Article: Brisbane's super-sized buses too big for South Bank tunnel

[ozbob]

From the Brisbane mX via Couriermail click here!

Brisbane's super-sized buses too big for South Bank tunnel

Brisbane's super-sized buses too big for South Bank tunnel

    by: Cayla Dengate
    From: The Courier-Mail
    January 23, 2012 3:46PM

City Hall's super-sized buses are too big to safely use the busway tunnel at South Bank, forcing drivers to run red lights to avoid a crash.

Documents obtained by mX under Right to Information laws show the extra-large 14.5m buses are causing a congestion crush as they struggle with the tight turn at the tunnel mouth in Melbourne St.

The safety fears have forced the State Government to spend $6 million to widen the portal in an urgent effort to ease the squeeze.

Former Lord Mayor Campbell Newman bought the super-sized buses in 2009, which are an extra two metres long and can fit an additional 11 people onboard.

However, without a bending centre they are unable to stay in their lane as they negotiate the sharp corner.

Department of Transport documents reveal when two big buses meet, one driver must give way to another, causing delays and forcing drivers to run red lights.

[SurfRail]

Unsurprising.  People don't seem to realise the only reason they are so manoeuvreable is because the back half of the bus actively steers into the kerb...

The whole point of the tag-axle buses was to get higher capacity without paying for another 4 metres of bus (artics are around 18 metres).  Unfortunately, the articulation is there for a reason!

There is also some sort of absurd licensing restriction on our buses.  In Perth, 12.5m gas buses are permitted to carry around 80 passengers, whereas in Brisbane they would only be permitted to carry 62.  TP 3001 (which is a Perth artic taken from the Brisbane order of 30 and built to the same physical specs) is permitted to carry something like 120 passengers, whereas if it had been registered as 1614 in the BCC fleet as originally intended, it would only have been able to carry 87.  Even the 2 high-capacity artics at Logan City with 3 doors and seats missing are only permitted to carry 112.

Go figure.

[somebody]

If you think QLD is bad, STA (NSW) only permits 15 standees on a 12.5m bus, which means 58 people total or 54 for an accessible bus.  I think it is 20 standees on a bigger bus (not sure if this is 14.5m or artic), but for some bizarre reason if it is a  Metrobus, it's up to 50 IIRC.

[O_128]

better get some people to check out the 109, easily 25+standing

[SurfRail]

If you think QLD is bad, STA (NSW) only permits 15 standees on a 12.5m bus, which means 58 people total or 54 for an accessible bus.  I think it is 20 standees on a bigger bus (not sure if this is 14.5m or artic), but for some bizarre reason if it is a  Metrobus, it's up to 50 IIRC.

It's the union, in both cases. 

Unsurprisingly, both operators are government owned and operated.

[#Metro]

So that's the reason why the hyped up LighTram didn't make the cut.

[ozbob]

Hess lighTram in St. Gallen

[ozbob]

HESS Lightram 3

[mufreight]

HESS Lightram 3

Now one of those would probably negotiate the turn into the tunnel.

[SurfRail]

The biartics would work probably better than the 14.5m buses at navigating the tunnels, but I don't they would be very workable unless you converted the busway to a single spine service.  One of those things would occupy the whole platform at Mater Hill.

[#Metro]

Yes, I was thinking about the "chinese bus" solution which purportedly has 300 pax capacity (details lacking though)
They were 25 meters or so each, so to achieve 36 000 pphd (subway) you would need (deep breath) a 300 pax superbus every 30 seconds and it would
occupy the entire platform when 2 came together.

The dimensions of the bus would probably mean that the busway would have to be single or dual spine (the second spine being off the captain cook bridge)
and no through running or on-platform interchange (the different buses would get in the way of each other and cause delays).

[Golliwog]

The problem with big artics though is how much further in on corners the tail end can be compared with the front. Depending on the articulation and how sharp you turn, there can be differences of 1m or more. Not insurmountable, but I doubt the Melbourne St portal could deal with that. Or the bends at the QSBS. Or possibly even the turn around donuts.

[verbatim9]

Love those three tier electric hybrid busses. Would be nice if the busways were electrified to cater for those   http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=10106163 http://www.wisoveg.de/bve/sichtungen/mai2003/doppel2.jpg

[verbatim9]

Here is another articulated that Translink could invest in with fast sliding doors, boarding all doors too Surely this one would make it into Melbourne street no probs http://youtu.be/Xft0anli_WA

[SurfRail]

Here is another articulated that Translink could invest in with fast sliding doors, boarding all doors too Surely this one would make it into Melbourne street no probs http://youtu.be/Xft0anli_WA

Assuming it doesn't burst into flames...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_Citaro#London_fires