Landsborough to Nambour upgrade

[#Metro]

These figures will never eventuate- a you can't go higher than 100%.
What this does mean is an uncomfortable ride, possibly people left behind at the platform, and also a lot of people giving up and jumping into their car and heading towards Brisbane- more traffic jam and problems, and possibly another multi billion dollar toll road project to 'relieve' that congestion.

[Stillwater]

2016 is not all that far away.  When you have trains that will be using the Sunshine Coast Line at the 'infrequent' frequencies applying on that line and leaving passengers behind at the station, you can understand the scary prospects for rail travel to and from the Sunshine Coast.

Given the projected fare hike over 5 years, someone travelling return to Brisbane from Palmwoods daily will be paying $9000 annually in fares.  Perhaps the fare increases will force people into their cars.

Ironically, no matter how expensive or how uncomfortable, or how inconvenient the timetable, the people of the Sunshine Coast are doggedly sticking to their trains - making them, arguably the most loyal customers on the network.

[colinw]

The ARUP paper and various other studies, combined with the Government's repeated unambiguous commitments to Landsborough duplication by 2012 (media statements: 21/04/2006, 14/08/2006, 29/08/2006 and 21/12/2006) paint a clear picture of a complete dereliction of its duty by the Government when it comes to Sunshine coast services and the NCL.

There can be no doubt that the Government has known since the late '90s that the NCL between Caboolture and Nambour is at choke point, to the detriment of both passenger and freight efficiency.  Their own planning & media releases show that they are fully aware of the problem, and promised to fix it during their previous term, with full duplication to Landsborough promised to be up and running within the current term of Government.

This is not an unexpected problem that just crept up on us.  The Government knows, and has still deliberately chosen to do nothing and has even gone so far as to de-emphasise the urgency of the project in both its own recent planning and in submissions to Infrastructure Australia.  To allow a passenger & freight line of national importance to reach such congestion when there was something like 15 years worth of warning that it was occurring is nothing short of incompetent.  The alternative is that perhaps (given the lack of Government held seats on the Sunshine Coast) it is deliberate political bastardry.

[mufreight]

The ARUP paper and various other studies, combined with the Government's repeated unambiguous commitments to Landsborough duplication by 2012 (media statements: 21/04/2006, 14/08/2006, 29/08/2006 and 21/12/2006) paint a clear picture of a complete dereliction of its duty by the Government when it comes to Sunshine coast services and the NCL.

There can be no doubt that the Government has known since the late '90s that the NCL between Caboolture and Nambour is at choke point, to the detriment of both passenger and freight efficiency.  Their own planning & media releases show that they are fully aware of the problem, and promised to fix it during their previous term, with full duplication to Landsborough promised to be up and running within the current term of Government.

This is not an unexpected problem that just crept up on us.  The Government knows, and has still deliberately chosen to do nothing and has even gone so far as to de-emphasise the urgency of the project in both its own recent planning and in submissions to Infrastructure Australia.  To allow a passenger & freight line of national importance to reach such congestion when there was something like 15 years worth of warning that it was occurring is nothing short of incompetent.  The alternative is that perhaps (given the lack of Government held seats on the Sunshine Coast) it is deliberate political bastardry.

All of the above

[Stillwater]

While the focus of this discussion group is on passenger rail, it is sobering to consider the impact that government inaction on the Sunshine Coast Line upgrade is having on rail freight and the economic well-being of the state overall.  The government may think it can ignore the pleas of passengers, but in the recovery phase after one natural disaster and another one pending up north, the SCL and NCL play an incredibly important role in the state economy and the revenues governments receive from industry and freight forwarders using the line.

The most likely future scenario is high population and industry growth along the corridor, resulting in an increased freight transport task estimated to grow at 3.4 per cent annually.

The government's own figures reveal that a growth rate for rail freight on the line above 3 per cent will result in a 'spillover' of freight traffic to road, mainly to the Bruce Highway.

For the first time in a recent Sunshine Coast visitor survey, tourists travelling to the Sunshine Coast by car (far and away the biggest tourist segment), said that Bruce Highway congestion is a deterrent to coming to the Coast.  Tourism is one of the biggest industries on the Coast and has been hard-hit by the GFC and then by people's perceptions that the Sunshine Coast was flooded out.  Now the government wants to put another 50,000 people in a new city between Caloundra and the Sunshine Coast Line at Landsborough to create more traffic congestion.

To the numerous reports over 15 years warning of a crisis that ColinW referred to, we can add another.

