State MP's Train Day : Friday 6th May, 2011

[Fares_Fair]

State MP's Train Day : Friday 6th May, 2011

2 Queensland State MP's to train this Friday morning.

Scott Emerson MP, member for Indooroopilly and Shadow Minister for Transport, Multicultural Affairs and The Arts and Andrew Powell MP, member for Glass House and Shadow Minister for the Environment
will be experiencing the Sunshine Coast train services first hand this Friday.

Their plan at this stage is to catch the 6.09am service from Palmwoods, and alight at Landsborough at 6.25am.
The Queensland State Parliament members will then re-alight on the 6.54am Landsborough train and arrive at Central Station at 8.16am.




Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[Gazza]

alight at Landsborough at 6.25am.
The Queensland State Parliament members will then re-alight on the 6.54am Landsborough train

Increased dwell time 

[Stillwater]

Be good if they held off and caught the Gympie Squishee that leaves Nambour about 7am.

[SteelPan]

Typical _anker politicans (regardless of their political colours).  Why does the public need to know, via press release, a pollie is actually going to catch a train - what!!! - not with the "ordinary people" surely?!?! - this bloke and every other politican (regardless of their political colours) can catch a train (it goes tooot tooot) a bus (its wheels go 'round and 'round, 'round and 'round) and a ferry (that'll be the one on the  w a t e r) basically any time they want to - they should be in fact, yes, politicans SHOULD regularly be catching public transit, visting schools, hospitals, inspecting other community services - because we the taxpayers 1) pay for those services and 2) pay for the politicans to represent us in the senior management of govt affairs, which runs most of the forementioned items.

What we don't need are grand standing, spin driven pollies, who believe anyone could honestly care less about their token "big day out - catching a train" (remember, you'll know it by the tooot tooot sound).  Those trains are there, every day of every week and the fact they and so many other pieces of our public transit systems, are in such poor shape, is sad testament to how out-of-touch many politicans [and their senior boffins] can and do become once elected to "represent their constituents" - they'll be the  o t h e r  p e o p l e  in the tooot tooot train - the o r d i n a r y  p e o p l e!  

[Fares_Fair]

Well, well.

It's a darn sight far more than the other 'mob' are doing - or have done for the Sunshine Coast !
Political colours included.

Viz.
1. State Election : 21st March 2009.
2. State seat of Glass House goes to LNP (in which said rail duplication works are occurring).
3. 3 weeks later, 14th April, 2009 : Duplication works STOP at Beerburrum after being promised to go through to Landsborough by 2012.

Need I say more !
The facts speak for themselves.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[mufreight]

Steelpan, we have to give a little credit where due here, Scott Emerson regularly commutes from Indoorpilly to the CBD then walks down George Street when attending Parliament, I understand that Mr Powell also frequently uses the train for his commute down from the coast, a definate pity that more politicians did not do so.
I would expect that this publicised exercise is to draw attention to the pathetic levels of service provided by Translink and the current government for Sunchine Coast commuters.

[Stillwater]

Depending on his schedule, David Gibson (MP, Gympie) catches the Gympie North train, or books on the Tilt Train to and from Brisbane, unlike a certain Coalition federal MP for the Sunny Coast who likes to make the journey in a taxi or commonwealth car with driver.  Mr Gibson has pushed strongly for a mid-day train, which is one of the wins in the latest timetable changes.

[somebody]

Is there a point to joining this service?  Is it a photo op, or are they actually interested in hearing commuters opinions?

[SurfRail]

Is there a point to joining this service?  Is it a photo op, or are they actually interested in hearing commuters opinions?

Make of it what you will, I suppose.  If they get people with an ounce of sense talking to them, it may be a worthwhile exercise, rather than them just talking to the 'gimme gimmes' most commuters are.

Alex Douglas has previously travelled local bus routes in the Gaven/Nerang area in much the same way, although being a State MP and a medico I wouldn't expect him to be using buses to transit around for work, there not being much point - QR a different story though.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

6 May 2011

SEQ: Partial duplications for the Sunshine Coast Line needed now

Greetings,

The Sunshine Coast line needs fixing.  It is essential that capacity be gained between Beerburrum and Nambour.  Here is a plan to do that now.

Best wishes

Robert

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

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

Media release 22 April 2011 re-released 6 May 2011

SEQ: Partial duplications for the Sunshine Coast Line needed now

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers calls for duplications on the Sunshine Coast line.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Staged duplications will allow for increased trains. It is proposed that the section from Beerburrum to Glass House Mountains be duplicated and straightened along the previously studied alignment.  In addition, the section from Mooloolah to Palmwoods should also be duplicated and straightened.  Doing so would allow a half hourly interurban service to Landsborough with an hourly service to Nambour or beyond.  Such a service would not require precision crosses as are currently required and would also end the reliance on Rail Bus services south of Landsborough.  Also, this would improve the speed of what is likely to be the slowest portion of the Tilt Train's trip between Mooloolah and Palmwoods."

"These duplications would also improve the economics of freight train services and compete better with road transport on the Bruce Highway.  It should also be noted Toll shifted Brisbane to Rockhampton freight to rail in 2008 (1).  Such moves should be encouraged in order to reduce emissions, oil dependency, damage to roads and lower road trauma costs."

"Extending the duplication to Beerwah would be of further assistance, in that it would allow a half hourly frequency all the way to Nambour.  This would also achieve the duplication to the point which the CAMCOS line is proposed to branch from the current track.  The Inner City Rail Capacity Study lists Beeburrum-Landsborough duplication as required 2008-2015 (2).  Time is running out for this to be accomplished in that time."

