Brisbane - bus network proposal

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

10th May 2015

Greetings

New River City Rail Tunnel concept as BaT fails


http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af104/tramtrain/RCR_PNG_zpskdkmkkus.png

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 floated a River City Rail Tunnel concept to replace the failed BaT project.

The BaT business case showed that it was inferior to Cross River Rail on both cost-benefit and net-present value criterion. The lack of an interchange station at Park Road was also unacceptable. An alternative River City Rail Tunnel proposal broadly follows the same alignment as the BaT project, but with the bus tunnel component removed.

The River City Rail Tunnel proposal features four stations at:

* PA Hospital / Park Road Interchange Underground
* Wooloongabba Underground
* Queen Street Mall Underground
* Roma Street Underground

A very high density Transit Oriented Development (TOD) would be developed at Woolloongabba. The Queen Street Mall Station would be created by re-purposing the existing underground Treasury Casino Car Park under Queen's Park. The King George Square Busway, which was constructed in King George Square Underground Car Park is a precedent that supports the feasibility of this approach. The line would then continue to Roma Street Underground and terminate. Turn-back facilities would be provided at the end of the tunnel to allow trains to run return services. Dutton Park station would move approximately 400 meters north and merge with the existing Park Road station. The line would broadly follow a George St alignment in the CBD.

Options exist to extend the tunnel beyond Roma Street.

Under the proposal, all Beenleigh and Gold Coast trains would use the new line, saving around 10 minutes for all passengers. Ferny Grove Services would begin and end at Park Road Station, giving trains every 7.5 minutes or better all day at South Bank. The proposal uses 9-carriage trains rather than the BaT's 7-carriage trains for growth and flexibility.

The Queensland Government should look into an immersed train tube to cross the Brisbane River. This means that the tunnel would sit on or within the bed of the Brisbane River rather than being bored underneath it. The BART Transbay tube, Sydney Harbour Tunnel and Stockholm CityBanan Tunnel are examples of this approach.

In terms of bus congestion, this is really something Brisbane City Council has caused. In our opinion, the Lord Mayor's so-called bus network 'evolution' is just a public relations jingle that is now flooding the Brisbane CBD with half-empty buses during peak hour. We estimate that at four bus changes per year it would take ca. 50 years for the Brisbane Bus network to be modernised. Such an approach is unacceptable and we reject it.

Money would be better directed fixing issues at the Melbourne street busway portal and other parts of the CBD busway infrastructure, purchasing high capacity 150-passenger superbuses and implementing our New Bus Network proposal that our members worked on for 12 months. That proposal would see Brisbane have Australia's best bus network in 2 years flat, a BulimbaGlider to Bulimba and a CentenaryGlider to the Centenary Suburbs.

Best wishes
Robert

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

References:

New Bus Network Proposal
http://tiny.cc/newnetwork

River City Rail Tunnel Concept
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11413.msg155926#msg155926

Map Link
https://www.google.com/maps/d/view?mid=zo2O13ByWclc.k_u_wF9pihnQ

Sent to all outlets:

9th May 2015

Re: SEQ: Will the BaT fly? No, thank goodness ...

Good Morning,

Ok where to from here?

1. A bus tunnel is not needed.  Victoria Bridge can be converted to bus / pedestrians / bicycles only.  Fix up the mess that is the South East Busway portal, and sort out the Cultural Centre Bus Station.

2. Reduce the number of empty / near empty buses running into and out of the CBD and causing bus jam at peaks through implementation of bus network reform.  Buses can then be redeployed to provide a better public transport service in the suburbs. This was attempted by TransLink in 2013 but a distinct lack of cooperation by BCC and weak state political leadership consigned that sensible move to yesterday's political scrap heap.

3. As far as busway extensions go - dream time.  Augmentation of existing surface roads with bus priority is all that is needed.

4. An abridged CRR will be done eventually, but probably not until there is an ' enlightenment ' in Federal politics with respect to sorting out real transport funding priorities in the big smokes ..

Other jurisdictions can manage proper public transport reform.  Queensland it seems, struggles with the basics.

Best wishes
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

8th May 2015

SEQ: Will the BaT fly? No, thank goodness ...

Greetings

With respect to Brisbanetimes --> Cross River Rail tunnel no place for buses: Jackie Trad
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/cross-river-rail-tunnel-no-place-for-buses-jackie-trad-20150508-ggwxd2.html

Good to see transport planning commonsense is coming out on top.  It was a seriously flawed project the BaT tunnel as we detailed many times.

Proper bus network reform for Brisbane will save billions of dollars.  This can no longer be denied.  See here for our bus network proposal --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11099.0

The rail network will be expanded in the years to come with extensions to Ripley, Flagstone as well as utilising Trouts Road Corridor.  BaT would have stymied these longer term plans and rendered Brisbane and SEQ a failed transport state.

SEQ has dodged a bullet. See the thread here for an interesting discourse on the failure that was BaT --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=10955.0

Best wishes
Robert

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

Media release 14th September re-released 8th May 2015

SEQ: Will the BaT fly?

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 said there is growing concern with the lack of detailed public information on operational aspects of the Bus and Train (BaT) tunnel.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Our members have attended consultation sessions for the BaT. They have expressed concerns with the lack of detailed operational information on how this tunnel will work, particularly the bus aspects."

"From the outset there has been concerns from transport planners that the concept is flawed (1)."

"These concerns are not being addressed.  What future proofing is there for the bus component? Clearly single unit buses will not be able to meet the eventual passenger demands. This is a once in a generation opportunity and to paralyse future transport options for Brisbane and south-east Queensland on political whimsy is seriously flawed."

"Brisbane bus issues can be fixed by implementing proper network review, and establishing proper bus priority on the surface network. Why waste billions of dollars?"

"If the BaT goes ahead as it is seem to be planned for, the end point will be a conga line of buses in the bus component similar to the Victoria Bridge bus conga lines.  Really, is this getting anywhere for the longer term?"

"Eventually electric bi-artic buses, or even a rubber tyred metro system will need to operate in the bus component of the tunnel to handle the pax loads. This means there be multiple transfers for bus passengers, the bus network will be forced to operate as a trunk and feeder model. Meanwhile, rail passengers will have seamless rides into the new underground stations."

"A serious question is:  Why is there no combined bus and train tunnel anywhere in the world?"

"The answer is obvious.  No other jurisdiction has been as stupid as Queensland appears to be."

"Questions on the planned operational aspects need comprehensive and detailed explanations before wasting billions of dollars!"

References:

1. Bus and rail tunnel all show and no substance: transport expert
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/bus-and-rail-tunnel-all-show-and-no-substance-transport-expert-20131118-2xrab.html#ixzz3DDY3F0p7


Contact:

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

[ozbob]

From The Satellite 13th May 2015 pages 1 & 5

BETTER SERVICE DRIVES APPEAL

[#Metro]

Superbus - is it a bus or a tram?

[Jonno]

If it has a dedicated ROW and has routes and stops like a rail line whether it is a bus or tram is far less important.

There is our bus redesign in one video!!!

[#Metro]

It is a bit of  shock Jonno! It runs in the centre median like a tram, maybe you could even get a model with doors on both sides?

That would make Old Cleveland Road entirely possible to have something straight up the middle.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

#GetMovingSEQ? Fix BCC Bus Network!

New Bus Network Proposal (Updated)
>> http://tiny.cc/newnetwork

Current Brisbane City Council Bus Network
>> http://tiny.cc/checkyourbus

Report: Frequency is Freedom
>> http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/reform/BusReformBlueprint.pdf

26th May 2015

Greetings,

We can #GetMovingSEQ by fixing Brisbane City Council's Bus network.

The level of inefficiency, duplication and numerous 'black hole' areas such as the Centenary suburbs, Yeronga, Bulimba and Albany Creek within the BCC bus network is not acceptable. Deputy Premier Jackie Trad has the power to fix this. She can call a bus review of the Lord Mayor's bus network.

RAIL Back on Track proposes new CityGlider services for Bulimba and the Centenary Suburbs, which are both public transport black holes. Our proposed BulimbaGlider bus service would run every 15 minutes, all day, into Bulimba and connect to Morningside rail station. Similarly, Centenary suburbs residents who suffer with a spaghetti of 15 different low-quality bus routes will get a bus boost with our CentenaryGlider superbus. Coming every 10 minutes all day, using 150-passenger capacity superbuses, high-speed stop spacing and 24-hour service on Friday and Saturday nights, it will be the closest thing to Light Rail without laying the track.

Our proposal will give Brisbane Australia's best bus network within 2 years.

We understand that money is tight, and fares must be affordable. That's why our New Bus Network Proposal for Brisbane was designed with cost efficiency and value for money in mind. Our proposal is near-cost neutral, funded by amalgamating and recycling resources from existing legacy bus services.

Compare a map of our New Bus Network Proposal (http://tiny.cc/newnetwork)  to what Lord Mayor Graham Quirk is offering the people of Brisbane (http://tiny.cc/checkyourbus/). Our network is far better than what he's offering.

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad needs to intervene and fix Lord Mayor Graham Quirk's bus network.

As has been highlighted in the Courier Mail today.  Adding more buses to bus-jam is pointless.  A  network redesign is needed.  TransLink wanted to do this in 2013 but non cooperation by BCC and weak political leadership have just worsened the bus crisis. Falling bus patronage, worsening road congestion just confirms the failure.  How much more transport failure must the citizens of Brisbane and SEQ endure?

Bus regions outside Brisbane have all suffered cuts to routes, frequency and span of operation to continue to prop up the failing Brisbane bus network.  Hardly equitable is it?

Best wishes
Robert

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


References:

Brisbane Bus Reform: Brisbane City Council's Bus Network - What Went Wrong?
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11175.0

BulimbaGlider
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11363.0

Brisbane Bus Reform: 400 CentenaryGlider Superbus
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11047.msg155205#msg155205

#GetMovingSEQ: Billions spent to get nowhere fast | The Courier-Mail http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/getmovingseq-billions-spent-to-get-nowhere-fast/story-fnihsrf2-1227368951479?sv=73a777111263326537413c3e4a038344#.VWNRnFOKGic.twitter

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

27th May 2015

#GetMovingSEQ? Bus Network reform will save billions of $$$

Greetings,

New Bus Network Proposal (Updated)
>> http://tiny.cc/newnetwork

Current Brisbane City Council Bus Network
>> http://tiny.cc/checkyourbus

Report: Frequency is Freedom
>> http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/reform/BusReformBlueprint.pdf

RAIL Back on Track  calls for Brisbane City Council to get on board with bus reform - to acknowledge the benefits and help educate the public.  Billions of dollars on busways is not needed now, network reform is.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk has stated that Brisbane passengers "don't like to transfer". In the context of Brisbane's bus network, this isn't surprising!

Much of the Brisbane bus network is made of infrequent, illegible and indirect routes, embarking on an hourly-or-worse suburban safari before making their way to the city. Little wonder that few would willingly transfer between such services.

Chicken, meet egg.

By contrast, and to Council's credit, the BUZ services showcase the demand for frequency and directness.

Now, not all routes can or should be BUZ routes. However, there's usually no need for local services to go to the city. By terminating at an interchange or railway station, the length of the route can be significantly reduced.

Savings from this can go into upgrading service frequency (reducing average wait time) and increasing span of hours (directly increasing personal mobility).

Council is in an unique position to educate people on the benefits of an integrated and connective network. As we have seen sadly, it is also in an unique position to hinder any attempts to introduce such a network.