Queensland Rail recently undertook a benefit-cost study of investment in the North Coast Line (using a 20 year evaluation period) and found that for an investment of approximately $300 million in a number of 'below-rail' projects, the following outcomes could be achieved:

-   transfer of 800,000 tonnes of general freight/containerised freight from road to rail
-   road crash savings of $43 million (present value)
-   environmental gains of $23 million
-   road pavement, maintenance savings of $94 million from reduced heavy truck improvements
-   benefits associated with better transit times, improved service reliability and improved service availability valued at $127 million
-   benefits to rail operators and customers valued at $143 million
-   potential reductions in rail freight costs in the range 2-6 per cent
-    an increase in gross tonne kilometres associated with containerised traffic of 34 per cent over and above underlying growth.

The information comes from the Rail Bus and Tramway Union (Qld Branch) submission to the Brisbane-Cairns corridor strategy, dates from 2006and involves savings over 20 years (the life of the improvement works).

There is another matter that should be investigated by the Flood Recovery Taskforce – and that is the location of the Rocklea Markets.  The site where almost all of Brisbane's produce consolidation and distribution is vulnerable to flooding and affects a city's food supply.

Much of the fruit and veg for Rocklea comes down from up north via rail.  The freight trains have to travel through the suburban network to get to Rocklea.  Relocating the fruit and veg markets to a flood-free point north of Brisbane (say around Caboolture/Wamuran or Glasshouse Mtns), with road distribution to Brisbane and the SEQ corner occurring from there would open up new train paths in the city.

So, if the government won't listen when it comes to passenger train capacity on the SCL, maybe it could be persuaded to accept the argument for augmentation of capacity for freight traffic.  Remember, we are talking about the revenue-raising side of rail here and impacts on regional economies of Central and North Queensland (where Labor does hold seats).

[mufreight]

Well Stillwater some good points but the government has sold the revenue producing freight services

[Stillwater]

On those sections of track where it retains ownership, the government sells access to the private train operators.  If it improves the track, thereby improving running times and generating fuel savings, or introduces other efficiencies through track duplication, better signalling and the like, it can charge a higher access fee.  There is incentive to invest in better track to get a higher return from private operators over time, as well as reaping benefits for passenger rail where the investment occurs in SEQ.

[somebody]

Well Stillwater some good points but the government has sold the revenue producing freight services

Govt doesn't run truck services but builds roads.

[rob2144]

Well Stillwater some good points but the government has sold the revenue producing freight services

Govt doesn't run truck services but builds roads.

But it gets millions from fuel taxes.

[Stillwater]

It is common practice in Australia to refer to 'government' as an amorphous mass -- councils, state government and federal government all rolled into one.  Each has its own role, although things can become a bit confusing when any two levels share funding (i.e hospitals).  QR National was sold by the state government, with proceeds of the sale going to pay down the state government debt.  The level of government that levies 'petrol tax' (actually, it is an excise on fuel and, technically, not a tax), is the Commonwealth.  Excise revenue from fuel is not earmarked (hypothecated) for roads, or any other specific transport-related purpose.  Rather, it goes to the federal government's consolidated revenue, the general pool of Commonwealth government funds. 

[Stillwater]

Great minds think alike

In a submission to the State Government, the Sunshine Coast Regional Council echoes RailBOT's own concerns about Connecting SEQ 2031.

The council says:

Connecting SEQ 2031 sets great targets, yet is silent about how they will be achieved
It's light on detail about how the plan will be achieved
It needs to be supported by an 'Action Plan' that lists the responsibilities of government agencies and councils, with clear delivery timelines
It risks being a plan with good vision, but little on-the-ground delivery

Media statement follows:

A Sunshine Coast Council response to the State Government's integrated transport vision for the next 20 years will seek to amend its Brisbane-centric view of the Coast as a dormitory suburb for the capital city.
Integrated Transport Portfolio holder Councillor Vivien Griffin said that the goal of the council was for economic self-containment for the region, and it was essential that future transport planning reflected this direction.

"The draft strategy, Connecting 2031, is an important initiative from the State Government which we definitely welcome," Cr Griffin said.  "However, one of the problems with the document is that it has a great vision in terms of modal shift but it is light on the detail as to how this will be achieved. SEQ 2031 sets great targets on shift to public and active transport yet it is silent on how to achieve them.

"We need to see an Action Plan, included as part of the strategy, that outlines roles and responsibilities of the various state agencies (and others) as well as the projected delivery timelines. Otherwise the risk is that we have a report with a great vision but no on-the-ground delivery.

"Transformation to a sustainable transport culture takes time to evolve, and Sunshine Coast Council is already on this journey with its proposed Sustainable Transport Strategy, and on-the ground successes with walking and cycling pathways and innovative public transport levy funding new services in the region to meet our particular needs.

