Article: Anger over bus and train timetable mismatch

[ozbob]

From the Pine Rivers Press click here!

Anger over bus and train timetable mismatch

Anger over bus and train timetable mismatch

    * Transport & Traffic

10 Feb 11 @ 12:19pm

A Bray Park mum whose bus arrives one-minute late for a connecting train has called for an overhaul of the timetables.

Kirsty Reynolds discovered the one-minute difference when she returned to work from maternity leave this year.

"I couldn't believe it. The first bus reaches Bray Park railway station at 6.47am and a (city-bound) train leaves at 6.46am,'' Ms Reynolds said.

"I cannot see why they cannot put on an earlier bus or run this one a few minutes earlier,'' she said.

Ms Reynolds received support from Robert Dow, spokesman for public transport lobby group Rail Back on Track, who said the connection should be fixed when the new Caboolture rail line timetable came in later this year.

"The connection should be seamless,'' he said.

Mr Dow said the optimal time for a bus to arrive before a connecting train was five minutes.

A TransLink spokesman said Ms Reynolds was the first 671 passenger to raise the issue but said Translink welcomed feedback. He also said the 671 bus, which arrived at Bray Park station at 6.37am, connected to a city-bound train 11 minutes later.

[#Metro]

Passengers should not have to complain.
Legislation makes very clear that co-ordination and integration are TransLinks job.

[somebody]

Passengers should not have to complain.
Legislation makes very clear that co-ordination and integration are TransLinks job.

Yes, I agree in general.  Although I'd think that a turn up and go train frequency would make an attempt at co-ordination rather pointless by the time you consider traffic delays which can't be predicted.  Another train comes at 6:53am.

[colinw]

This doesn't add up.

http://translink.com.au/resources/travel-information/services-and-timetables/timetables/080331_671,672,673,674.pdf

The timetable doesn't show a bus due at Bray Park station at 6:47AM.

Morning peak buses at Bray Park:
Route 671 @ 6:37, train @ 6:48 - 11 minute wait
Route 672 @ 6:40, train @ 6:48 - 8 minute wait
Route 671 @ 7:15, train @ 7:22 - 7 minute wait
Route 672 @ 7:15, train @ 7:22 - 7 minute wait
Route 671 @ 7:40, train @ 7:44 - 4 minute wait
Route 672 @ 7:43, train @ 7:54 - 11 minute wait
Route 672 @ 8:15, train @ 8:30 - 15 minute wait
Route 671 @ 8:20, train @ 8:30 - 10 minute wait
Route 673 @ 8:20, train @ 8:30 - 10 minute wait

There is no 6:47 bus at Bray Park, so it must have been a late running 671 or 672.  In any case the wait of 6 minutes for the 6:53 train is nothing to complain about. The infrequent and late running bus (no doubt caught in traffic on a "Class C" right of way) is something to complain about.

[ozbob]

Media release 5 May 2013



SEQ: Better bus and rail connections needed

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 called for a review of bus rail connections and ways to improve.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"It is very frustrating for public transport passengers to arrive at rail stations and see their connecting bus depart before they can make the connection.  Similarly, see trains depart as their bus arrives at the station (1)."

"Most of south-east Queensland has poor train and bus frequency, and failed connections can mean very long waits for the next connecting service."

"Some examples are bus routes 224/223 timetabled to depart Manly railway station as trains arrive! Bus route 327 at Geebung arriving at the same time as inbound and outbound trains arrive. Passengers seeing trains depart at Eagle Junction when transferring from bus 369, this is partly related to an uneven timetabling of trains that leaves service gaps."

"At many rail stations bus drivers have difficulty in seeing if passengers are heading for the bus. There appears to be very little communication to bus drivers with respect to late rail services. If a bus waited for even a couple of minutes at times, this can mean hours saved for some passengers."

"A rare example of good communication is the direct radio communication between Landsborough rail station and Sunbus for communicating late running bus services to and from Landsborough rail station and vice-versa. This has saved many a passenger hours of journey time."

"To optimise utility of the public transport, connections must be improved.  A review of bus and rail timetables with a view to addressing this aspect is needed.  Some consideration needs to be given to how communication can be improved between rail and bus operators, so each is aware of delays and this then gives the opportunity for better overall management of coordination and facilitating the connections."

"Improving service frequency does greatly assist in coordination, but until that occurs connections must be improved."

Reference:

1. http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=195.msg125646#msg125646

Contact:

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

[techblitz]

great stuff


for people to gain trust with connecting to rail in the BT zoned stations there needs to be selected priority stations which can at least marginally guarantee safe transfers.....even in the event of delays.Perhaps QR need to start identifying all thier `connection friendly` stations and incorporate them onto thier maps.

i would definitely class sandgate as connection friendly for example as the 310.690,695 are now adjusted to allow for an unexpected delay on the shorncliffe line.
Heres a breakdown:

majority of sandgate trains leave :13 :43 to city

so majority of times:

690 arrives  sandgate at :00 with occasional delays due to full buses where the connection is almost ALWAYS covered.
310 arrives sandgate station to city :07
695 arrive sandgate for city conn. :34

majority of outbound sandgate trains arrive from city: :23  :53

so:
695 departs sandgate :35 or :05
690 departs sandgate :05 /  :03 / :32
310 leaves sandgate for eventide  :31

All VERY good connections which can handle delays on both ends
Hornibrook are to be COMMENDED. Private operator remember.
They just need to work on petrie a little better as the afternoon 680/682 to petrie inbound buses are being delayed by north lakes traffic,creating bad connections.