RAIL Back On Track  calls on Brisbane City Council to acknowledge the benefits, to cooperate with TransLink and help perform the education - and consultation - necessary, and to work with TransLink to create an improved public transport network that advantages not only Brisbane but the entire SEQ region.

Best wishes,
Robert

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

References:

#GetMovingSEQ: More costly busways 'not the way forward' | The Courier-Mail
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/getmovingseq-more-costly-busways-not-the-way-forward/story-fnihsrf2-1227370488418?sv=423c4f513d46c3fe3244eb4b8449e2a#.VWSsn8Fh9Yw.twitter

Transferring is Good For You and Your City
http://www.humantransit.org/2009/04/why-transferring-is-good-for-you-and-good-for-your-city.html

Auckland does what Brisbane struggles with

[Jonno]

To be brutally honest they not only don't like transferring they don't like catching buses full stop based on falling patronage figures😈

[ozbob]

Letter to the editor Queensland Times published 28th May 2015 page 15

Network reform needed, not billions on busways

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

30th May 2015

Greetings

Queensland Government Can Fund Cross River Rail

New Bus Network Proposal (Updated) ---> http://tiny.cc/newnetwork
Current Brisbane City Council Bus Network ---> http://tiny.cc/checkyourbus
Bus Reform Report  'Frequency is Freedom' ---> http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/reform/BusReformBlueprint.pdf

Noticed the irony in today's Courier-Mail (pages 28 & 29)? Every level of government wants funding to be the problem of the government above it. Brisbane City Council expects the Queensland Government to pay to fix up the mess, and in turn, the Queensland Government expects the Federal Government to fix up the mess.

Firstly, The Queensland Government has a number of options to self-fund Cross River Rail:

1. Property and Land Development above and around QR Stations.
2. Borrowing against the value of profit-making public assets withheld from sale.
3. Extending Land Taxation by removing the tax-free threshold and broadening the base.
4. Growing the Queensland Economy

Perth self-funded the doubling of the Perth rail network, including drilling two train tunnels into and under the Perth CBD. It is time to stop using the Federal Government as an excuse to lean on. The Queensland Government is ultimately responsible for Queensland. If it wants to raise the funds it could. Borrowing interest rates are at historic lows.

Secondly, Brisbane City Council's should reform its own bus network. No construction funds should be allocated to Brisbane City Council until it has cleaned up the waste, inefficiency and black holes in its own bus network.

For example, in the article the Lord Mayor is reported as saying 'bus lines at the Cultural Centre were close to capacity.' Um, this is actually an 'excess air' problem.

Large volumes of air are present in the Brisbane bus network, even during the peak hour. This is  due to poor bus network design, refusal to introduce interchanging and a lack of high capacity superbuses.

Cultural Centre Busway figures; TransLink 2013:

64.8% of AM peak inbound buses are <50% full
78.4% of all services during the day are <50% full
50% of PM peak outbound buses are <50% full

Transport Minister Jackie Trad MUST intervene and fix Lord Mayor Graham Quirk's bus network.

Our New Bus Network proposal shows how to do it  >> http://tiny.cc/newnetwork
and is funded by rearranging existing bus resources. It includes proposals for a 400 CentenaryGlider and BulimbaGlider bus services.

For a service quality map of Brisbane City Council's bus services, follow this link
>> http://tiny.cc/checkyourbus

The Queensland Government is responsible for governing Queensland. History shows that governments that fail to act are quickly removed from office.

Best wishes
Robert

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

References:

Brisbane Bus reform: RAIL Back on Track Launches New Bus Network Proposal
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11047.0

Courier Mail 30th May2015 pages 28 & 29.

[ozbob]

From the Couriermail 30th May 2015 page 28

Cheap approach creates an expensive future headache



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

Bus lanes and bus priority including augmentation of the surface road network is needed for sure, but so is network reform.

Busway extensions are simply unaffordable and until the bus network mess is sorted is rather pointless anyway.

Bus trips are much shorter than rail trips generally, it is a matter of using the mode of best fit. 

Rail is underutilised in SEQ (as is bus), partly because of poor feeder bus arrangements (only finite parking) and interchange opportunities.

I find it rather amusing that the Bus Council is promoting more park and rides ..   

[Stillwater]

Honestly, the public transport policies of our various governments is a game of stare.  Blink first and you will fund it.  It's crazy.  They even go to the extent of producing websites, brochure etc that lay down grand plans that have in the fine print words such as these .... cannot proceed unless funding is received from [insert name here] government.

[ozbob]

From the Couriermail 30th May 2015 page 28

River plan still leaves buses in a jam



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

Bus network reform, with surface improvements will work a treat Lord Mayor. Bus lanes, bus priority ..

Brisbane and SEQ needs a proper connected integrated network ...

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

31st May 2015

Greetings,

'Debt' Legacy tunnel capacity equal to just three trains

We are expected to believe Legacy Way will bust congestion and represents "value for money". Here we show Brisbane City Council has just built the lowest capacity, highest cost 'solution' for the people in the Western Suburbs.

RAIL Back on Track calculates a one-hour peak capacity of Legacy Way at just 2880 persons per hour.*
Scandalously, this is equal to just three Queensland Rail trains running in peak hour. Real-world usage is likely to be well below this.

In contrast, the South East Busway carries around 150 000 passengers per day, more than six times what Legacy Way will carry (24 000 vehicles/day). In peak hour the busway can handle around 18 000 passengers/direction/hour- again more than six times the capacity of Legacy Way.

The expensive $4.85 toll also significantly reduces the project's benefits vs a toll-free road.

The former Lord Mayor of Brisbane Campbell Newman promised Legacy Way would feature up to '2000 daily express buses'. Yet it failed to connect it to the Inner Northern Busway. At a mere $50 million, or 3% of project costs, the money was apparently lacking after Brisbane City Council boasted that it saved "300 million dollars, through cost-effective innovative designs". This connection could have been built without the BaT tunnel project, which in any case, was financially inferior in both cost-benefit terms and net present value terms, to Cross River Rail and only a deceptive fictitious late alternative and a political con.

It is all good and well to have infrastructure, but it is even better to have the right infrastructure.

Bus and rail reform can deliver major benefits for the Western suburbs.

Improved train services to Springfield to a train every 15-minutes would save up to half an hour per day for commuters, taking pressure off the Centenary Motorway. This improvement enables Ipswich trains to run express all day, saving 8-10 minutes on every trip. With a 400 CentenaryGlider bus service connecting at Darra station, commuters could bypass the Centenary motorway altogether.

Had Brisbane City Council invested in the 400 CentenaryGlider superbus service, 150-person capacity buses would be running every 10 minutes all day between the Centenary suburbs and the Brisbane CBD, with 24-hour service on Friday and Saturday nights. Unlike Legacy Way, it would actually go to places people want to go - Indooroopilly Shopping Centre, Toowong, Coronation Drive and the Brisbane CBD.

The Lord Mayor's slow evolution of Brisbane's buses won't and can't work. The maths just doesn't add up. At 4 bus changes per year it would take five decades to reform the bus network.** That's unacceptable.

We again call on Lord Mayor Graham Quirk to announce a fundamental reorganisation of Brisbane City Council's bus services in this new financial year. Brisbane's sister city of Auckland, NZ has done it.

Legacy Way isn't cost-effective and won't solve our congestion woes, it will in fact worsen it. Public transport must be improved in Brisbane and SEQ if we are to avoid transport failure.

Best wishes
Robert

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

References:

Media release 4 March 2012
SEQ: Legacy way's 2000 daily express buses - we don't believe it Campbell!
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=7798.0

*Calculation - Passengers per direction per hour

60 minutes/hour x 60 seconds/minute = 3600 seconds (A)
Assume 1 car = 3 seconds apart = 1200 cars per lane at full capacity (i.e. divided A by 3)
Two lanes travelling in one direction = 2400 cars per direction (i.e. multiplied by 2 lanes)
Assume 1.2 passengers/vehicle = 2880 people (i.e multiplied by 1.2)

Train capacity = 1000
2800 people divided by 1000 = 2.88 trains (round up to 3)

** 200 bus routes divided by 4 routes/year = 50 years

Legacy Way will be value for money: Mayor
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/legacy-way-will-be-value-for-money-mayor-20150311-140zky.html

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk's Letter response
http://carbon-counters.blogspot.se/2011/07/capt-quirks-response-to-my.html
"The competitive tender process from Legacy Way generated a $300 million saving, through cost-effective innovative designs."

[ozbob]

1st June 2015

Good Morning,

#GetMovingSEQ: Empty buses clogging Brisbane streets



The Courier Mail has today highlighted the fundamental problems with the Brisbane bus network.

Couriermail --> #GetMovingSEQ: Empty buses clogging Brisbane streets

What is disturbing is the fact that again the Lord Mayor of Brisbane confirms his ignorance and understanding of how public transport networks develop and improve.

"Feedback from commuters is they prefer direct journeys,'' he said.

"Once people are required to undertake a number of public transport transfers they are more likely to jump into their cars which leads to more traffic on the roads.''

People are abandoning the Brisbane bus network because of the poor frequency of service, indirect routes and of course fare unaffordability. Fare unaffordability is a consequence of the old direct network model.  By reforming the bus network more buses more often for more people can be achieved.  A transfer from a frequent feeder service into a high frequency corridor is how the developed public transport networks work. Higher fare box is then achieved, more scope for proper and well overdue fare reform as passengers return to the integrated connected frequent public transport network.

TransLink did attempt to reform the network in 2013.  A TransLink spokesman told The Courier-Mail its review "aimed to remove service duplication, manage infrastructure capacity, simplify the network, improve connectivity between services and modes, and redirect resources to routes where there was overcrowding."

"These objectives were generally achieved outside the Brisbane bus network.''

Bus network reform did go ahead outside the Brisbane bus region as TransLink have indicated. However there were many compromises and reductions in service in the other regions so that the failing Brisbane bus network could be continued by the Lord Mayor and BCC.  Lord Mayor Quirk and BCC put politics before the community need.  BCC refused to allow Brisbane Transport to cooperate properly with TransLink. Is this really equitable or morally responsible?

There is really only one solution to fixing up the mess that is public transport in Brisbane and the consequent negative flow on to the rest of SEQ.  It is this.  Bus network planning must be removed from BCC and given over to the proper authority - TransLink.  Brisbane Transport is a very good bus operator, they themselves, I have no doubt, are itching to get into network reform to deliver more bus services to more people.

Lord Mayor Quirk needs to read some basic information. Other Lord Mayors around Australia and the world embrace bus network reform and help deliver improved connected frequent networks by getting on board with reform and helping with the necessary community eduction of the benefits of reform.

Transferring is Good For You and Your City
>> http://www.humantransit.org/2009/04/why-transferring-is-good-for-you-and-good-for-your-city.html

Report: Frequency is Freedom
>> http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/reform/BusReformBlueprint.pdf

It is clear that Lord Mayor Quirk and BCC are an anachronism.  It is time that the State Government acted in the best interests of Queenslanders and took over proper network planning through TransLink.

Best wishes
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

27th May 2015

#GetMovingSEQ? Bus Network reform will save billions of $$$

Greetings,

New Bus Network Proposal (Updated)
>> http://tiny.cc/newnetwork

Current Brisbane City Council Bus Network
>> http://tiny.cc/checkyourbus

Report: Frequency is Freedom
>> http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/reform/BusReformBlueprint.pdf

RAIL Back on Track  calls for Brisbane City Council to get on board with bus reform - to acknowledge the benefits and help educate the public.  Billions of dollars on busways is not needed now, network reform is.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk has stated that Brisbane passengers "don't like to transfer". In the context of Brisbane's bus network, this isn't surprising!