Cr Griffin said  that there is a definite need in Connecting 2031 to highlight the ways by which modal shift can be achieved.

"Sunshine Coast Council is the only council which has a dedicated TravelSmart unit to implement travel behaviour change," she said.  "For example, we are working with schools to achieve a greater take-up of walking and cycling to school, and seeing great results through that partnership with our communities."

Cr Griffin said that a major obstacle to growing public transport usage was the lack of a 10-year Translink network plan, and this needed to be developed as a matter of urgency.

"We are focussed on building a positive and collaborative relationship with Translink to achieve outstanding public transport services on the Sunshine Coast.  At the moment they can only plan for the very short term, and that makes it impossible for either the council or Translink to do the planning for public transport improvements that needs to be done.

She said the continued delay in the release of the next TransLink Network Plan affects the credibility of Connecting SEQ 2031 and is undermining support for initiatives.

"The delay in developing and releasing any longer term local public transport planning has hampered the negotiation of Infrastructure Agreements and development of supporting strategies at a local/regional scale.
"There is a failure in that the Plan makes no reference at all to an important element being the primary public transport implementation plan, the TransLink Network Plan."

The submission will be put to the full council for endorsement at its Ordinary Meeting next Wednesday (17 November).

[#Metro]

Sunshine Coast can get a Core Frequent Network, with a bit of tweaking.
Fixing up the SC line TDZ (Train Downgrade Zone) !!! 

[Stillwater]

While the Sunshine Coast Line duplication remains stalled, and CAMCOS is pushed out into the never-never, the Sunshine Coast regional Council is planning a sustainable transport strategy for the coast:

http://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/addfiles/documents/opof/transport/sc_sustainable_tpt_strategy_1131.pdf

And is working on an 'active transport' strategy that supports walking, bicycle travel, etc:

http://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/addfiles/documents/opof/transport/sc_active_transport_plan_1113.pdf

http://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/addfiles/documents/opof/transport/sc_active_transport_plan_1113.pdf

[ozbob]

All admirable.  The elephant in the room though is the fact that much transport planning till 2031 is still based on roads, but good to see cars pushed down the pecking order.  Oil scarcity and other political instabilities that will develop mean that now is the time to be building the sustainable transport systems e.g. a rail line north of Beerburrum that can support a reasonable train frequency, passenger and freight. A little more vision in the SC strategy than others though IMHO ..

The other factor that does need to be considered is sea level rises.  Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Brisbane are all vulnerable to varying degrees.  Most just pretend this is not an issue ..

[#Metro]

We will have to devise SRT

(Submarine Rapid Transit)  <---- on the way to work, high frequency

[ozbob]

This was put together a year or so ago.  Good summary and predicts some of the outcomes observed in Queensland recently.

--> http://www.climatechange.gov.au/climate-change/impacts/national-impacts/qld-impacts.aspx



The retrospectroscope -  allows the user to see clearly the obvious blunders of our times.  E.g. sighting the Cairns Base Hospital in a flood location, or not proceeding with the Beerburrum Landsborough duplication.

The CRR delay is seen very clearly with the retrospectroscope as a major blunder ..  although most don't need a retrospectroscope to see that one ..

[Stillwater]

Climate change action plan outlined in Section 5:

http://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/sitePage.cfm?code=cc-strategy

[Fares_Fair]

The Hon. Transport Minister stated as an example, in one of her interviews, what the government is spending on infrastructure
The Darra to Springfield rail line being brought forward for completion to 2013 (from 2015).

The Minister's own website states ...
"Annastacia puts her community first and works hard to deliver local infrastructure and local jobs.
"We are in the process of building Richlands Railway Station which will be completed in 2011," she said.
Across the electorate we can see the upgrade of the Ipswich Motorway and the construction of the Darra to Springfield railway line.
There is real growth in the south west."

It should be noted that this will service the Minister's very own electorate of Inala.
I do not begrudge the Minister serving her electorate.

However ...

Conversely, we have the North Coast Line (Sunshine Coast) duplication ending prematurely at Beerburrum in 2009.
The same year that the sitting Labor party member, Carolyn Male MP, lost her seat. Co-incidence ? Who knows ?
But it should have proceeded to Landsborough for completion by 2012 !

Whilst there may be 'real growth' (how much, what % ?) in the south west - there is much, much more on the Sunshine Coast. (again correct me if I am wrong).
Sunshine Coast has averaged just over 3% per annum for the last 5 years.
http://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/sitePage.cfm?code=statistics-population

The next State election will be fought upon transport and infrastructure issues, just as in the Victorian government's recent example.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[Gazza]

The next State election will be fought upon transport and infrastructure issues, just as in the Victorian government's recent example.