"On 21 March 2009, the ALP member for Glass House was voted out for an LNP member.  In April 2009, the duplication of the Sunshine Coast line was inexplicably truncated at Beerburrum rather than proceeding to Glass House Mountains which would have allowed a faster and more frequent passenger service to Landsborough at least. Duplicating the longest remaining section south of Nambour, between Beerburrum and Glass House Mountains, increases freight capacity and reduces crossing constraints caused by single track freight railways."

"This infrastructure upgrade is essential, well justified and achievable when compared to some other projects 'core and non-core' presently on the construction table."

References:

1. http://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/public_submissions/published/files/82_smasuniversityofwollongong_SUB.pdf page 2

2. http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/~/media/e26b187c-d8a1-4bbb-9349-ed034dd7cf9d/pdf_icrcs_stage_3_technical_pre_feasibility_chapter_2.pdf page 20

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[Fares_Fair]

    thank you Robert.

Scott Emerson MP, member for Indooroopilly and Shadow Minister for Transport, Multicultural Affairs and The Arts and Andrew Powell MP, member for Glass House and Shadow Minister for the Environment caught the train to Brisbane this morning.

They spent their travel time (on the 6 car ICE train) asking many commuters about their train services and gathering feed-back on the issues regular commuters face on public transport.

Scott is a reasonably regular traveller on the QR network, and uses both bus and ferry at times to commute to Parliament from his electorate office in Indooroopilly.
IMHO he is very well informed on the public transport network and issues we face, as is Andrew Powell.

Andrew is also very familiar with the Sunshine Coast line as he formerly did the commute himself.

All of the feed-back reinforced the common issues that have been raised here at RAIL - Back on Track.

Regards,
Fares-Fair.

[johnnigh]

Well done, FF!
Keep up the good work.

[Fares_Fair]

Thank you johnnigh.

Main issues raised (aside from personal situations) were:
•   The new timetable and its' effect on the journey length and time away from home and families.
•   The cost of the fares, and their scheduled 15% increases for the next 3 years.
•   The loss of season or discount tickets – with no equivalent discount system available under go card.
•   Questions of where the extra people would sit when the extra stops are added to the reduced express length services.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[ozbob]

From the Sunshine Coast Daily click here!

MPs take train to hear complaints

MPs take train to hear complaints

6th May 2011

MPS connected with Sunshine Coast rail commuters this morning to hear first-hand concerns with service schedules and higher fares, particularly for periodic tickets.

LNP Shadow Transport Minister Scott Emerson joined Member for Glass House Andrew Powell and Member for Caloundra Mark McArdle at Landsborough station at 6:15am to meet and listen to commuters.

Mr Emerson and Mr Powell then caught the 6:54am to Central, arriving 8:16am.

"It was a great opportunity to meet local commuters and hear firsthand how the Bligh government's timetable changes and inflexible ticketing arrangements were about to affect everyone," Mr Emerson said.

"I enjoyed the trip, but commuters aren't happy with timetable changes that will add at least 10 minutes to travel times to and from Nambour to Central, from June 6, right in the middle of winter.

"Commuters to Brisbane from the Sunshine Coast have seen their annual transport bill jump from $3224.60 (based on a 12-month ticket) to $5803.20 this year, and by 2014 they'll be paying $8834.80 to commute from zone 16 – nearly three times that of five years ago."

Mr Powell, who's been working on a compromise solution since last November, said it was time the Bligh government listened to commuters.

"The previous Transport Minister Rachel Nolan was a disaster. She refused to attend public forums effectively telling Sunshine Coast commuters she wasn't interested.

"We need to get the message through to new Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk that the people of the Sunshine Coast do matter and that they deserve a fair go, not just with more reasonable timetables, but also with lower-cost periodic tickets.

"The State Labor government needs to stop treating the people of the Sunshine Coast as second-class citizens.

"The existing rail services for commuters are over-crowded and unless some commonsense prevails, commuting trips are going to be longer and more expensive for daily commuters with the government axing periodic tickets which provided a discount of about 15 per cent."

[ozbob]

Opposition Statement

http://www.scottemerson.com.au/media-releases/

LNP connects with Sunshine Coast commuters

Friday, 06 May 2011 13:38

THE LNP connected with Sunshine Coast rail commuters this morning to hear first-hand concerns with service schedules and higher fares, particularly for periodic tickets.

LNP Shadow Transport Minister Scott Emerson joined Member for Glass House Andrew Powell and Member for Caloundra Mark McArdle at Landsborough station at 6:15am to meet and listen to commuters.

Mr Emerson and Mr Powell then caught the 6:54am to Central, arriving 8:16am.

"It was a great opportunity to meet local commuters and hear firsthand how the Bligh government's timetable changes and inflexible ticketing arrangements were about to affect everyone," Mr Emerson said.

"I enjoyed the trip, but commuters aren't happy with timetable changes that will add at least 10 minutes to travel times to and from Nambour to Central from June  6.

"Commuters to Brisbane from the Sunshine Coast have seen their annual transport bill jump from $3224.60 (based on a 12-month ticket) to $5803.20 this year, and by 2014 they'll be paying $8834.80 to commute from zone 16 – nearly three times that of five years ago."

Mr Powell, who's been working on a compromise solution since last November, said it was time the Bligh government listened to commuters.

"The previous Transport Minister Rachel Nolan was a disaster. She refused to attend public forums effectively telling Sunshine Coast commuters she wasn't interested," Mr Powell said.

"We need to get the message through to new Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk that the people of the Sunshine Coast do matter and that they deserve a fair go, not just with more reasonable timetables, but also with lower-cost periodic tickets.

"The State Labor government needs to stop treating the people of the Sunshine Coast as second-class citizens.

"The existing rail services for commuters are over-crowded and unless some commonsense prevails, commuting trips are going to be longer and more expensive for daily commuters."