Much of the Brisbane bus network is made of infrequent, illegible and indirect routes, embarking on an hourly-or-worse suburban safari before making their way to the city. Little wonder that few would willingly transfer between such services.

Chicken, meet egg.

By contrast, and to Council's credit, the BUZ services showcase the demand for frequency and directness.

Now, not all routes can or should be BUZ routes. However, there's usually no need for local services to go to the city. By terminating at an interchange or railway station, the length of the route can be significantly reduced.

Savings from this can go into upgrading service frequency (reducing average wait time) and increasing span of hours (directly increasing personal mobility).

Council is in an unique position to educate people on the benefits of an integrated and connective network. As we have seen sadly, it is also in an unique position to hinder any attempts to introduce such a network.

RAIL Back On Track  calls on Brisbane City Council to acknowledge the benefits, to cooperate with TransLink and help perform the education - and consultation - necessary, and to work with TransLink to create an improved public transport network that advantages not only Brisbane but the entire SEQ region.

Best wishes,
Robert

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

References:

#GetMovingSEQ: More costly busways 'not the way forward' | The Courier-Mail
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/getmovingseq-more-costly-busways-not-the-way-forward/story-fnihsrf2-1227370488418?sv=423c4f513d46c3fe3244eb4b8449e2a#.VWSsn8Fh9Yw.twitter

Transferring is Good For You and Your City
http://www.humantransit.org/2009/04/why-transferring-is-good-for-you-and-good-for-your-city.html

Auckland does what Brisbane struggles with

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

1st June 2015

Higher Fares Coming Without Bus Reform

Greetings,

Brisbane City Council has a sister city agreement with Auckland City Council, New Zealand.
Auckland City Council finished their bus review and are now making the changes. Brisbane City Council is not.
Auckland bus patronage is increasing, not decreasing. Connections have increased, not decreased, patronage.

The Lord Mayor Graham Quirk says that he doesn't like the idea of passengers connecting. If you are against connections
then you are also against a simple, frequent and affordable bus network for your city. It's as simple as that.

It's not a case of transfers vs no transfers, but a case of some transfers versus 15% and 20% fare increases.

This Auckland Transport video explains why we think Graham Quirk has got it wrong on the bus network.

We also performed our own research into Brisbane City Council's Bus network. Our survey data shows that
when passengers are asked to trade off higher fares or connections, they choose connections. And without connections,
fares will go up.

Brisbane City Council cannot expect the Queensland Government to shell out billions and billions of dollars on busway
tunnels just because it can't be bothered fixing up its own bus network ideology.



Best wishes
Robert

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

References:

New Bus Network Proposal (Updated) ---> http://tiny.cc/newnetwork
Current Brisbane City Council Bus Network ---> http://tiny.cc/checkyourbus

Survey Findings ---> http://backontrack.org/docs/busreform/2015RBOTBusReformSurvey.pdf

Survey Submissions (Current Brisbane City Council Bus Network) ---> http://backontrack.org/docs/busreform/BusReformFeedbackBCC.pdf

Survey Submissions (RAIL Back on Track New Bus Network Proposal) ---> http://backontrack.org/docs/busreform/RBOT_Feedback_Part2.pdf

1st June 2015

Good Morning,

#GetMovingSEQ: Empty buses clogging Brisbane streets



The Courier Mail has today highlighted the fundamental problems with the Brisbane bus network.

Couriermail --> #GetMovingSEQ: Empty buses clogging Brisbane streets

What is disturbing is the fact that again the Lord Mayor of Brisbane confirms his ignorance and understanding of how public transport networks develop and improve.

"Feedback from commuters is they prefer direct journeys,'' he said.

"Once people are required to undertake a number of public transport transfers they are more likely to jump into their cars which leads to more traffic on the roads.''

People are abandoning the Brisbane bus network because of the poor frequency of service, indirect routes and of course fare unaffordability. Fare unaffordability is a consequence of the old direct network model.  By reforming the bus network more buses more often for more people can be achieved.  A transfer from a frequent feeder service into a high frequency corridor is how the developed public transport networks work. Higher fare box is then achieved, more scope for proper and well overdue fare reform as passengers return to the integrated connected frequent public transport network.

TransLink did attempt to reform the network in 2013.  A TransLink spokesman told The Courier-Mail its review "aimed to remove service duplication, manage infrastructure capacity, simplify the network, improve connectivity between services and modes, and redirect resources to routes where there was overcrowding."

"These objectives were generally achieved outside the Brisbane bus network.''

Bus network reform did go ahead outside the Brisbane bus region as TransLink have indicated. However there were many compromises and reductions in service in the other regions so that the failing Brisbane bus network could be continued by the Lord Mayor and BCC.  Lord Mayor Quirk and BCC put politics before the community need.  BCC refused to allow Brisbane Transport to cooperate properly with TransLink. Is this really equitable or morally responsible?

There is really only one solution to fixing up the mess that is public transport in Brisbane and the consequent negative flow on to the rest of SEQ.  It is this.  Bus network planning must be removed from BCC and given over to the proper authority - TransLink.  Brisbane Transport is a very good bus operator, they themselves, I have no doubt, are itching to get into network reform to deliver more bus services to more people.

Lord Mayor Quirk needs to read some basic information. Other Lord Mayors around Australia and the world embrace bus network reform and help deliver improved connected frequent networks by getting on board with reform and helping with the necessary community eduction of the benefits of reform.

Transferring is Good For You and Your City
>> http://www.humantransit.org/2009/04/why-transferring-is-good-for-you-and-good-for-your-city.html

Report: Frequency is Freedom
>> http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/reform/BusReformBlueprint.pdf

It is clear that Lord Mayor Quirk and BCC are an anachronism.  It is time that the State Government acted in the best interests of Queenslanders and took over proper network planning through TransLink.

Best wishes
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

27th May 2015

#GetMovingSEQ? Bus Network reform will save billions of $$$

Greetings,

New Bus Network Proposal (Updated)
>> http://tiny.cc/newnetwork

Current Brisbane City Council Bus Network
>> http://tiny.cc/checkyourbus

Report: Frequency is Freedom
>> http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/reform/BusReformBlueprint.pdf

RAIL Back on Track  calls for Brisbane City Council to get on board with bus reform - to acknowledge the benefits and help educate the public.  Billions of dollars on busways is not needed now, network reform is.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk has stated that Brisbane passengers "don't like to transfer". In the context of Brisbane's bus network, this isn't surprising!

Much of the Brisbane bus network is made of infrequent, illegible and indirect routes, embarking on an hourly-or-worse suburban safari before making their way to the city. Little wonder that few would willingly transfer between such services.

Chicken, meet egg.

By contrast, and to Council's credit, the BUZ services showcase the demand for frequency and directness.

Now, not all routes can or should be BUZ routes. However, there's usually no need for local services to go to the city. By terminating at an interchange or railway station, the length of the route can be significantly reduced.

Savings from this can go into upgrading service frequency (reducing average wait time) and increasing span of hours (directly increasing personal mobility).

Council is in an unique position to educate people on the benefits of an integrated and connective network. As we have seen sadly, it is also in an unique position to hinder any attempts to introduce such a network.

RAIL Back On Track  calls on Brisbane City Council to acknowledge the benefits, to cooperate with TransLink and help perform the education - and consultation - necessary, and to work with TransLink to create an improved public transport network that advantages not only Brisbane but the entire SEQ region.

Best wishes,
Robert

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

References:

#GetMovingSEQ: More costly busways 'not the way forward' | The Courier-Mail
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/getmovingseq-more-costly-busways-not-the-way-forward/story-fnihsrf2-1227370488418?sv=423c4f513d46c3fe3244eb4b8449e2a#.VWSsn8Fh9Yw.twitter

Transferring is Good For You and Your City
http://www.humantransit.org/2009/04/why-transferring-is-good-for-you-and-good-for-your-city.html

Auckland does what Brisbane struggles with

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

2nd June 2015

Brisbane City Council Bus Network Feedback

Greetings.

As part of our new bus network proposal, we asked commuters their thoughts about Lord Mayor Graham Quirk's bus network.

We asked: 'What comments do you have about Brisbane City Council's Current Bus Network?' ---> http://backontrack.org/docs/busreform/BusReformFeedbackBCC.pdf

Here is a sample of what they told us:

"Highly wasteful network operation, unreliable services. Poor integration with rail."

"I frequently use buranda busway as an interchange to get from Camp Hill to UQ faster as the direct 209 route can be infrequent."

"Confusing to use with too many routes."

"Bus network is infrequent, unreliable and uncoordinated."

"Illogical and irrational ­ especially the stop locations and the names of stops with their numbering system. It's also very inefficient."

"Brisbane City Council's network has so much duplication in it. This is evident particularly in the central areas of Brisbane, where all these buses meet and become congested."

"The current network is overly complex, with too many routes seemingly servicing similar areas, making it difficult to know which buses run where, and where they stop in the CBD."

"Inefficient, too much duplication (e.g. similar routes with different CBD stops), confusing (too many routes), poor high frequency coverage."

"There is too much duplication and not enough frequency in the suburbs. Services are wildly complicated. Simple should be the way to go."

"Does not create a network but is just a collection of CBD centric routes with no linkages across/to the railway system."

Our new bus network proposal http://tiny.cc/newnetwork will give Brisbane Australia's best bus network within two years. It includes a new CentenaryGlider every 10 minutes for the Centenary suburbs and a new BulimbaGlider for Bulimba, serving both Thynne and Riding roads. It is funded by rearranging existing bus services. For convenience, we also provide a service quality map of Brisbane City Council's current bus network http://tiny.cc/checkyourbus which shows just how poor the service quality actually is.

The Lord Mayor  freely admits that he does not use his own bus network. If there ever was a case for bus network reform, that's it right there.

So come on Brisbane City Council. Fix up your bus network.

Best wishes
Robert

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

References:

Brisbane buses: Call for CityGlider in Centenary suburbs
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/brisbane-buses-call-for-cityglider-in-centenary-suburbs-20141104-11gxl3.html

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

survey connections


Transferring is Good For You and Your City
http://www.humantransit.org/2009/04/why-transferring-is-good-for-you-and-good-for-your-city.html

Report: Frequency is Freedom
http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/reform/BusReformBlueprint.pdf

Survey Submissions (Current Brisbane City Council Bus Network) ---> http://backontrack.org/docs/busreform/BusReformFeedbackBCC.pdf

Survey Submissions (RAIL Back on Track New Bus Network Proposal) ---> http://backontrack.org/docs/busreform/RBOT_Feedback_Part2.pdf

Sent to all outlets:

1st June 2015

Higher Fares Coming Without Bus Reform

Greetings,

Brisbane City Council has a sister city agreement with Auckland City Council, New Zealand.
Auckland City Council finished their bus review and are now making the changes. Brisbane City Council is not.
Auckland bus patronage is increasing, not decreasing. Connections have increased, not decreased, patronage.

The Lord Mayor Graham Quirk says that he doesn't like the idea of passengers connecting. If you are against connections
then you are also against a simple, frequent and affordable bus network for your city. It's as simple as that.

It's not a case of transfers vs no transfers, but a case of some transfers versus 15% and 20% fare increases.

This Auckland Transport video explains why we think Graham Quirk has got it wrong on the bus network.

We also performed our own research into Brisbane City Council's Bus network. Our survey data shows that
when passengers are asked to trade off higher fares or connections, they choose connections. And without connections,
fares will go up.

Brisbane City Council cannot expect the Queensland Government to shell out billions and billions of dollars on busway
tunnels just because it can't be bothered fixing up its own bus network ideology.



