Ministerial Statement: Passenger-first approach to track maintenance

[ozbob]

http://www.scottemerson.com.au/media-releases/passenger-first-approach-to-track-maintenance.html

Passenger-first approach to track maintenance

Thursday, 31 May 2012 11:34

A list of maintenance track closures of up to 18 months will end the public transport uncertainty for major event organisers.

Minister for Transport and Main Roads Scott Emerson said within the month of June Queensland Rail will publish a long-term forward plan of maintenance track closures for football fans, music lovers or show goers.

"Queensland Rail will consult with event organisers to ensure they can plan their events around track closures well in advance," Mr Emerson said.

"If changes to scheduling of closures are necessary, this can be done well before there is any cost to taxpayers.

"I want a passenger-friendly and community-focused approach that was sadly lacking under former Transport Minister and current Leader of the Opposition Annastacia Palaszczuk."

Mr Emerson said the long-term list of maintenance closures was the result of a string of track closures scheduled under Labor that clashed with important events, including this month's Ipswich Show.

"Under Labor, work was scheduled on the Ipswich line between Corinda to Rosewood from August 4 to 5, clashing yet again with the V8 Supercars at Willowbank," Mr Emerson said

"Despite the public outrage we saw two years ago when the Labor Government did exactly the same thing, you would think that they would have learnt their lesson.

"I have asked Queensland Rail for the closure on the Ipswich line to be rescheduled to a more appropriate time.

"Contrast this with the Leader of the Opposition who was happy to leave race fans stuck in pit lane.

"Other scheduled closures between Toombul and Gympie North, and Toombul and Shorncliffe are the same weekend as the Caboolture Show this year, June 9 to 11.

"The cost of cancelling the closures on the Caboolture and Shorncliffe lines at this late stage would be in excess of $3 million.

"When we're heading towards $85 billion in debt and having to pay $100 million in interest each week that is a cost we can't afford.

"Queensland Rail has met with the Caboolture Show Society Chairman Max Herschell, and is working with the Society and TransLink to ensure there are adequate bus services to the showground."

[ozbob]

At long last ..

Well done Minister and Queensland Rail!

[somebody]

Woohoo!

[Fares_Fair]

 

Common sense is becoming more common.
Well done Queensland Rail and the Transport Minister, Hon Scott Emerson MP.

[ozbob]

Woohoo!

[colinw]

This is good news, but I wish they would lay off with the constant bashing of the opposition / former Government.

[Derwan]

Apparently this has happened since they brought in the closures of complete lines (although I don't know where it was published).

They were saying the same thing then (published well in advance so event organisers would know, etc).

QR can't account for every event that happens and it's up to event organisers to notify QR if they believe a closure will have an impact on their event.

[SurfRail]

This is good news, but I wish they would lay off with the constant bashing of the opposition / former Government.

Even I will admit it is probably quite justified in this case.

[colinw]

I think you're right about that. I couldn't believe it when they kept doing Ipswich closures on Ipswich Cup day. On the Beenleigh line we've been done by closures during Riverfire as well..

Speaking of Ipswich Cup day, can someone (Mufreight?) confirm my vague recollection that in days past QR actually put on a 2000 class railcar shuttle from the dock platform at Bundamba station to the Bundamba Racecourse platform on Ipswich Cup day?

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

31st May 2012

Re: Ipswich show is on this weekend, and of course a track closure

Greetings,

Thanks to the Minister for Transport Mr Emerson, Queensland Rail and TransLink for organising a list of track closures to be published up to 18 months advance.

I am confident that this will take the heat out of the issue.

Best wishes
Robert

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

============================

http://www.scottemerson.com.au/media-releases/passenger-first-approach-to-track-maintenance.html

Passenger-first approach to track maintenance

Thursday, 31 May 2012 11:34

A list of maintenance track closures of up to 18 months will end the public transport uncertainty for major event organisers.

Minister for Transport and Main Roads Scott Emerson said within the month of June Queensland Rail will publish a long-term forward plan of maintenance track closures for football fans, music lovers or show goers.

"Queensland Rail will consult with event organisers to ensure they can plan their events around track closures well in advance," Mr Emerson said.

"If changes to scheduling of closures are necessary, this can be done well before there is any cost to taxpayers.

"I want a passenger-friendly and community-focused approach that was sadly lacking under former Transport Minister and current Leader of the Opposition Annastacia Palaszczuk."

Mr Emerson said the long-term list of maintenance closures was the result of a string of track closures scheduled under Labor that clashed with important events, including this month's Ipswich Show.

"Under Labor, work was scheduled on the Ipswich line between Corinda to Rosewood from August 4 to 5, clashing yet again with the V8 Supercars at Willowbank," Mr Emerson said

"Despite the public outrage we saw two years ago when the Labor Government did exactly the same thing, you would think that they would have learnt their lesson.

"I have asked Queensland Rail for the closure on the Ipswich line to be rescheduled to a more appropriate time.

"Contrast this with the Leader of the Opposition who was happy to leave race fans stuck in pit lane.

"Other scheduled closures between Toombul and Gympie North, and Toombul and Shorncliffe are the same weekend as the Caboolture Show this year, June 9 to 11.

