21 Aug 2014: Problem? What Problem? BCC Councillors Lose Touch On Bus Reform

[ozbob]

Media release 21st August 2014

Problem? What Problem? BCC Councillors Lose Touch On Bus Reform

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 highlights growing community damage with the public transport cost explosions.

"I maintain we don't necessarily have a public transport problem, the only reason we're going down this (contestability) path is because the state government is telling us to," Cr Dick said.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"We dispute the Councillor's claims, and are starting to wonder if BCC councillors have lost touch. The evidence is clear - TransLink's fare affordability tracker is at its worst level on record. We also recently released the first service quality map of BCC's bus network, which revealed entire suburbs that lack BUZ access or decent services such as Yeronga, Bulimba, The Centenary Suburbs and Albany Creek, to name a few. We had to do it ourselves because neither BCC nor TransLink actually had a public map of the entire bus network!"

"In our opinion, BCC's opposition to bus reform has contributed to a cost explosion on public transport. BCC does not set fares, but it does set bus supplier costs and obviously, higher costs equals higher fares. Why is it BCC councillors appear to not grasp this simple concept? Have they not noticed the escalating 7.5%, 15% and 20% fare rises of the past few years which has taken fares to some of the highest in the world for services? Have they been too busy driving their cars to notice? Even the Lord Mayor admits to not knowing when he last caught a bus!"

"It is a sad irony that the councillors that went around claiming that they were concerned about representing the interests of the disadvantaged and needy are the same people now responsible for causing a massive cost explosion that is slamming low income and the disadvantaged into the ground, and damaging the community social fabric. The fares are so expensive now that these disadvantaged groups can't even afford to catch the services that are put on for their benefit."

"Brisbane's sister city, Auckland, NZ is abandoning its 'taxi style' bus network and committing itself to full scale bus network reform. It is doing so with the assistance of a Brisbane-based transit consultancy firm. We ask the State Government to require of all tenderers that they submit a statement for assessment outlining their willingness to co-operate with TransLink and specifically whether they would be willing to cooperate on the difficult task of reforming the bus network."

"To all the BCC councillors objecting to bus network reform and contestability, we have a blunt message for you: you had your chance to demonstrate that you could do a better job than TransLink in 2013 and you failed the city. You failed to deliver TransLink's proposed BUZ services to Yeronga, The Centenary Suburbs, Albany Creek and improvements to Bulimba. You failed to deliver affordable services, and you failed on six occasions to co-operate with TransLink's request for consultations. Why should the people of Brisbane trust you again?"

"To the BCC councillors objecting to private operators coming in, please, go and take a ride your own council's privatised CityCats. Read your own council's meeting minutes and you will see the details of contracts BCC has made with five private bus companies to run special event bus services."

"Only genuine reform of rail and bus networks, together with fare reform will guarantee abundant and low cost public transport for all and a reverse of falling patronage and lead to a better fare-box with less subsidy."

References:

1. Brisbane City Council patronage figures show this year's most and least used bus services http://www.couriermail.com.au/questnews/brisbane-city-council-patronage-figures-show-this-years-most-and-least-used-bus-services/story-fni9r0hy-1227031046779

2. Graham Quirk unable to remember when he last caught bus http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/graham-quirk-unable-to-remember-when-he-last-caught-bus-20140402-35yb9.html

Contact:

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

[ozbob]

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