NightLink services on the Ipswich, Caboolture & Beenleigh Lines

[Cam]

The Caboolture, Ipswich & Beenleigh lines are only provided with a single NightLink service for each line which depart Central after 3.45am. It just doesn't make sense that there is close to a 3 hour gap between services to Ipswich, Caboolture & Beenleigh in the early hours of Saturday & Sunday during the festive season when half hourly bus services are provided to places like Victoria Point & TWO NightLink services every half hour to Forest Lake via different routes. Surely the busiest railway lines warrant some more NightLink services between 1am & 4am - whether they be provided by train or bus?

Why are those travelling home after Christmas parties in Brisbane to destinations along the Ipswich, Caboolture & Beenleigh line provided with such a poor service? How many risk drink driving to suburbs around these railway lines from Brisbane & it's inner suburbs because of the lack of NightLink services?

If buses are to be used to cover the Ipswich Line then I suggest that the N464 be renamed & modified to run through to Ipswich after it leaves Jamboree and use the Ipswich Motorway through to at least Redbank. I don't think that there is any point leaving the Ipswich Motorway for Wacol station as there is very limited walk up patronage at Wacol. Likewise, I don't think that there is any point stopping at Gailes station as is not accessible from the motorway outbound & there is also limited walk up patronage.

Therefore, the NightLink service should run express from Jamboree to Goodna. The stop at Goodna should be on Brisbane Road. I'd suggest between Church St & William St because of the proximity to three 24 hour outlets located nearby - Hungry Jacks, McDonalds & a Caltex service station. This would allow the buses to exit the Ipswich Motorway for Goodna & travel along Brisbane Rd & then re-enter the motorway for Redbank without having to back track to the railway station.

If the service is not stopping at Riverview, then it could drop off passengers near Redbank Plaza & continue onto Dinmore via the motorway. Otherwise, the service could use Mine St & the new access road along the northern side of the motorway to Riverview station. It should then continue onto Ipswich via Brisbane Rd with stops along Brisbane Rd for Bundamba, Booval & East Ipswich rather than diverting to stop at the railway stations.

To cover the stations between Indooroopilly & Darra, another NightLink bus service could run from the city to Indooroopilly & then via Honour Ave to Sherwood station. It could then use Oxley Rd to Corinda & Cook St to Oxley station.

The route between Oxley & Darra is, unfortunately, no so direct. I realise that that a diversion is required to access Darra station but that many people park around the station that I think it probably warrants diverting to stop at the station. There are two likely options:

1)   Seventeen Rocks Rd, Duporth Rd, Monier Rd, Cardiff Rd & then onto Darra station.
2)   Oxley Station rd, Oxley Rd, Ipswich Motorway & crossing the motorway to Harcourt Rd & then onto Darra station.

The service should then travel to Richlands station via the Ipswich Motorway & Garden Rd or alternatively Archerfield Rd & Pine Rd. It would then continue onto Forest Lake.

Someone with better knowledge of the Beenleigh & Caboolture Lines may want to suggest how to cover those with NightLink services that will stop at or within walking distance to most of the railway stations. Such services should avoid looping back or diverting off main roads to stop at railway stations. I think that a stop on a main road within about 500m is sufficient provided it has adequate lighting & is considered relatively safe.

[achiruel]

This is my idea for a Beenleigh Line NightLink bus (only starting at Annerley Rd, I've assumed it will just use the normal NightLink routes until that point).

It serves most of the stations on the Beenleigh line fairly closely with minimal diversions.  Admittedly a pretty big one to serve near Trinder Park/Woodridge & another for Eden's Landing, but at least they're both along fairly major roads.  Bethania was just too hard so I left it out.

http://g.co/maps/nq2ak

[somebody]

This is my idea for a Beenleigh Line NightLink bus (only starting at Annerley Rd, I've assumed it will just use the normal NightLink routes until that point).

It serves most of the stations on the Beenleigh line fairly closely with minimal diversions.  Admittedly a pretty big one to serve near Trinder Park/Woodridge & another for Eden's Landing, but at least they're both along fairly major roads.  Bethania was just too hard so I left it out.

http://g.co/maps/nq2ak

Similar to what I was thinking with my N120 to BNH here.  I was just going to stick to Kingston Rd rather than have the station stops though.