7 Feb 2012: SEQ: Core Frequent Network: Bulimba BUZ a priority

[ozbob]

Media release 7 February 2012

SEQ: Core Frequent Network: Bulimba BUZ a priority



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 a Bulimba BUZ.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"In 2009, the residents of Bulimba raised public transport issues with Brisbane City Council's neighbourhood planning team. They complained about car congestion on Wynnum Road, Hawthorne Ferry being parked out, the frequency of all bus services needing improvement and that the cars were eroding the vibrancy of Oxford Street with people parking across driveways and excluding parking for residents' visitors (1). Parking problems have just worsened since 2009."

"RAIL Back on Track calls for the next BUZ to be the 230 to Bulimba. Thynne Road services could also be boosted as well (2, 3)."

Although there are 5 different bus routes in the area NONE of them are attractive due to a range of issues:

* Route 230 and 235 are infrequent for an inner city suburbs like Bulimba
and do not have 'clockface' timetables on the weekend. The 230 service is also an 'exit only'
service after 6:30 pm. What this means is that people can get out of Bulimba on
a 230, but can't actually get back in on a 230.

* Routes P236 and P231 only exist very briefly during the day, at all other times
they do not exist, and are therefore not useful. Are the time savings on these routes
significantly large to warrant entirely separate routes or would more 235 and 230 services suffice?

* The current 232 resembles a safari rather than a bus service. Once off Wynnum road
it drives through a maze of 28 different streets, taking 45 minutes
to get to Cannon Hill, and that is after a wait of up to one hour. Total journey time - almost
two hours!

"We suggest consideration to two, all day, frequent bus routes, one going via South Bank, and the other via Story Bridge, full time.

"As RAIL Back on Track has always said, services must be frequent, bottom line!"

References:

1. http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/2010%20Library/2009%20PDF%20and%20Docs/2.%20Planning%20and%20Building/2.2%20Local%20plans/bulimba_cpt_minutes_september09.pdf

2. Bulimba needs more bus services says public transport advocate http://www.couriermail.com.au/questnews/east/bulimba-needs-more-bus-services-says-public-transport-advocate/story-fn8m0sve-1226235784817

3. BUZ = frequency and reliability- the winning formula, Alan Warren, Brisbane Transport http://www.thredbo.itls.usyd.edu.au/downloads/thredbo10_papers/thredbo10-themeA-Warren.pdf

Contact:

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