^And in NSW for that matter.

[#Metro]

To be brutally frank, I think the State Gov is broke.
How much money went down the drain with things like Queensland Health payroll scandal, Zero Gen, car tunnels, hospitals are running over-budget again apparently says the newspaper due to escalating costs... of course there is not much money around. Even before the flood it had to sell things to keep its head above water, and then the flood came, so that did more damage.

[somebody]

To be brutally frank, I think the State Gov is broke.

Then why do they have plenty of money?  How much money was spent on sorting out the Airport roundabout, bailing out AirportLink etc, etc, etc.  Also the water project.

If you want to see a broke government, go to NSW/VIC.

[somebody]

The next State election will be fought upon transport and infrastructure issues, just as in the Victorian government's recent example.

I'd like to believe this, but I do not think it is correct.

[#Metro]

Then why do they have plenty of money?  How much money was spent on sorting out the Airport roundabout, bailing out AirportLink etc, etc, etc.  Also the water project.

If I have a piggy bank and I blow it up on buying road projects, how much money do I have left over... that's right, crumbs...


Sad :-(

[ozbob]

The next State election will be fought upon transport and infrastructure issues, just as in the Victorian government's recent example.

I'd like to believe this, but I do not think it is correct.

You might be right there.  No doubt fares all sorted, 15 minute around the clock out of peak frequency on all lines.  Buses and trains happily integrated, bus lanes and priority all over, tunnelling commenced for CRR, duplication of the line from Beerburrum to Nambour under way, and the new stabling yards at Yandina, together with the new Nambour transit centre well advanced (including the 4 platform rail station complex).  The Brisbane Smart bus routes doing well (remember when all we had was the GCL), and the new around the clock service on the Airtrain and the Gold Coast booming!  The trip from Helidon to Gympie North on the new VLocity trains is great!

Yep, unlikely that public transport will be the main issue ..

[somebody]

The next State election will be fought upon transport and infrastructure issues, just as in the Victorian government's recent example.

I'd like to believe this, but I do not think it is correct.

You might be right there.  No doubt fares all sorted, 15 minute around the clock out of peak frequency on all lines.  Buses and trains happily integrated, bus lanes and priority all over, tunnelling commenced for CRR, duplication of the line from Beerburrum to Nambour under way, and the new stabling yards at Yandina, together with the new Nambour transit centre well advanced (including the 4 platform rail station complex).  The Brisbane Smart bus routes doing well (remember when all we had was the GCL), and the new around the clock service on the Airtrain and the Gold Coast booming!  The trip from Helidon to Gympie North on the new VLocity trains is great!

Yep, unlikely that public transport will be the main issue ..

Just as likely as the opposition coming up with a credible PT policy.  Even in NSW the Libs PT policy isn't very good IMO and they have put a fair bit of thought into it.

[#Metro]

There is a ray of hope...

Integrated Transport Authority

The NSW Liberals & Nationals have committed to an Integrated Transport Authority. It will improve the delivery of public transport services by better co-ordinating different transport modes, and enabling more efficient delivery of major transport infrastructure projects.

The Integrated Transport Authority will be responsible for transport policy including planning, infrastructure, fares, ticketing and customer information. It will ensure that different transport modes work together, and that the interests of the travelling public are put first.

Under this structure, the operational transport agencies, such as RailCorp, State Transit Authority and Sydney Ferries, will be focused on front line service delivery.

Each frontline agency will play a lead role in their specific transport mode. These agencies will be required to focus on their core role – delivering clean, reliable, safe and efficient transport services, while the Integrated Transport Authority is responsible for planning and policy.

An Independent Board comprising a panel of experts will oversee the new Authority. The Board will be at 'arms length' from the day-to-day running of transport services but will play a critical role in keeping the State Government accountable on transport policy and providing expert advice.

Specifically, the new Authority will:

    * provide a central point of management for the provision of public transport services across Sydney and NSW;
    * be responsible for transport planning including the development of workable transport interchanges;
    * deliver better co-ordination between transport modes;
    * provide a central point of accountability for the planning and delivery of major transport infrastructure projects; and
    * put commuters first by providing more accessible real time information about services and ticketing.

For the first time since the 2000 Olympics, Sydney will have an intelligent, strategic and responsive public transport system to give its customers the service they expect and deserve.

https://www.nsw.liberal.org.au/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=744:integrated-transport-authority&tmpl=component&print=1