Best wishes
Robert

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

References:

New Bus Network Proposal (Updated) ---> http://tiny.cc/newnetwork
Current Brisbane City Council Bus Network ---> http://tiny.cc/checkyourbus

Survey Findings ---> http://backontrack.org/docs/busreform/2015RBOTBusReformSurvey.pdf

Survey Submissions (Current Brisbane City Council Bus Network) ---> http://backontrack.org/docs/busreform/BusReformFeedbackBCC.pdf

Survey Submissions (RAIL Back on Track New Bus Network Proposal) ---> http://backontrack.org/docs/busreform/RBOT_Feedback_Part2.pdf

1st June 2015

Good Morning,

#GetMovingSEQ: Empty buses clogging Brisbane streets



The Courier Mail has today highlighted the fundamental problems with the Brisbane bus network.

Couriermail --> #GetMovingSEQ: Empty buses clogging Brisbane streets

What is disturbing is the fact that again the Lord Mayor of Brisbane confirms his ignorance and understanding of how public transport networks develop and improve.

"Feedback from commuters is they prefer direct journeys,'' he said.

"Once people are required to undertake a number of public transport transfers they are more likely to jump into their cars which leads to more traffic on the roads.''

People are abandoning the Brisbane bus network because of the poor frequency of service, indirect routes and of course fare unaffordability. Fare unaffordability is a consequence of the old direct network model.  By reforming the bus network more buses more often for more people can be achieved.  A transfer from a frequent feeder service into a high frequency corridor is how the developed public transport networks work. Higher fare box is then achieved, more scope for proper and well overdue fare reform as passengers return to the integrated connected frequent public transport network.

TransLink did attempt to reform the network in 2013.  A TransLink spokesman told The Courier-Mail its review "aimed to remove service duplication, manage infrastructure capacity, simplify the network, improve connectivity between services and modes, and redirect resources to routes where there was overcrowding."

"These objectives were generally achieved outside the Brisbane bus network.''

Bus network reform did go ahead outside the Brisbane bus region as TransLink have indicated. However there were many compromises and reductions in service in the other regions so that the failing Brisbane bus network could be continued by the Lord Mayor and BCC.  Lord Mayor Quirk and BCC put politics before the community need.  BCC refused to allow Brisbane Transport to cooperate properly with TransLink. Is this really equitable or morally responsible?

There is really only one solution to fixing up the mess that is public transport in Brisbane and the consequent negative flow on to the rest of SEQ.  It is this.  Bus network planning must be removed from BCC and given over to the proper authority - TransLink.  Brisbane Transport is a very good bus operator, they themselves, I have no doubt, are itching to get into network reform to deliver more bus services to more people.

Lord Mayor Quirk needs to read some basic information. Other Lord Mayors around Australia and the world embrace bus network reform and help deliver improved connected frequent networks by getting on board with reform and helping with the necessary community eduction of the benefits of reform.

Transferring is Good For You and Your City
>> http://www.humantransit.org/2009/04/why-transferring-is-good-for-you-and-good-for-your-city.html

Report: Frequency is Freedom
>> http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/reform/BusReformBlueprint.pdf

It is clear that Lord Mayor Quirk and BCC are an anachronism.  It is time that the State Government acted in the best interests of Queenslanders and took over proper network planning through TransLink.

Best wishes
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

27th May 2015

#GetMovingSEQ? Bus Network reform will save billions of $$$

Greetings,

New Bus Network Proposal (Updated)
>> http://tiny.cc/newnetwork

Current Brisbane City Council Bus Network
>> http://tiny.cc/checkyourbus

Report: Frequency is Freedom
>> http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/reform/BusReformBlueprint.pdf

RAIL Back on Track  calls for Brisbane City Council to get on board with bus reform - to acknowledge the benefits and help educate the public.  Billions of dollars on busways is not needed now, network reform is.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk has stated that Brisbane passengers "don't like to transfer". In the context of Brisbane's bus network, this isn't surprising!

Much of the Brisbane bus network is made of infrequent, illegible and indirect routes, embarking on an hourly-or-worse suburban safari before making their way to the city. Little wonder that few would willingly transfer between such services.

Chicken, meet egg.

By contrast, and to Council's credit, the BUZ services showcase the demand for frequency and directness.

Now, not all routes can or should be BUZ routes. However, there's usually no need for local services to go to the city. By terminating at an interchange or railway station, the length of the route can be significantly reduced.

Savings from this can go into upgrading service frequency (reducing average wait time) and increasing span of hours (directly increasing personal mobility).

Council is in an unique position to educate people on the benefits of an integrated and connective network. As we have seen sadly, it is also in an unique position to hinder any attempts to introduce such a network.

RAIL Back On Track  calls on Brisbane City Council to acknowledge the benefits, to cooperate with TransLink and help perform the education - and consultation - necessary, and to work with TransLink to create an improved public transport network that advantages not only Brisbane but the entire SEQ region.

Best wishes,
Robert

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

References:

#GetMovingSEQ: More costly busways 'not the way forward' | The Courier-Mail
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/getmovingseq-more-costly-busways-not-the-way-forward/story-fnihsrf2-1227370488418?sv=423c4f513d46c3fe3244eb4b8449e2a#.VWSsn8Fh9Yw.twitter

Transferring is Good For You and Your City
http://www.humantransit.org/2009/04/why-transferring-is-good-for-you-and-good-for-your-city.html

Auckland does what Brisbane struggles with

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> 'NEW buses carrying up to 150 passengers ... '

NEW buses carrying up to 150 passengers would be used on some of Brisbane's busiest routes under a plan from commuter campaigners.

Lobby group RAIL Back On Track has drawn up a detailed overhaul of the city's bus network that it claims would give Brisbane Australia's best bus network within two years.

The proposal includes articulated buses up to 18.75 metres long running every 10 minutes along the dedicated busways and other major roads between the CBD and suburban interchanges and key destinations.

Spokesman Robert Dow said the services would free up smaller buses to shuttle passengers between the suburbs and the interchange hubs.

Filling up with passengers from feeder services at key hubs would take hundreds of half-empty buses out of the city centre.

"It would operate almost like a light rail system,'' Mr Dow said.

"We envisage electric buses would be used in the future, recharged from renewable sources."

A TransLink spokesman confirmed officials recently met the group to discuss the proposed network reform.

Queensland Bus Industry Council executive director David Tape said frequency was the key to more patronage.

"We need to look at network efficiencies," he said. "I'm sure there are more improvements that can be made.''

But Brisbane City Council still insists no major changes to the network are needed.

A City Council spokesman said 30 of the 1179-bus fleet were 18m vehicles with a capacity of 97 passengers.

"Council's articulated buses could have a passenger capacity (seated and standing) of 130 people through variation to the seating configuration," he said. "However, we prefer to maximise seating options for passengers.''

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

3rd June 2015

Super-buses and bus network reform for Brisbane

Good Morning!

The Couriermail has today highlighted the need for for more super-buses on a reformed bus network.

>> 'NEW buses carrying up to 150 passengers ... '


What is very interesting is the comment from Queensland Bus Industry Council executive director David Tape who said frequency was the key to more patronage.

"We need to look at network efficiencies," he said. "I'm sure there are more improvements that can be made.''

Exactly.  The only people opposed to bus network reform are Lord Mayor Quirk and Brisbane City Council.  Network reform will give improvements to frequency and services all over Brisbane.  Areas that are service poor will have access to high frequency bus services.

If BCC will not allow Brisbane Transport to cooperate fully with TransLink to drive necessary and urgent bus network reform there is only one alternative.

The State Government must move to give full network planning control to TransLink by removing this from Brisbane City Council.  Our public transport is bigger than the Brisbane bus network and petty politics of Brisbane City Council.

Best wishes
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

2nd June 2015

Brisbane City Council Bus Network Feedback

Greetings.

As part of our new bus network proposal, we asked commuters their thoughts about Lord Mayor Graham Quirk's bus network.

We asked: 'What comments do you have about Brisbane City Council's Current Bus Network?' ---> http://backontrack.org/docs/busreform/BusReformFeedbackBCC.pdf

Here is a sample of what they told us:

"Highly wasteful network operation, unreliable services. Poor integration with rail."

"I frequently use buranda busway as an interchange to get from Camp Hill to UQ faster as the direct 209 route can be infrequent."

"Confusing to use with too many routes."

"Bus network is infrequent, unreliable and uncoordinated."

"Illogical and irrational ­ especially the stop locations and the names of stops with their numbering system. It's also very inefficient."

"Brisbane City Council's network has so much duplication in it. This is evident particularly in the central areas of Brisbane, where all these buses meet and become congested."

"The current network is overly complex, with too many routes seemingly servicing similar areas, making it difficult to know which buses run where, and where they stop in the CBD."

"Inefficient, too much duplication (e.g. similar routes with different CBD stops), confusing (too many routes), poor high frequency coverage."

"There is too much duplication and not enough frequency in the suburbs. Services are wildly complicated. Simple should be the way to go."

"Does not create a network but is just a collection of CBD centric routes with no linkages across/to the railway system."

Our new bus network proposal http://tiny.cc/newnetwork will give Brisbane Australia's best bus network within two years. It includes a new CentenaryGlider every 10 minutes for the Centenary suburbs and a new BulimbaGlider for Bulimba, serving both Thynne and Riding roads. It is funded by rearranging existing bus services. For convenience, we also provide a service quality map of Brisbane City Council's current bus network http://tiny.cc/checkyourbus which shows just how poor the service quality actually is.

The Lord Mayor  freely admits that he does not use his own bus network. If there ever was a case for bus network reform, that's it right there.

So come on Brisbane City Council. Fix up your bus network.

Best wishes
Robert

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

References:

Brisbane buses: Call for CityGlider in Centenary suburbs
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/brisbane-buses-call-for-cityglider-in-centenary-suburbs-20141104-11gxl3.html

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

survey connections


Transferring is Good For You and Your City
http://www.humantransit.org/2009/04/why-transferring-is-good-for-you-and-good-for-your-city.html

Report: Frequency is Freedom
http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/reform/BusReformBlueprint.pdf

Survey Submissions (Current Brisbane City Council Bus Network) ---> http://backontrack.org/docs/busreform/BusReformFeedbackBCC.pdf

Survey Submissions (RAIL Back on Track New Bus Network Proposal) ---> http://backontrack.org/docs/busreform/RBOT_Feedback_Part2.pdf

Sent to all outlets:

1st June 2015

Higher Fares Coming Without Bus Reform

Greetings,

Brisbane City Council has a sister city agreement with Auckland City Council, New Zealand.
Auckland City Council finished their bus review and are now making the changes. Brisbane City Council is not.
Auckland bus patronage is increasing, not decreasing. Connections have increased, not decreased, patronage.

The Lord Mayor Graham Quirk says that he doesn't like the idea of passengers connecting. If you are against connections
then you are also against a simple, frequent and affordable bus network for your city. It's as simple as that.

It's not a case of transfers vs no transfers, but a case of some transfers versus 15% and 20% fare increases.

This Auckland Transport video explains why we think Graham Quirk has got it wrong on the bus network.

We also performed our own research into Brisbane City Council's Bus network. Our survey data shows that
when passengers are asked to trade off higher fares or connections, they choose connections. And without connections,
fares will go up.

Brisbane City Council cannot expect the Queensland Government to shell out billions and billions of dollars on busway
tunnels just because it can't be bothered fixing up its own bus network ideology.



