tighter than a sardine can ...

A quick fix would be to run a service from Darra - Bowen Hills leaving about 6.35am to sweep up short haul commuters and give some room to those commuters travelling in from further out on the 6.14am service from Ipswich.

[ozbob]

What railway?

----------------

Minister for Main Roads and Local Government
The Honourable Warren Pitt
03/03/2008

Main Roads caters for regional growth with new Ipswich office

The Queensland Government will establish a new Department of Main Roads office in Ipswich to cater for booming growth in the western corridor region

Speaking at today's Community Cabinet meeting in Ipswich, Main Roads Minister Warren Pitt said the new office would be established to meet the future road network needs of the local areas of Ipswich and the Lockyer Valley.

Mr Pitt said the opening of the office, which would become operational progressively during the next few months, reflected the State Government's support for growth areas and regionalisation.

"Main Roads is moving quickly to secure office space in the Ipswich CBD as soon as practicable," he said.

"Staffing numbers are still being finalised but it is expected that the new Ipswich office will require 12 to 15 officers within the first two years of operation.

"In the meantime, and as an interim measure, the new office will initially be co-located in Main Roads' existing Major Projects office at Darra.

"This will allow us to take advantage of the existing facility until we have had a chance to formally establish our Ipswich office.

"It's no secret that Ipswich and the western corridor are among the fastest-growing areas in the country. Business in Ipswich is booming and new residents are flocking to the area to be part of it."

"The South East Queensland Regional Plan has already highlighted the enormous potential in the western corridor region, including residential and industrial developments in Springfield and the Ripley Valley, and expected growth in other areas of Ipswich and the Lockyer Valley.

Mr Pitt praised the efforts of Member for Ipswich Rachel Nolan and Member for Ipswich West Wayne Wendt, who have continually lobbied for more government services for their growing area.

Ms Nolan said the Ripley Valley alone was expected to eventually house more than 120,000 people and support a potential 200,000 new jobs.

"Plans for Springfield include a new railway station and the potential for residential towers up to 25 storeys, taking the development's approved ultimate population to 86,000," she said.

Mr Wendt said the new office was a strategic investment in the region's future prosperity and would help ensure new development was supported by suitable road infrastructure.

"The Queensland Government's South East Queensland Infrastructure Plan has already seen construction begin on the infrastructure that will cater for Ipswich's future," he said.

"Main Road is at the coalface delivering this infrastructure, and is heavily involved in delivering in the Ipswich region.

"This new office will focus more on long-term planning for the area, in close consultation with the local governments and other government agencies including the Department of Infrastructure and Planning."

Mr Pitt said Ipswich's Local Growth Management Strategy foreshadowed that the city's population would double to 300,000 during the next 20 years.

"Closer involvement between Ipswich City Council and Main Roads will help facilitate the infrastructure needed to support that level of growth."

Mr Pitt said the initiative at Ipswich was part of a series of statewide changes to Main Roads administrative boundaries to better service communities around Queensland.

"Following the outcomes of local government reform, Main Roads reviewed its district boundaries to deliver services more effectively, particularly in south-east Queensland's high-growth areas."

Main Roads currently has 14 districts throughout Queensland, each responsible for a number of local government areas.

In response to local government changes, Main Roads will move towards a system of 12 regions across the state, supported by 15 district offices.

"These changes will retain and reinforce Main Roads' long history of decentralised delivery and localised decision-making, which allows our staff to make on-the-ground decisions that are best for their area," Mr Pitt said.

"It means better service for councils and communities, without rationalising facilities or staff - all the current district offices will be retained. Importantly, no one will lose their job and no one will be forced to relocate as part of these changes."

Mr Pitt said Main Roads would consult with local MPs and councils after the March local government elections to finalise the full requirements and services to be offered at the Ipswich office.

Similar discussions across the state will be held to ensure the strong, positive working relationships between Main Roads and local government are maintained and enhanced into the future.

