12 May 2012: SEQ: Review Brisbane bus network please!

[ozbob]

Media release 12 May 2012

SEQ: Review Brisbane bus network please!

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 action on 'legacy routing' and a public review of the Brisbane City Council bus network.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"RAIL Back On Track notes recent media comments by the State Government about their intentions to reform transport, in particular, Queensland Rail (1, 2). However, within the Brisbane area, approximately half of all passengers aren't on a train - they're on a Brisbane Transport bus."

"There are many 'legacy' services which have existed before the introduction of TransLink in 2004, when buses were in direct competition to train services and fare/revenue structures were separated by mode. As a result, we believe that the Brisbane bus network is well overdue for a review and further, that there are large gains in efficiency to be made  which will ultimately allow new and improved services to be put on with the cash released by reforming these routes. "

There are many examples of these types of services -

Route 203 - O'Keefe Street, which runs past three busways,

BUZ 100 and Buranda train station!

Route 416 - which runs outside Toowong rail station and duplicates everything on Coronation Drive Route

476 - We suspect someone very special must live in Warburton Street Route

232 - Bulimba Safari

Route 414 - Taringa Safari Route

198 - Duplicates busway, high frequency 199 and 196 services and operates only one way due to the terrain

Doomben RailBus - confusion - sometimes it is a train, sometimes it is a bus, rail needed around the clock

Maroon CityGlider proposal - duplicates BUZ services and adds no new areas of high frequency to the network

"Many other services would be better off turned into feeder services, such as the Route 306 Nudgee Beach and 322 Chermside services, rather than travel direct to the CBD. Tweaks to other services such as placing the 230 Bulimba and 235 Balmoral buses to both travel down Oxford Street or folding the 598/599 into an altered 590 service to provide higher frequency are low-cost and simple to do."

"We understand that some people may need to change services, but direct services are costly and duplicative and we can get more frequent services for the same dollar by relying on connections."

"TransLink has talked a lot about feeder services and 'spiderweb' networks, but when you look at the Brisbane bus network, we can't really see that anything has actually changed. We pay some of the highest fares in the world, and also some of the highest subsidies in the world, so a decent thorough review is more than reasonable to ask for."

"We call for a full and open public consultations and submissions so that the public can be fully involved in bus network reform in Brisbane City. We are sure that the residents of the three public transport 'no go zones' Bulimba, Centenary and the Northwestern suburbs will be keen to participate!"

"It is time for a clean sweep and the introduction of a proper integrated public transport network. We have an integrated ticketing system, now for the final steps. High frequency bus and rail needs to be properly supported with local buses. This will return a better fare box, help reduce the parking crisis out in the suburbs, and make public transport first choice, not last choice!"

References:

1. Transport boss Michael Caltabiano signals Queensland Rail shake-up
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=8289.msg97124#msg97124

2. Transport squabble a sign of new order
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=8289.msg97337#msg97337

Contact:

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

[ozbob]

Bus discussion forum --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?board=34.0

[ozbob]

Some feedback received, thanks.

Have a look at routes 362 & 367 . The 367 covers what I call the lower part of Keperra up to The Gt. Western Shopping centre then on to Upper Kedron from 9am until 2.40 pm Mon to Fri from Ferny Grove Station after 2040 pm it only covers Upper Kedron . The 362 Runs from Brookside to the Gap via Gt. Western shopping Centre connecting with Keperra Train Station  at 5.31 pm , the train arrives at 5.30  pm . Most times one misses the bus after that there is no bus service

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

16 June 2012

Maroon City Glider - what a waste ...

Greetings,

Given recent media talk around all the budget cuts the new Queensland Government is going to make, we can think of one
initiative that could have it's funds better spent elsewhere - Maroon CityGlider. Axe it and use the funds for real, decent bus
transport in places like Bulimba, The Centenary Suburbs and the Northwest.

Best wishes
Robert

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

More -->   http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=8313.0

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

Media release 12 May 2012

SEQ: Review Brisbane bus network please!

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 action on 'legacy routing' and a public review of the Brisbane City Council bus network.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"RAIL Back On Track notes recent media comments by the State Government about their intentions to reform transport, in particular, Queensland Rail (1, 2). However, within the Brisbane area, approximately half of all passengers aren't on a train - they're on a Brisbane Transport bus."

"There are many 'legacy' services which have existed before the introduction of TransLink in 2004, when buses were in direct competition to train services and fare/revenue structures were separated by mode. As a result, we believe that the Brisbane bus network is well overdue for a review and further, that there are large gains in efficiency to be made  which will ultimately allow new and improved services to be put on with the cash released by reforming these routes. "

There are many examples of these types of services -

Route 203 - O'Keefe Street, which runs past three busways,

BUZ 100 and Buranda train station!

Route 416 - which runs outside Toowong rail station and duplicates everything on Coronation Drive Route

476 - We suspect someone very special must live in Warburton Street Route

232 - Bulimba Safari

Route 414 - Taringa Safari Route

198 - Duplicates busway, high frequency 199 and 196 services and operates only one way due to the terrain

Doomben RailBus - confusion - sometimes it is a train, sometimes it is a bus, rail needed around the clock

Maroon CityGlider proposal - duplicates BUZ services and adds no new areas of high frequency to the network

"Many other services would be better off turned into feeder services, such as the Route 306 Nudgee Beach and 322 Chermside services, rather than travel direct to the CBD. Tweaks to other services such as placing the 230 Bulimba and 235 Balmoral buses to both travel down Oxford Street or folding the 598/599 into an altered 590 service to provide higher frequency are low-cost and simple to do."

"We understand that some people may need to change services, but direct services are costly and duplicative and we can get more frequent services for the same dollar by relying on connections."

"TransLink has talked a lot about feeder services and 'spiderweb' networks, but when you look at the Brisbane bus network, we can't really see that anything has actually changed. We pay some of the highest fares in the world, and also some of the highest subsidies in the world, so a decent thorough review is more than reasonable to ask for."

"We call for a full and open public consultations and submissions so that the public can be fully involved in bus network reform in Brisbane City. We are sure that the residents of the three public transport 'no go zones' Bulimba, Centenary and the Northwestern suburbs will be keen to participate!"

"It is time for a clean sweep and the introduction of a proper integrated public transport network. We have an integrated ticketing system, now for the final steps. High frequency bus and rail needs to be properly supported with local buses. This will return a better fare box, help reduce the parking crisis out in the suburbs, and make public transport first choice, not last choice!"

References:

1. Transport boss Michael Caltabiano signals Queensland Rail shake-up
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=8289.msg97124#msg97124

2. Transport squabble a sign of new order
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=8289.msg97337#msg97337

Contact:

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