Best wishes
Robert

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

References:

New Bus Network Proposal (Updated) ---> http://tiny.cc/newnetwork
Current Brisbane City Council Bus Network ---> http://tiny.cc/checkyourbus

Survey Findings ---> http://backontrack.org/docs/busreform/2015RBOTBusReformSurvey.pdf

Survey Submissions (Current Brisbane City Council Bus Network) ---> http://backontrack.org/docs/busreform/BusReformFeedbackBCC.pdf

Survey Submissions (RAIL Back on Track New Bus Network Proposal) ---> http://backontrack.org/docs/busreform/RBOT_Feedback_Part2.pdf

1st June 2015

Good Morning,

#GetMovingSEQ: Empty buses clogging Brisbane streets



The Courier Mail has today highlighted the fundamental problems with the Brisbane bus network.

Couriermail --> #GetMovingSEQ: Empty buses clogging Brisbane streets

What is disturbing is the fact that again the Lord Mayor of Brisbane confirms his ignorance and understanding of how public transport networks develop and improve.

"Feedback from commuters is they prefer direct journeys,'' he said.

"Once people are required to undertake a number of public transport transfers they are more likely to jump into their cars which leads to more traffic on the roads.''

People are abandoning the Brisbane bus network because of the poor frequency of service, indirect routes and of course fare unaffordability. Fare unaffordability is a consequence of the old direct network model.  By reforming the bus network more buses more often for more people can be achieved.  A transfer from a frequent feeder service into a high frequency corridor is how the developed public transport networks work. Higher fare box is then achieved, more scope for proper and well overdue fare reform as passengers return to the integrated connected frequent public transport network.

TransLink did attempt to reform the network in 2013.  A TransLink spokesman told The Courier-Mail its review "aimed to remove service duplication, manage infrastructure capacity, simplify the network, improve connectivity between services and modes, and redirect resources to routes where there was overcrowding."

"These objectives were generally achieved outside the Brisbane bus network.''

Bus network reform did go ahead outside the Brisbane bus region as TransLink have indicated. However there were many compromises and reductions in service in the other regions so that the failing Brisbane bus network could be continued by the Lord Mayor and BCC.  Lord Mayor Quirk and BCC put politics before the community need.  BCC refused to allow Brisbane Transport to cooperate properly with TransLink. Is this really equitable or morally responsible?

There is really only one solution to fixing up the mess that is public transport in Brisbane and the consequent negative flow on to the rest of SEQ.  It is this.  Bus network planning must be removed from BCC and given over to the proper authority - TransLink.  Brisbane Transport is a very good bus operator, they themselves, I have no doubt, are itching to get into network reform to deliver more bus services to more people.

Lord Mayor Quirk needs to read some basic information. Other Lord Mayors around Australia and the world embrace bus network reform and help deliver improved connected frequent networks by getting on board with reform and helping with the necessary community eduction of the benefits of reform.

Transferring is Good For You and Your City
>> http://www.humantransit.org/2009/04/why-transferring-is-good-for-you-and-good-for-your-city.html

Report: Frequency is Freedom
>> http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/reform/BusReformBlueprint.pdf

It is clear that Lord Mayor Quirk and BCC are an anachronism.  It is time that the State Government acted in the best interests of Queenslanders and took over proper network planning through TransLink.

Best wishes
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

27th May 2015

#GetMovingSEQ? Bus Network reform will save billions of $$$

Greetings,

New Bus Network Proposal (Updated)
>> http://tiny.cc/newnetwork

Current Brisbane City Council Bus Network
>> http://tiny.cc/checkyourbus

Report: Frequency is Freedom
>> http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/reform/BusReformBlueprint.pdf

RAIL Back on Track  calls for Brisbane City Council to get on board with bus reform - to acknowledge the benefits and help educate the public.  Billions of dollars on busways is not needed now, network reform is.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk has stated that Brisbane passengers "don't like to transfer". In the context of Brisbane's bus network, this isn't surprising!

Much of the Brisbane bus network is made of infrequent, illegible and indirect routes, embarking on an hourly-or-worse suburban safari before making their way to the city. Little wonder that few would willingly transfer between such services.

Chicken, meet egg.

By contrast, and to Council's credit, the BUZ services showcase the demand for frequency and directness.

Now, not all routes can or should be BUZ routes. However, there's usually no need for local services to go to the city. By terminating at an interchange or railway station, the length of the route can be significantly reduced.

Savings from this can go into upgrading service frequency (reducing average wait time) and increasing span of hours (directly increasing personal mobility).

Council is in an unique position to educate people on the benefits of an integrated and connective network. As we have seen sadly, it is also in an unique position to hinder any attempts to introduce such a network.

RAIL Back On Track  calls on Brisbane City Council to acknowledge the benefits, to cooperate with TransLink and help perform the education - and consultation - necessary, and to work with TransLink to create an improved public transport network that advantages not only Brisbane but the entire SEQ region.

Best wishes,
Robert

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

References:

#GetMovingSEQ: More costly busways 'not the way forward' | The Courier-Mail
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/getmovingseq-more-costly-busways-not-the-way-forward/story-fnihsrf2-1227370488418?sv=423c4f513d46c3fe3244eb4b8449e2a#.VWSsn8Fh9Yw.twitter

Transferring is Good For You and Your City
http://www.humantransit.org/2009/04/why-transferring-is-good-for-you-and-good-for-your-city.html

Auckland does what Brisbane struggles with

[ozbob]

Twitter

Robert Dow ‏@Robert_Dow now

BCC shafts Brisbane & SEQ > http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11443.msg157024#msg157024 ... #qldpol @jackietrad @Team_Quirk @CrMiltonDick @Rod4Bris O_o

[ozbob]

http://blogs.abc.net.au/queensland/2015/06/could-super-busses-come-to-brisbane.html?site=brisbane&program=612_drive

Could super busses come to Brisbane?

03 June 2015 , 5:41 PM by Lachlan Mackintosh

How would you rate Brisbane's bus network?

Robert Dow from Rail Back On Track wants to see bigger busses servicing Brisbane's CBD and busway, which he says would free up smaller buses to shuttle passengers between the suburbs and interchange hubs.

>> https://soundcloud.com/612abcbrisbane/could-super-busses-come-to-brisbane

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

4th June 2015

Don't renew Brisbane City Council Bus Contract?

New Bus Network Proposal ---> http://tiny.cc/newnetwork
New Bus Network Proposal Survey ---> http://tiny.cc/busreform
Current BCC Bus Network ---> http://tiny.cc/checkyourbus

Auckland City Council Bus Network Review

Greetings,

The Brisbane City Council bus contract is due for renewal in September. Once again the Lord Mayor has confirmed that the message just isn't getting through to City Hall. Bus network reform is urgently needed for Brisbane. Other regions outside of Brisbane have had bus reform.  Gold Coast bus patronage has soared.  Brisbane, bus patronage is falling or stagnant.

Our message to Deputy Premier Jackie Trad is this - Don't renew Brisbane City Council's bus contract. The Queensland Government already owns the buses and is paying most of their running costs anyway. Taking direct State Government public control of the buses will mean State Government money will be spent efficiently, unlike now.

Massive 15% and 20% fare increases will return unless buses are removed from Brisbane City Council. With parliamentary seats the way they are, massive fare increases mean the potential loss of government at the next election.

Families can't afford another Council fuelled 15% and 20% bus cost explosion.

Outsourcing the bus operations to Brisbane City Council should cease and the bus operations brought into State Government public ownership through nationalisation.

All Brisbane Transport employees should be offered employment with the Queensland Government, similar to how it is set up in Sydney with State Transit buses.

All necessary changes, including securing funding supply, can be legislated by altering The City of Brisbane Act 2010.

Our New Bus Network proposal shows how a reformed network can operate >> http://tiny.cc/newnetwork
While there is increased use of connections, most passengers will see no need to change. It is funded by recycling existing bus resources.

Compare this to what the Lord Mayor and Brisbane City Council have to offer http://tiny.cc/checkyourbus

Insisting on running all buses directly to the CBD means a low quality, low frequency, high fares bus network. Brisbane City Council cancelled high-frequency bus services planned for Yeronga, Albany Creek and Centenary in the 2013 bus review because after it spent all the money running all buses to the CBD, there were no funds left over for decent service in these areas.

These areas now remain public transport black holes with terrible service.

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad must intervene and fix Lord Mayor Graham Quirk's failing bus network.

The Queensland Government is elected to act. History has shown that governments that fail to act are quickly removed from office.

Best wishes,
Robert

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

References:

612 ABC Brisbane interview: Could super busses come to Brisbane?
https://soundcloud.com/612abcbrisbane/could-super-busses-come-to-brisbane

Transferring is Good For You and Your City
http://www.humantransit.org/2009/04/why-transferring-is-good-for-you-and-good-for-your-city.html

Report: Frequency is Freedom
http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/reform/BusReformBlueprint.pdf

Empty Buses clogging Brisbane Streets
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/getmovingseq-empty-buses-clogging-brisbane-streets/story-fnihsrf2-1227377268454

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

5th June 2015

Bus Cost Explosion to continue?

The record for recent Transport Ministers in Queensland isn't good . One by one, they lose control and are removed from office.

The Beattie Administration created TransLink in 2004 so that buses worked with trains and ferries. Single network, single ticket, single price. The purpose of these reforms was to permit passengers to transfer from one mode to another. One of the best reforms ever in south-east Queensland.

Why? Because transfers are central to sustainable transport in a large and growing city.

The Bligh administration didn't review the bus network. The result? Explosive 20% and 15% fare increases which slammed minimum wage workers, refugees and Centrelink recipients. Election goner.

The Newman administration came along. The former Transport Minister spectacularly lost control of his own portfolio to Brisbane City Council. The result? 7.5% fare increases on top of already high fares. Passengers abandoned the network and discounting didn't bring them back. Fiddling. Election goner.

Under bus reform, new CityGliders to Bulimba and the Centenary suburbs would have shored up marginal seats. A totally different election outcome was possible. Opportunity gone.

Successive governments have lost sight of TransLink's single network, single ticket, single price purpose. The purpose is to enable transferring, or put another way, "integration".

Non-integrated, fragmented networks are inefficient, ineffective and infrequent. They offer black hole service in the suburbs, overload busway infrastructure in the city, and above all, are incredibly expensive to operate. This is why fares and subsidies have gone up, and patronage has gone down.

How long can that really continue?

Brisbane City Council has little incentive to change. After all, the State Government already owns the buses, pays around 75% of the operating costs and pays for almost all the busway infrastructure, old and new. It even bears the brunt of criticism when fares go up.

We now have a new Transport Minister. All the problems the previous three Queensland Governments failed to fix are still there. And they're getting worse.

Will the present Government succumb to the bus cost explosion that has engulfed her predecessors? Time will tell.

Best wishes
Robert

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

References:

New Bus Network Proposal ---> http://tiny.cc/newnetwork

Brisbane City Council Bus Network ---> http://tiny.cc/checkyourbus

Auckland Transport Bus Network Reform


Transferring Is Good For You and Good For Your City
http://www.humantransit.org/2009/04/why-transferring-is-good-for-you-and-good-for-your-city.html

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

5th June 2015

Greetings

Superbus plan closest thing to Light Rail

RAIL Back on Track welcomes public interest in our New Bus Network Proposal (http://tiny.cc/newnetwork).
In addition to enhanced capacity, superbuses mean a much simpler light-rail style network that is fast, frequent and affordable for all. It's the closest thing to light rail without laying the track.

Brisbane City Council appears to be under utilising the existing banana (articulated) bus fleet. This is an inefficiency, and leaves people behind on busy routes in peak hour such as Route 66. So  while 1000 - 2000 buses are leaving passengers behind every month, the capacity to take those passengers already exists but is unused.