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

[Mozz]

This morning as the 6.44am from Oxley arrived at Roma St a school student collapsed.  The congestion on the train was intense. (Approaching a 5 on the Derwan scale .. --> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=557.0).  I assisted briefly on platform 9 until some TOs promptly arrived.  The student should be fine, students do faint from time to time but the early peak congestion on the Ipswich line (and other lines too) is becoming a problem.  The student commented 'it was squishy' ...
I would call it tighter than a sardine can ...

A quick fix would be to run a service from Darra - Bowen Hills leaving about 6.35am to sweep up short haul commuters and give some room to those commuters travelling in from further out on the 6.14am service from Ipswich.

I was on the train with Bob this morning and can atest to the poor situation that is the 6.44am from Oxley. I have been highlighting this issue with translink for at least the past 3 years without success. I can't recall the last time an additional service was implemented in the morning peak period on the Ipswich line (peak time being 6 - 9am - yes work patterns have changed, people are starting work earlier).

The 6.54am from Oxley used to be a 2-3 on the Derwan scale* but it too is now pulling a solid 3 when it hits Oxley and again a 4 and generally 5 by the time it hits Roma/Central which in turn then pushes people back onto the 6.44am from Oxley as both trains are now overcrowded (and potentially unsafe as can be seen by this morning's medical issue).

It has been my experience the 6.44am from Oxley is consistently unable to arrive at Roma/Central at the times advertised in the timetable due to overcrowding and is consistently even falling outside the 4 minute buffer used to define an "on time" train versus one which is "not on time".

We all know there are overcrowding issues across the network however if nothing continues to be done, as it has in the past, to address issues on the overcrowded trains to the point of being unsafe for rail commuters on the Ipswich line I expect commuters will become significantly more active in support of "something" in terms of addressing these issues rather than the "nothing" which has been forthcoming thus far.

*Ed. For standard congest scale see --> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=557.0

[ozbob]

From Courier Mail click here!

Traffic woes on Motorway

Traffic woes on Motorway
Article from: The Courier-Mail

March 17, 2008 06:20am

MASSIVE congestion on the Ipswich Motorway is causing more headaches for commnuters this morning.
Roadworks at the Logan Motorway and Ipswich Motorway interchange have resulted in traffic on the Ipswich Motorway is congested back past Redbank.

Motorists are strongly advised to find alternate routes where possible.

My comment on blog:

We have been calling for increased rail services on the Ipswich line to afford people a choice.  When is the Government going to respond?  We seem to be abandoned by our local representatives. I came in on the 6.14am from Ipswich this morning (joined at Oxley), again overloaded by about Indooroopilly.

The only solution is to ramp up rail, increase frequency by a factor of two.  This will give a massive increase in capacity independent of the basket case on the roads.

[ozbob]

From Queensland Times click here!

Scattering services could solve traffic woes

Scattering services could solve traffic woes
March 24, 2008
By YVONNE GARDINER

A REPORT into the decentralisation of State Government services could provide Queensland with a blueprint to significantly ease traffic congestion in the south-east corner, according to Springfield Land Corporation chairman Maha Sinnathamby.

Mr Sinnathamby said The Decentralisation of Core Government Services report, by researcher Dr Steven Ward, had added weight to the argument that the Queensland Government could play an important leading role in relocating services and jobs.

The report, the first by the Urban Development Institute of Australia's newly established Research Institute, showed how the Queensland Government could help take thousands of cars off the road every day, at a time when traffic congestion in south-east Queensland was at its worst in 15 years, he said.

"With so many people living outside of a 20km radius of the city, and with the Western Corridor already the fastest growth area in the country, it makes perfect sense that a number of government services, along with employees, be moved to where the people are," Mr Sinnathamby said.

"What we are talking about here is actually improving the lives of those who live in the Greater Brisbane area who are already battling a long commute to work, less time with family and the economic burden this places on them.

"People want to work where they live and play and they can do this if the State Government takes the lead in decentralising more services.

"I would expect the private sector would then follow that example."

The report shows the Queensland Government occupies 22 per cent of all CBD office space in Brisbane.

In Sydney, the New South Wales Government occupies 10 per cent and, in Melbourne, the Victorian Government occupies just eight per cent of all CBD space.