"The cost of cancelling the closures on the Caboolture and Shorncliffe lines at this late stage would be in excess of $3 million.

"When we're heading towards $85 billion in debt and having to pay $100 million in interest each week that is a cost we can't afford.

"Queensland Rail has met with the Caboolture Show Society Chairman Max Herschell, and is working with the Society and TransLink to ensure there are adequate bus services to the showground."

Sent to all outlets:

19th May 2012

Re: Ipswich show is on this weekend, and of course a track closure

Greetings,

The upset with the closure of the railway line from Corinda to Rosewood this weekend and clashing with the Ipswich Show is easily avoided.

As pointed out earlier in the week if an advance list of planned track closures was made available publicly at least six months ahead, this would help identify any significant issues ahead of time and perhaps allow for an alternative date for clashing event or track closure.

An example of advanced notice of track closures is here  http://www.cityrail.info/service_updates/trackwork/trackwork_calendar.pdf   Sydney's CityRail

It is time that this issue was put to bed.  We have been highlighting the issue and solutions for 5 years now.  The community is tired of being ignored and treated poorly.

It is not rocket science.

Best wishes

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

Sent to all outlets:

16th May 2012

Re: Ipswich show is on this weekend, and of course a track closure

Greetings,

How about publishing track closures in advance.  The much maligned CityRail network in Sydney at least puts up a decent notification of upcoming track closures.

E.g. --> http://www.cityrail.info/service_updates/trackwork/trackwork_calendar.pdf

Organisations that claim to be customer focussed really need to be customer focussed.

This is just another example of the lack of timely and transparent information made publicly available in Queensland.

Best wishes
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

16 May 2012

Ipswich show is on this weekend, and of course a track closure

Greetings,

The Ipswich show is on this coming weekend
THE IPSWICH SHOW 18th, 19th, & 20th May 2012  http://ipswichshow.com.au/

And of course there is a track closure from Corinda to Rosewood, to just rub it in further, and make it difficult for punters to get to and from Ipswich.

Track closure --> http://translink.com.au/travel-information/service-updates/bulletin/1333498768

Punters were promised that track closures would be infrequent and timed not to clash with significant community events.  Fat chance hey?

This is track closure  number 13 or 14 in 16 months or so.

Hopeless!

Best wishes
Robert

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

[ozbob]

Speaking of Ipswich Cup day, can someone (Mufreight?) confirm my vague recollection that in days past QR actually put on a 2000 class railcar shuttle from the dock platform at Bundamba station to the Bundamba Racecourse platform on Ipswich Cup day?

I am sure they did too.  I have also found earlier reports from 1901 of direct specials, passenger and horse trains ...   

[ozbob]

From the Queensland Times 1st June 2012 page 5

Minister puts end to Ipswich 300 bungle

[ozbob]

Letter to the editor published Queensland Times 2nd June 2012 page 17

Track advice earlier

[Fares_Fair]

Article: Rail closures hit Brisbane commuters on busy weekend
From: The Sunday Mail (Qld)  (sic)
by Anthony Gough
June 09, 2012 10:06AM

RAIL line closures will hit Brisbane's commuters this weekend, with huge sections of the grid shut down for maintenance.

In a weekend packed with events such as the Lifeline Bookfest, the Stradbroke Day races at Eagle Farm and a Wallabies match at Suncorp Stadium, those to the north of the city will have to catch a bus rather than a train.

The Sunshine Coast and Shorncliffe lines have been closed for maintenance, station works and other infrastructure upgrades. Train  services will  recommence for the first service on Monday.

Buses are replacing trains between the Bowen Hills and Gympie North stations, and between the Bowen Hills and Shorncliffe stations, although trains will run to Eagle Junction.

A Translink spokesman said the maintenance had been planned for some time, and had been advertised extensively on Twitter, local newspapers and signs at stations.

The Doomben line will operate as normal, meaning racegoers who are not from the north of the city will be unaffected.

He said customers should be aware there may be some delays due to traffic.

"We are cautioning customers to allow extra time when travelling because they sometimes may be waylaid due to traffic," he said.

For more information visit translink.com.au

[HappyTrainGuy]

Yet another sort of beat up about railway mtce. How about they list the works that QR are undertaking. Such asthe major ones such as fixing up Sandgates second platform, Narangba platform works, Northgate-Nundah resleepering/new ballast etc.

[Fares_Fair]

Possibly better communication on why entire lines need to be shut down and what exactly the works are.
Everyone undrstands the need for maintenance, it's more a matter of the timing.

Something the Minister has said will be corrected in future.
In the mean time, there's nothing better than cold hard facts and good communication to appease the pax.

[Derwan]

Busy weekend for station staff, guards and workers.

Customers are being told to detrain at Bowen Hills if they're going further than Eagle Junction (on the Caboolture or Shorncliffe lines).  Buses are taking them from there, but trains are continuing through to and terminating at EJ - and then proceeding along the Doomben Line to turn back.

At Sandgate yesterday, they were digging up the end of platform 2 and doing some works around the level crossing.



They're replacing the entire Down Suburban track around Northgate Station.

Saturday - removing the old track:

   

Sunday - laying the new track: