7 Dec 2011: SEQ: Springfield Rail Link full steam ahead, but don’t expect ...

[ozbob]

Media release 7 December 2011

SEQ: Springfield Rail Link full steam ahead, but don't expect frequent services!

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 has
said those travelling along the Centenary highway will have noticed plenty of new construction work, the Springfield Rail extension is well under way!

However, according to the Government, the frequency of rail services on the line will not be improved upon what it is today when it opens in 2013,
Springfield and Forest lake residents will be disappointed to know this means only half hourly train services most of day, and on weekends.
Only peak hour commuters will benefit from high frequency services on the line.

RAIL Back On Track member Gavin Seipelt said:

"In new developments like Springfield, it is critical to provide frequent public transport from the very start if you want to avoid households having to buy extra vehicles and the area developing car dependency. Unfortunately, opening a rail line with half hour waits between trains largely won't be able to prevent this."

"While lingering infrastructure bottlenecks remain on many parts of the rail network in SEQ preventing more rail services, what we have here is a brand new $475 million project, without these capacity constraints, and hence without an excuse for not providing high frequency services from day one.
Yet we are seeing a situation where this expensive infrastructure will be very underutilised for much of the time, denying Springfield residents the service standards they deserve."

"In Adelaide, the Seaford rail extension and electrification  project is being used as an opportunity to ramp up service frequencies to newly developing suburbs, with trains every 15 minutes all day, and services every 7 and a half minutes in rush hour (1)."

"In Sydney, it is also proposed that on the North West Rail Link trains will  be 4 per hour - every 15 minutes, with a greater peak frequency (2)."

"The idea should be to make the Springfield line convenient for all sorts of trips, every day of the year, rather than just focusing narrowly on weekday peak hour trips to and from the CBD."

"Sadly. it seems in Queensland we'll fall far short, and RAIL Back On Track calls on the Government to ensure when funding large public transport infrastructure projects that adequate money is set aside to run frequent services over it, at a minimum every 15 minutes all day, every day."

"A brand new suburban rail line simply 'being there' is no good if residents can't turn up at any time and know a train is departing soon".

References:

1.   http://210.247.132.180/alt-host/assets/pdf_file/0019/59203/16411_New_Connections_8_Interactive.pdf  (Page 12)

2.   http://northwestrail.com.au/document/show/18  (Page 8)

Contacts:

Gavin Seipelt
RAIL Back On Track Member

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

[ozbob]

From the South West News 4th January 2012 page 5

TransLink under pressure to boost 2013 rail service