24 Apr 2011: SEQ: Melbourne Street bus bottleneck

[ozbob]

Media release 24 April 2011

SEQ: Melbourne Street bus bottleneck

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 improved traffic light re-sequencing on Melbourne Street at Merivale Street.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"The current system is that the lights coordinate such that the Melbourne Street lights turn red at Merivale Street virtually as soon as they turn green for Melbourne Street buses at the Melbourne Street busway portal.  This leads to delays.

"The situation is now more important than ever as the via Indooroopilly express buses are now accessing Cordelia Street via Melbourne Street, the CityGlider is on Melbourne Street and the 196 is to be given BUZ frequency which adds to the number of buses.  It is calculated that 26 buses per hour in the daytime on a weekday will be facing this delay.  These buses should be carrying more passengers than the adjacent car lane.  If they are not, then the lack of bus priority is surely contributing to this."

"The issues with buses turning on to the Northern Busway at Royal Brisbane Hospital facing uncoordinated traffic light delays raised in the Brisbane mX (1) were fixed, and this problem with Melbourne Street can also be fixed."

"It is time something was done about this problem, and reflects the wider transport neglect and myopia with the lack of proper bus priority throughout Brisbane generally.  Why make massive investments in buses if the car is still promoted as the wasteful transport non-solution!"

"Smart state or late state?"

Reference:

1. mX 17 August 2009, page 4 "Busway adding to time".

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[ozbob]

Bus priority discussion thread --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=4037.0

[somebody]

This is really a council issue.  Do you think there is any chance of this one getting sorted?  I guess all things are possible if the media hammer it.

Oh, and additional thread reference: http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=5636.0

[ozbob]

This is really a council issue.

Maybe it is time it was no longer a council issue. They appear to be unable to do anything in a major way, too terrified of the car lobby and protecting their pathetic political backsides.   Transport planning needs proper design, integration and implementation process.  Not stymied by petty polyticks ...

[ozbob]

The message got slightly rearranged but none the less has highlighted the issue with a committment of sorts!

City News 28th April 2011 page 8

Bus users seeing red over lights

[somebody]

I'm elated about this one getting picked up.  The main reason why pushing the 444 through here would be resisted is the routing is still mediocre.  If this issue is sorted, it may not be so bad any more.

[somebody]

Went through here on a 450 today, and the light at Merivale St went green shortly after stopping there.  However, any time saved was lost at Cordelia St.  But good for 196/199/Glider, I guess.  I might make sure to go through here again this weekend, or Monday at the latest.

[somebody]

Went through here on a 450 today, and the light at Merivale St went green shortly after stopping there.  However, any time saved was lost at Cordelia St.  But good for 196/199/Glider, I guess.  I might make sure to go through here again this weekend, or Monday at the latest.

Much better next time around.  Perhaps the Cordelia St lights don't coordinate, although I doubt that.

[Golliwog]

Went through here on a 450 today, and the light at Merivale St went green shortly after stopping there.  However, any time saved was lost at Cordelia St.  But good for 196/199/Glider, I guess.  I might make sure to go through here again this weekend, or Monday at the latest.

Much better next time around.  Perhaps the Cordelia St lights don't coordinate, although I doubt that.

I don't think they are co-ordinated, or if they are, its done badly. I was driving through there once and managed to get every single red light on Cordelia St from Vulture St to Peel St.

[somebody]

I meant along Melbourne St.  The busway portal lights coordinate with the Merivale St lights, or at least appear to, so it would seem logical that the Cordelia St ones would also.

EDIT: Somewhat slower this time at Merivale St.  I wonder if I had a couple of lucky runs, or if this one was just unluckily slow.  No wait at Cordelia St.

[Golliwog]

I meant along Melbourne St.  The busway portal lights coordinate with the Merivale St lights, or at least appear to, so it would seem logical that the Cordelia St ones would also.

Ahhhk. This is all possible. I just would have thought that if they're going to coordinate those ones, it wouldn't be much to coordinate the ones along Cordelia and the other one (its name escapes me at the moment) so it all flowed nicely. Well, better anyway.

[Otto]

Today, work started on the installation of Pedestrian Gates at the Melbourne St Busway Portal. Unfortunatly, the walk signals are not operating at this time..

[somebody]

Today, work started on the installation of Pedestrian Gates at the Melbourne St Busway Portal. Unfortunatly, the walk signals are not operating at this time..

What's this?  Mechanical gates which only open when there is a green man?