Brisbane City Council says that its 'banana' buses carry 97 passengers, but could carry up to 130 passengers with minimal changes. So, a whole 25% of the bus capacity is wasted! We thought the purpose of these bigger buses were to add more capacity to the bus network. Why aren't they being fully used, leaving people behind?

Under our new bus network proposal these routes would be 'superbussed'.  With all door boarding, passengers just swipe on, and swipe off.

Route 66 RBWH to UQ Lakes via Busway
Route 222 Carindale Interchange via Old Cleveland Rd
Route 333 Chermside Interchange
Route 400 CentenaryGlider to CBD (new service)
Route 412 UQ St Lucia

The new 400 CentenaryGlider would run every 10 minutes from the Centenary suburbs, and have 24-hour service on Friday and Saturday nights. Superbus capacity will permit Indooroopilly to become an interchange hub. By not running all local buses to the Brisbane CBD, more local buses will run more often for the western suburbs.

Unlike roads, public transport isn't built, it's operated. So instead of spending billions on busway extensions that can't even handle increased load, we should be investing in improved service and bus reform. It's cheaper and it's more cost effective. No funds should be given to Brisbane City Council for more infrastructure unless it agrees to bus reform, cuts waste and inefficiency.

The Lord Mayor says that Brisbane is a 'New World City'. Well, New World Cities  such as Vancouver, Toronto and Auckland run networks based around connections. Our plan will give Brisbane Australia's best bus network in 2 years.

It's not 1988 any more. Jackie Trad and Graham Quirk, please fix up the bus network!

Best wishes
Robert

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

References:

New buses carrying up to 150 passengers could be used on Brisbane's busiest routes
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/new-buses-carrying-up-to-150-passengers-could-be-used-on-brisbanes-busiest-routes/story-fnihsrf2-1227380120225

MAN Lion's City Superbus (150 Passengers)

612 ABC Brisbane interview: Could super busses come to Brisbane?
https://soundcloud.com/612abcbrisbane/could-super-busses-come-to-brisbane

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

7th June 2015

Greetings,

With any infrastructure solutions years and years away it is time to reform the Brisbane bus network.

Lord Mayor Quirk Drops Ball on Brisbane Bus Network

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport reveals that Brisbane City Council's aversion to a new bus network isn't even supported by its own research.

The Courier-Mail reported the Lord Mayor's views on a new bus network, indicating that passengers didn't like connections:

... Mr Quirk has ruled out another review and remains opposed to the interchanges approach. "Feedback from commuters is they prefer direct journeys,'' he said.

Actually, Brisbane City Council's own research shows the exact opposite. We refer the Lord Mayor to council's own Lord Mayor's Mass Transit Investigation Report where it states explicitly on page 12:

"A significant number of comments indicated that direct services were not always required and they accepted the need to transfer to reach their destination."

Over 3000 submissions were made to that review. Perhaps it is time Brisbane City Council took its own advice? Our own in-house research for our New Bus Network Proposal http://tiny.cc/netwnetwork also shows people will choose connections if it means affordable fares and more buses more often.

Our New Bus Network Proposal implements Brisbane City Council's own transport recommendations, which we reproduce here:

"System wide recommendations"

* Feeder services: High frequency feeder services, with adequate priority, are required to/from rail and busway line-haul corridors.

* A significant number of comments indicated that direct services were not always required and they accepted the need to transfer to reach their destination.

* Multi Door Access: Minimising embarking/disembarking times is critical in achieving faster journey times. This outcome needs to be facilitated with multiple door access to buses and mass transit vehicles.

* Cross-town services: Cross town services linking major centres outside the CBD and surrounds, new employment nodes such as Australia Trade Coast, railway, busway and BUZ corridors are required to cater for increased diversity of travel. Cross-town routes should have adequate priority and services must be frequent to make them a viable travel choice.

* The busway network needs to be operated with higher capacity buses in the short term. Articulated and/or bi-articulated Bus Rapid Transit vehicles, which could operate exclusively on the busways, need to be priorities in fleet acquisition plans. In the long term, busways will need a larger capacity vehicle that may be readily adapted to light rail or similar vehicle with comparable capacity and performance.

* There is a need for a partnership between Brisbane City Council, State Government and potentially the private sector in proposing to develop new or innovative public transport improvements.

If the Mayor of Auckland, Brisbane's sister city, and Auckland City Council can reform Auckland's bus network so that buses work with trains, ferries and other buses, why can't our Lord Mayor do it?

In our opinion, the Lord Mayor's so-called bus 'evolution' is phoney. It would take five decades to reform the bus network this way.

The time has come for Deputy Premier Jackie Trad to call in Lord Mayor Graham Quirk's bus network and nationalise Brisbane Transport.

Best wishes
Robert

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

References:

#GetMovingSEQ: Empty buses clogging Brisbane streets
http://www.news.com.au/national/queensland/getmovingseq-empty-buses-clogging-brisbane-streets/story-fnii5v6w-1227377268454

Lord Mayor's Taskforce: Brisbane Mass Transit Investigation
http://wtsag.org.au/sites/default/files/2009-06-04-Lord%20Mayors%20Tasksforce%20Brisbane%20Mass%20Transit%20Investigation.pdf

Taskforce: The taskforce consisted of Cr David McLachlan (LNP, Taskforce Chair), Mr John Gralton and Mr Stephen Lonie supported by a working group from the Brisbane City Council's Urban Transport Section of Transport and Traffic (City Policy and Strategy Division) performing project secretariat and coordination activities.

Calculation.
c.a. 200 bus routes divided by 4 bus route changes per year is 50 years.

Auckland Transport New Bus Network


Transferring is Good For You and Your City
http://www.humantransit.org/2009/04/why-transferring-is-good-for-you-and-good-for-your-city.html

Report: Frequency is Freedom
http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/reform/BusReformBlueprint.pdf

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

8th June 2015

Greetings,

Brisbane Bus Reform - how to catch the network reform bus!

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 again called on Deputy Premier Jackie Trad to Fix Lord Mayor Graham Quirk's broken Brisbane bus network.

The Courier-Mail campaign #GetMovingSEQ and coverage over the past two weeks shows that all is not well with the bus network. Brisbane's bus network needs to change, just like the bus networks of other international cities have changed. It's a natural part of becoming a 'New World City'. Most of our new bus network proposal ( http://tiny.cc/newnetwork ) does not require passengers to change services. Where passengers are required to change, this happens mostly on services with low patronage where few are affected. Our New Bus Network Proposal is funded by re-arranging existing bus services.

A suggested strategy:

1. Don't sign the Brisbane bus contract in September. Any contract should only be for the rental of bus depots from Brisbane City Council. The Queensland Government already owns the buses and already pays 75% of the running costs. There is nothing stopping the Queensland Government from producing the bus services itself, just like the NSW Government does through State Transit buses in Sydney.

2. Nationalise Brisbane Transport. Alter The City of Brisbane Act 2010, reversing the 1925 Queensland Government decision to outsource transport services to Brisbane City Council. If necessary, funding supply can also be guaranteed in this way. This will bring Brisbane into line with all other states and territories. All jobs would transfer to the Queensland Government.

3. Staged, rolling local bus reviews using the 'Auckland Method'. These areas are provided as a guide only. By breaking down the task, resources can be focused and TransLink will not be swamped with work. Most of the groundwork was already done in 2013 by TransLink:

South - everything east of the Ipswich Railway line and west of the SE Freeway
East - everything east of the SE Freeway and south of the Brisbane River
North - everything north of Enoggera Creek and the Brisbane River
The Gap - everything north of the Western Freeway and south of Enoggera Creek
West - everything south of Mt Coo-tha and west of the Ipswich Rail line

4. Implementation. New trunk services should be introduced first (e.g. 400 CentenaryGlider, 230 BulimbaGlider etc) before adjustments to minor services are made. This allows people to change to the new service before the old ones are removed, easing the transition.

These reviews should include in-person public deputations and interactive workshop activities where participants can draw up bus networks. This means participants can 'know it in their hands' and experience the trade-offs that come with network redesign. Our research suggests 80% of resources be dedicated to patronage services, and 20% to coverage services. External expert assistance will be required to manage this process from start to finish. A whole of network approach should be adopted, and no financials or route-by route analysis should appear anywhere.

Failure to reform the bus network led to the 20% and 15% fare increases in the Bligh administration, and the 7.5% fare increases and spectacular loss of portfolio functions to Brisbane City Council in the Newman Government. Election goners. Failure to review the network this time around will mean more unaffordable cost-explosive fare increases and increasing draw on the Queensland Treasury for funds by Brisbane City Council.

Can the new administration do it? The count down to mayhem is ticking away ...

Best wishes,
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

7th June 2015

' COUNTING DOWN TO MAYHEM '

Greetings,

In today's Sunday Mail is an in depth Agenda article titled ' COUNTING DOWN TO MAYHEM '

Pages 39, 40 & 41.

The article describes the infrastructure planning failures, with a few limited highlights.

It will be many many years before significant public transport infrastructure is advanced in SEQ.

As we have pointed out that although significant infrastructure is needed there are steps that can be taken to improve the capacity, & efficiency of the public transport network and help ameliorate congestion.

1. Fix up the Brisbane bus network.  TransLink attempted to do this in 2013.  Despite bleats by the Lord Mayor the Brisbane bus network is broken and needs sorting.

2. Advance the Automatic Train Protection - ETCS - Level 2 project.

3. Fare reform.  Making out of peak travel more attractive will lead to better utilisation of the public transport asset (in conjunction with network reform).

4. Better support for active transport.

5. Grade separation (level crossing replacement).  One of the best 'bangs for the buck' going.  Helps to improve not only the reliability and frequency of the rail network but significantly helps to address road congestion.  Buses are also caught up in the road congestion. It is also a major safety benefit.

6.  Bus priority - bus lanes and traffic light priority.  If you prioritise the buses, and have proper network reform with more buses more often, people will use them.

It is not all doom and gloom.  Just takes some vision and leadership.

Best wishes
Robert

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

[ozbob]

Twitter

Robert Dow ‏@Robert_Dow 21m

" Lord Mayor Quirk Drops Ball on Brisbane Bus Network " > http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11443.msg157206#msg157206 ... #qldpol time the bus network fixed!

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

12th June 2015

Re: Brisbane Bus Reform - how to catch the network reform bus!

Greetings,

Comments by Ms. Trad yesterday suggest that finally the authorities are looking at proper bus priority and surface road augmentation to improve the bus reliability.  Expensive busway extensions are not needed or really achievable.

An important concurrent step is proper bus network reform for Brisbane.  This is a very low cost cost effective solution for driving significant improvement in the public transport network frequency and connectivity as well as returning a much better fare box and driving patronage increases.

We have worked for over a year on a network reform proposal.  The non support for TransLink in 2013 by both the BCC and its Councillors, and the Newman Government was a very self-centred political failure.

It's time to get on with it now.

Best wishes
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

8th June 2015

Greetings,

Brisbane Bus Reform - how to catch the network reform bus!

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 again called on Deputy Premier Jackie Trad to Fix Lord Mayor Graham Quirk's broken Brisbane bus network.

The Courier-Mail campaign #GetMovingSEQ and coverage over the past two weeks shows that all is not well with the bus network. Brisbane's bus network needs to change, just like the bus networks of other international cities have changed. It's a natural part of becoming a 'New World City'. Most of our new bus network proposal ( http://tiny.cc/newnetwork ) does not require passengers to change services. Where passengers are required to change, this happens mostly on services with low patronage where few are affected. Our New Bus Network Proposal is funded by re-arranging existing bus services.

