Ministerial Statement: New transit authority on its way

[ozbob]

Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
24/06/2008

New transit authority on its way

The new single point of contact for South East Queensland's public transport users - the TransLink Transit Authority - will open for business next month.

Minister for Transport John Mickel said from July 1, the new authority would be responsible for further improving and expanding public transport services across the region.

"July 1 will mark the beginning of a new era for public transport throughout the state's south-east," Mr Mickel said.

"The creation of the new authority will help make travel easier for public transport users, as it is the one place to go for all information and feedback.

"The new authority will co-ordinate and integrate the region's public transport services, deliver and manage infrastructure such as railway station upgrades, and oversee the introduction of new technology.

"It will have more ability to ensure services and planning are synchronised to deliver better public transport to the growing region."

M r Mickel said commuters would immediately benefit from the authority's around-the-clock customer service.

"Customers now only need to call the one number, 13 12 30, or visit the one website, www.translink.com, to get timetable information, enquire about services, plan a journey, ask about ticketing including the go card, or register any comments or complaints," Mr Mickel said.

"When you call, you will have the option of speaking to an operator 24 hours a day, seven days a week."

Mr Mickel said a new integrated scheduling system would help kick off the new authority's drive towards better integration of public transport and use of resources.

By using this system and working with operators, Mr Mickel said the new authority would identify where greater efficiencies in running services could be achieved and make timetabling and scheduling more consistent across the region.

"This will take integration to the next level," Mr Mickel said.

Mr Mickel said the TransLink Transit Authority would be a statutory body with seven board members.

Mr Mickel said the body would build on the success of TransLink, which had seen patronage jump 37 per cent since it began operating in 2004.

"Journeys have increased from 124 million to 170 million a year, reflecting TransLink's ability to expand services as the population escalates," he said.

The new authority will be the single point of contact for the services run by the 17 train, bus and ferry operators in the state's south-east corner.

"The TransLink Transit Authority will also be invaluable in tackling the growing challenges of traffic congestion and climate change," Mr Mickel said.

From July 1, simply call 13 12 30, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or visit www.translink.com.au


24 June, 2008

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[ozbob]

RAIL Back On Track earlier media release:

Media Release 21 June 2008

SEQ:  Goodbye  and thanks to Translink, welcome TransLink Transit Authority

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport users has thanked Translink for the many worthwhile initiatives of the past years, and looks forward to  further progress and improvements in public transport in south-east Queensland under the new TransLink Transit Authority (TTA).

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

?RAIL Back On Track looks forward to the TTA becoming operational on the 1st July 2008.?

?Since the formation of Translink there has been the progressive integration and upgrade of public transport in south-east Queensland.  Perhaps the greatest success was the introduction of the integrated paper ticketing system and the Translink zone system. That was well done.?

?Communication with public transport users has been poor by Translink. Feedback systems are often perceived as untimely, inaccurate and overall disappointing.?

?Of some concern to RAIL Back On Track is the apparent lack of direct public transport commuter representation with the new structure of the TTA.?

?One of the initial priorities for the TTA should be to put in place good communication channels with public transport users.  The other of course is to address the ongoing issues with the roll out of the go card. ?

?Thank you Translink.?

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[stephenk]

Mr Mickel said the body would build on the success of TransLink, which had seen patronage jump 37 per cent since it began operating in 2004.

"Journeys have increased from 124 million to 170 million a year, reflecting TransLink's ability to expand services as the population escalates," he said.

Typical government spin.

Since I moved to Queensland in 2006, I have seen reduction in peak hour train services to Enoggera by approximately 15%. This doesn't quite seem to tally with this 37% patronage increase and Translink's ability to expand services!

I'm sure the ministers are patting themselves on the back for their patronage increase, which is of course mainly due to the price of fuel and not improvements in public transport.

Given that European Cities with populations of 1/3 of Brisbane's run metro systems with off peak frequencies between the 3-10mins, then Citytrain's 30min off peak frequency is laughable.

[dwb]

I'd love to know whether the "new integrated scheduling system" allows them to output to Google transit format and whether it will all allow easy integration.... let's hope!

[SteelPan]

Let's not kid ourselves.  The govt that will spend the required billions of dollars on genuine improvements to Brisbane's hopeless public transport systems, particularly rail, has not yet been born.

All govts, of all political colours are TALK, TALK and more TALK.

Look at the "new" Translink Board, a certain senior Qld boffin, who for donkey's years has run QT sits on it - so ask yourelf, what's going to REALLY change?  Maybe, they'll put up signs of a different colour - that's about all the first Translink did and maybe this time, with an Ageing population, they can make the typeface even smaller -dohhhh

Welcome to the Translink Transit Authority - reissuing yesterday's media releases with today's feel good lines!

Let's all gather back here, say 10yrs from now and count the number of NEW rail corridors in Brisbane, including the underground ones!