A suggested strategy:

1. Don't sign the Brisbane bus contract in September. Any contract should only be for the rental of bus depots from Brisbane City Council. The Queensland Government already owns the buses and already pays 75% of the running costs. There is nothing stopping the Queensland Government from producing the bus services itself, just like the NSW Government does through State Transit buses in Sydney.

2. Nationalise Brisbane Transport. Alter The City of Brisbane Act 2010, reversing the 1925 Queensland Government decision to outsource transport services to Brisbane City Council. If necessary, funding supply can also be guaranteed in this way. This will bring Brisbane into line with all other states and territories. All jobs would transfer to the Queensland Government.

3. Staged, rolling local bus reviews using the 'Auckland Method'. These areas are provided as a guide only. By breaking down the task, resources can be focused and TransLink will not be swamped with work. Most of the groundwork was already done in 2013 by TransLink:

South - everything east of the Ipswich Railway line and west of the SE Freeway
East - everything east of the SE Freeway and south of the Brisbane River
North - everything north of Enoggera Creek and the Brisbane River
The Gap - everything north of the Western Freeway and south of Enoggera Creek
West - everything south of Mt Coo-tha and west of the Ipswich Rail line

4. Implementation. New trunk services should be introduced first (e.g. 400 CentenaryGlider, 230 BulimbaGlider etc) before adjustments to minor services are made. This allows people to change to the new service before the old ones are removed, easing the transition.

These reviews should include in-person public deputations and interactive workshop activities where participants can draw up bus networks. This means participants can 'know it in their hands' and experience the trade-offs that come with network redesign. Our research suggests 80% of resources be dedicated to patronage services, and 20% to coverage services. External expert assistance will be required to manage this process from start to finish. A whole of network approach should be adopted, and no financials or route-by route analysis should appear anywhere.

Failure to reform the bus network led to the 20% and 15% fare increases in the Bligh administration, and the 7.5% fare increases and spectacular loss of portfolio functions to Brisbane City Council in the Newman Government. Election goners. Failure to review the network this time around will mean more unaffordable cost-explosive fare increases and increasing draw on the Queensland Treasury for funds by Brisbane City Council.

Can the new administration do it? The count down to mayhem is ticking away ...

Best wishes,
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

7th June 2015

' COUNTING DOWN TO MAYHEM '

Greetings,

In today's Sunday Mail is an in depth Agenda article titled ' COUNTING DOWN TO MAYHEM '

Pages 39, 40 & 41.

The article describes the infrastructure planning failures, with a few limited highlights.

It will be many many years before significant public transport infrastructure is advanced in SEQ.

As we have pointed out that although significant infrastructure is needed there are steps that can be taken to improve the capacity, & efficiency of the public transport network and help ameliorate congestion.

1. Fix up the Brisbane bus network.  TransLink attempted to do this in 2013.  Despite bleats by the Lord Mayor the Brisbane bus network is broken and needs sorting.

2. Advance the Automatic Train Protection - ETCS - Level 2 project.

3. Fare reform.  Making out of peak travel more attractive will lead to better utilisation of the public transport asset (in conjunction with network reform).

4. Better support for active transport.

5. Grade separation (level crossing replacement).  One of the best 'bangs for the buck' going.  Helps to improve not only the reliability and frequency of the rail network but significantly helps to address road congestion.  Buses are also caught up in the road congestion. It is also a major safety benefit.

6.  Bus priority - bus lanes and traffic light priority.  If you prioritise the buses, and have proper network reform with more buses more often, people will use them.

It is not all doom and gloom.  Just takes some vision and leadership.

Best wishes
Robert

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

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

14th June 2015

Greetings

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk Misses The Bus

A recent article by the Sydney Morning Herald describes the importance of bus network reorganisation and connections.

"The benefits of the Gold Coast line have extended well beyond the tram line, with a 22 per cent increase in the number of public transport trips across the Gold Coast on all modes – buses and trams. This has happened, says Cook, because light rail has allowed the reorganisation of buses.

"We've changed the bus network quite dramatically to feed into the tram at each end, and that improves your overall public transport on the coast, using this as the spine," he says.

More frequent buses now run to light rail stops, where passengers can change to the tram."

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/advocates-of-sydneys-george-street-light-rail-can-take-lessons-from-the-gold-coast-20150612-ghm7nh.html

This 22% patronage increase was achieved in the same high-fares environment that Brisbane City Council's buses operate in. And the tram is actually less frequent than the Gold Coast Highway buses it replaced.  Similar patronage gains are being made in Brisbane's sister city of Auckland, where the entire bus network is now being reorganised.

Introducing selected connection opportunities means that more buses can run more often, cutting waiting time at the bus stop dramatically. This is what drives patronage UP, not down.

Brisbane doesn't have light rail, it has something better - heavy rail trains on a dedicated track. Unlike trams, trains don't have to share intersections with car traffic. More buses in Brisbane's north and west should be running to train stations. See our New Bus Network Proposal http://tiny.cc/newnetwork



Lord Mayor Graham Quirk claims that 'feedback' says that people don't like connections. The problem for him is Brisbane City Council's own Lord Mayor's Mass Transit Report on page 12 says the exact opposite. Worse, there are real-world examples functioning bus networks such as Vancouver, Auckland, Toronto, Houston and now the Gold Coast based around increased connections. And exactly how does the Lord Mayor expect residents of the Centenary suburbs to access health, education and work opportunities at Springfield without performing an interchange?

If Brisbane City Council insists on running every bus route to the CBD, it will not have the funds left over to run its bus network frequently. That's why Brisbane City Council cancelled proposed bus upgrades to Albany Creek, Yeronga and the Centenary suburbs.

In our opinion, the Lord Mayor's so-called bus 'evolution' is phoney. It would take five decades to reform the bus network this way.

Funding for any infrastructure project will not appear any time soon. Intense pressure is growing for bus reform. Deputy Premier Jackie Trad should very seriously consider refusing to sign Brisbane City Council's bus contract and instead nationalise Brisbane Transport.

Don't miss the bus like Brisbane's Lord Mayor!

Best wishes,
Robert

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

References:

Brisbane Bus Reform: Brisbane City Council's Bus Network - What Went Wrong?
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11175.0

Transferring is Good For You and Your City
http://www.humantransit.org/2009/04/why-transferring-is-good-for-you-and-good-for-your-city.html

Report: Frequency is Freedom
http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/reform/BusReformBlueprint.pdf

Lord Mayor's Taskforce: Brisbane Mass Transit Investigation http://wtsag.org.au/sites/default/files/2009-06-04-Lord%20Mayors%20Tasksforce%20Brisbane%20Mass%20Transit%20Investigation.pdf

Taskforce: The taskforce consisted of Cr David McLachlan (LNP, Taskforce Chair), Mr John Gralton and Mr Stephen Lonie supported by a working group from the Brisbane City Council's Urban Transport Section of Transport and Traffic (City Policy and Strategy Division) performing project secretariat and coordination activities.

Advocates of Sydney's George Street light rail can take lessons from the Gold Coast http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/advocates-of-sydneys-george-street-light-rail-can-take-lessons-from-the-gold-coast-20150612-ghm7nh.html

[ozbob]

Twitter

Robert Dow ‏@Robert_Dow

Brisbane rates to rise 2.5% > http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/bcc-budget-brisbane-rates-to-rise-25-per-cent-20150616-ghpntl.html ... via @brisbanetimes #qldpol bus network needs major reform @jackietrad @Team_Quirk

... Cr Quirk said the council's bus network subsidy would rise to a record $81.9 million, with an additional $7.1 million for the CityGlider high-frequency services and $25.4 million for CityCats and ferries.

"As the only city council in Australia that runs a public transport system, we will continue our commitment to the bus and ferry network with a $114 million in the budget," he said.

"Our bus fleet is now the most modern in Australia – we have delivered 1090 new buses since 2004 with another 60 new buses in the coming year, 100 per cent of the fleet is air conditioned and 100 per cent low floor disability accessible.

"We will continue to improve the wheelchair and mobility aid accessibility of Brisbane's bus network with a $7.6 million project to upgrade the city's network of bus stops.

"Council will also undertake a trial of dedicated priority seating at CBD bus stops to make these bus stops more accessible to passengers who are elderly, people with a disability, pregnant women and parents with small children." ...

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

17th June 2015

Re: Lord Mayor Graham Quirk Misses The Bus

Good Morning,

Is it?  It certainly isn't for Brisbane bus commuters.  The Brisbane bus network is falling apart. See >> https://twitter.com/TransLinkSEQ

And this is only a small amount of the disruption.  Most no shows, lates etc. are not reported in my opinion. Patronage is nose-diving, further worsening the mess on the roads.

Buses are regularly cancelled around Brisbane because of traffic congestion, this in turn just forces more into cars and congestion, which further results in more buses being cancelled. HOPELESS!

This morning in the Brisbanetimes Brisbane rates to rise 2.5% > http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/bcc-budget-brisbane-rates-to-rise-25-per-cent-20150616-ghpntl.html

... Cr Quirk said the council's bus network subsidy would rise to a record $81.9 million, with an additional $7.1 million for the CityGlider high-frequency services and $25.4 million for CityCats and ferries.

"As the only city council in Australia that runs a public transport system, we will continue our commitment to the bus and ferry network with a $114 million in the budget," he said.

"Our bus fleet is now the most modern in Australia – we have delivered 1090 new buses since 2004 with another 60 new buses in the coming year, 100 per cent of the fleet is air conditioned and 100 per cent low floor disability accessible.

"We will continue to improve the wheelchair and mobility aid accessibility of Brisbane's bus network with a $7.6 million project to upgrade the city's network of bus stops.

"Council will also undertake a trial of dedicated priority seating at CBD bus stops to make these bus stops more accessible to passengers who are elderly, people with a disability, pregnant women and parents with small children." ...

There is a very good reason why Brisbane council is the only one that runs a public transport system.  IT DOES NOT WORK.  What is TransLink really about?  We need a proper integrated public transport network with all modes working optimally.  Brisbane City Council puts petty self interest and politics before a proper integrated public transport for all of SEQ.

We have outlined a road map to reform.  The public transport system is in crisis.  Time it was sorted.

Best wishes
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

14th June 2015

Greetings

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk Misses The Bus

A recent article by the Sydney Morning Herald describes the importance of bus network reorganisation and connections.

"The benefits of the Gold Coast line have extended well beyond the tram line, with a 22 per cent increase in the number of public transport trips across the Gold Coast on all modes – buses and trams. This has happened, says Cook, because light rail has allowed the reorganisation of buses.

"We've changed the bus network quite dramatically to feed into the tram at each end, and that improves your overall public transport on the coast, using this as the spine," he says.

More frequent buses now run to light rail stops, where passengers can change to the tram."

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/advocates-of-sydneys-george-street-light-rail-can-take-lessons-from-the-gold-coast-20150612-ghm7nh.html

This 22% patronage increase was achieved in the same high-fares environment that Brisbane City Council's buses operate in. And the tram is actually less frequent than the Gold Coast Highway buses it replaced.  Similar patronage gains are being made in Brisbane's sister city of Auckland, where the entire bus network is now being reorganised.

Introducing selected connection opportunities means that more buses can run more often, cutting waiting time at the bus stop dramatically. This is what drives patronage UP, not down.

Brisbane doesn't have light rail, it has something better - heavy rail trains on a dedicated track. Unlike trams, trains don't have to share intersections with car traffic. More buses in Brisbane's north and west should be running to train stations. See our New Bus Network Proposal http://tiny.cc/newnetwork



Lord Mayor Graham Quirk claims that 'feedback' says that people don't like connections. The problem for him is Brisbane City Council's own Lord Mayor's Mass Transit Report on page 12 says the exact opposite. Worse, there are real-world examples functioning bus networks such as Vancouver, Auckland, Toronto, Houston and now the Gold Coast based around increased connections. And exactly how does the Lord Mayor expect residents of the Centenary suburbs to access health, education and work opportunities at Springfield without performing an interchange?

If Brisbane City Council insists on running every bus route to the CBD, it will not have the funds left over to run its bus network frequently. That's why Brisbane City Council cancelled proposed bus upgrades to Albany Creek, Yeronga and the Centenary suburbs.

In our opinion, the Lord Mayor's so-called bus 'evolution' is phoney. It would take five decades to reform the bus network this way.

Funding for any infrastructure project will not appear any time soon. Intense pressure is growing for bus reform. Deputy Premier Jackie Trad should very seriously consider refusing to sign Brisbane City Council's bus contract and instead nationalise Brisbane Transport.

Don't miss the bus like Brisbane's Lord Mayor!

Best wishes,
Robert

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

References:

Brisbane Bus Reform: Brisbane City Council's Bus Network - What Went Wrong?
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11175.0

Transferring is Good For You and Your City
http://www.humantransit.org/2009/04/why-transferring-is-good-for-you-and-good-for-your-city.html

Report: Frequency is Freedom
http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/reform/BusReformBlueprint.pdf

Lord Mayor's Taskforce: Brisbane Mass Transit Investigation http://wtsag.org.au/sites/default/files/2009-06-04-Lord%20Mayors%20Tasksforce%20Brisbane%20Mass%20Transit%20Investigation.pdf

Taskforce: The taskforce consisted of Cr David McLachlan (LNP, Taskforce Chair), Mr John Gralton and Mr Stephen Lonie supported by a working group from the Brisbane City Council's Urban Transport Section of Transport and Traffic (City Policy and Strategy Division) performing project secretariat and coordination activities.

Advocates of Sydney's George Street light rail can take lessons from the Gold Coast http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/advocates-of-sydneys-george-street-light-rail-can-take-lessons-from-the-gold-coast-20150612-ghm7nh.html

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

17th June 2015

Re: Lord Mayor Graham Quirk Misses The Bus

Greetings,

And further more if Brisbane City Council is left to ride rough shod over SEQ public transport network, is the cost and the bureaucracy of TransLink warranted?

May as go back to the days of a non-integrated shambolic public transport network under individual operator control, which is where it is heading again to today.

Either give TransLink the authority to actually do what is needed or scrap it.  There is a ' strong choice' and a ' plan ' ...

What a mess.

Best wishes
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

17th June 2015

Re: Lord Mayor Graham Quirk Misses The Bus

Good Morning,

Is it?  It certainly isn't for Brisbane bus commuters.  The Brisbane bus network is falling apart. See >> https://twitter.com/TransLinkSEQ

And this is only a small amount of the disruption.  Most no shows, lates etc. are not reported in my opinion. Patronage is nose-diving, further worsening the mess on the roads.

Buses are regularly cancelled around Brisbane because of traffic congestion, this in turn just forces more into cars and congestion, which further results in more buses being cancelled. HOPELESS!

This morning in the Brisbanetimes Brisbane rates to rise 2.5% > http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/bcc-budget-brisbane-rates-to-rise-25-per-cent-20150616-ghpntl.html

... Cr Quirk said the council's bus network subsidy would rise to a record $81.9 million, with an additional $7.1 million for the CityGlider high-frequency services and $25.4 million for CityCats and ferries.

"As the only city council in Australia that runs a public transport system, we will continue our commitment to the bus and ferry network with a $114 million in the budget," he said.

"Our bus fleet is now the most modern in Australia – we have delivered 1090 new buses since 2004 with another 60 new buses in the coming year, 100 per cent of the fleet is air conditioned and 100 per cent low floor disability accessible.

"We will continue to improve the wheelchair and mobility aid accessibility of Brisbane's bus network with a $7.6 million project to upgrade the city's network of bus stops.

"Council will also undertake a trial of dedicated priority seating at CBD bus stops to make these bus stops more accessible to passengers who are elderly, people with a disability, pregnant women and parents with small children." ...

There is a very good reason why Brisbane council is the only one that runs a public transport system.  IT DOES NOT WORK.  What is TransLink really about?  We need a proper integrated public transport network with all modes working optimally.  Brisbane City Council puts petty self interest and politics before a proper integrated public transport for all of SEQ.

We have outlined a road map to reform.  The public transport system is in crisis.  Time it was sorted.

Best wishes
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

14th June 2015

Greetings

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk Misses The Bus

A recent article by the Sydney Morning Herald describes the importance of bus network reorganisation and connections.

"The benefits of the Gold Coast line have extended well beyond the tram line, with a 22 per cent increase in the number of public transport trips across the Gold Coast on all modes – buses and trams. This has happened, says Cook, because light rail has allowed the reorganisation of buses.

"We've changed the bus network quite dramatically to feed into the tram at each end, and that improves your overall public transport on the coast, using this as the spine," he says.

More frequent buses now run to light rail stops, where passengers can change to the tram."

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/advocates-of-sydneys-george-street-light-rail-can-take-lessons-from-the-gold-coast-20150612-ghm7nh.html

This 22% patronage increase was achieved in the same high-fares environment that Brisbane City Council's buses operate in. And the tram is actually less frequent than the Gold Coast Highway buses it replaced.  Similar patronage gains are being made in Brisbane's sister city of Auckland, where the entire bus network is now being reorganised.

Introducing selected connection opportunities means that more buses can run more often, cutting waiting time at the bus stop dramatically. This is what drives patronage UP, not down.

Brisbane doesn't have light rail, it has something better - heavy rail trains on a dedicated track. Unlike trams, trains don't have to share intersections with car traffic. More buses in Brisbane's north and west should be running to train stations. See our New Bus Network Proposal http://tiny.cc/newnetwork



Lord Mayor Graham Quirk claims that 'feedback' says that people don't like connections. The problem for him is Brisbane City Council's own Lord Mayor's Mass Transit Report on page 12 says the exact opposite. Worse, there are real-world examples functioning bus networks such as Vancouver, Auckland, Toronto, Houston and now the Gold Coast based around increased connections. And exactly how does the Lord Mayor expect residents of the Centenary suburbs to access health, education and work opportunities at Springfield without performing an interchange?

If Brisbane City Council insists on running every bus route to the CBD, it will not have the funds left over to run its bus network frequently. That's why Brisbane City Council cancelled proposed bus upgrades to Albany Creek, Yeronga and the Centenary suburbs.

In our opinion, the Lord Mayor's so-called bus 'evolution' is phoney. It would take five decades to reform the bus network this way.

Funding for any infrastructure project will not appear any time soon. Intense pressure is growing for bus reform. Deputy Premier Jackie Trad should very seriously consider refusing to sign Brisbane City Council's bus contract and instead nationalise Brisbane Transport.

Don't miss the bus like Brisbane's Lord Mayor!

Best wishes,
Robert

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

References:

Brisbane Bus Reform: Brisbane City Council's Bus Network - What Went Wrong?
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11175.0

Transferring is Good For You and Your City
http://www.humantransit.org/2009/04/why-transferring-is-good-for-you-and-good-for-your-city.html

Report: Frequency is Freedom
http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/reform/BusReformBlueprint.pdf

Lord Mayor's Taskforce: Brisbane Mass Transit Investigation http://wtsag.org.au/sites/default/files/2009-06-04-Lord%20Mayors%20Tasksforce%20Brisbane%20Mass%20Transit%20Investigation.pdf

Taskforce: The taskforce consisted of Cr David McLachlan (LNP, Taskforce Chair), Mr John Gralton and Mr Stephen Lonie supported by a working group from the Brisbane City Council's Urban Transport Section of Transport and Traffic (City Policy and Strategy Division) performing project secretariat and coordination activities.

Advocates of Sydney's George Street light rail can take lessons from the Gold Coast http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/advocates-of-sydneys-george-street-light-rail-can-take-lessons-from-the-gold-coast-20150612-ghm7nh.html

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

17th June 2015

Greetings

Lord Mayor Quirk to announce new CityGlider bus services?

RAIL Back on Track is cautiously optimistic that Lord Mayor Graham Quirk may announce new CityGliders in time for the 2016 Brisbane City Council elections in an attempt to ward off lord mayoral challenger Rod Harding. In our New Bus Network Proposal http://tiny.cc/newnetwork we detail two new CityGlider services - a 230 BulimbaGlider via Riding and Thynne Roads, and a 400 CentenaryGlider superbus to the Centenary suburbs. The reported additional $7.1 million dollars for CityGlider services in the Lord Mayor's budget suggests to us that either one or both a BulimbaGlider or CentenaryGlider will be announced by the Lord Mayor before he goes to an election in 2016.

RAIL Back on Track would welcome funding for either a CentenaryGlider or BulimbaGlider, as CityGliders.

Brisbane City Council's bus network requires major reform. In our opinion, the Lord Mayor's  bus network 'evolution' - taking around 50 years to complete - is phoney and unacceptable.  The Lord Mayor's statements against increased use of bus connections are also contradicted by Brisbane City Council's own Lord Mayor's Mass Transit Report. If Lord Mayor Graham Quirk insists on running every bus to the Brisbane CBD, then he will not have the funds left over to run the bus network frequently or make upgrades. That's not just our opinion, it is also a fact - driving a bus twice the distance costs at least twice as much.

Brisbane City Council's bus contract is up for renewal in September. The cost explosive fare increases from rising bus network costs hit minimum wage workers the hardest, and were the downfall of previous state governments. Deputy Premier Jackie Trad should seriously consider nationalising Brisbane Transport in September, reversing the Queensland Government's 1925 decision to outsource public transport to Brisbane City Council.

Best wishes
Robert

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

References:

Brisbane Buses: Call for CityGlider in the Centenary Suburbs
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/brisbane-buses-call-for-cityglider-in-centenary-suburbs-20141104-11gxl3.html

BCC Budget: Brisbane rates to rise 2.5 per cent
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/bcc-budget-brisbane-rates-to-rise-25-per-cent-20150616-ghpntl.html

Calculation:
approximately 200 bus routes / 4 bus routes changed per year = 50 years

Sent to all outlets:

17th June 2015

Re: Lord Mayor Graham Quirk Misses The Bus

Greetings,

And further more if Brisbane City Council is left to ride rough shod over SEQ public transport network, is the cost and the bureaucracy of TransLink warranted?

May as go back to the days of a non-integrated shambolic public transport network under individual operator control, which is where it is heading again to today.

Either give TransLink the authority to actually do what is needed or scrap it.  There is a ' strong choice' and a ' plan ' ...

What a mess.

Best wishes
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

17th June 2015

Re: Lord Mayor Graham Quirk Misses The Bus

Good Morning,

Is it?  It certainly isn't for Brisbane bus commuters.  The Brisbane bus network is falling apart. See >> https://twitter.com/TransLinkSEQ

And this is only a small amount of the disruption.  Most no shows, lates etc. are not reported in my opinion. Patronage is nose-diving, further worsening the mess on the roads.

Buses are regularly cancelled around Brisbane because of traffic congestion, this in turn just forces more into cars and congestion, which further results in more buses being cancelled. HOPELESS!

This morning in the Brisbanetimes Brisbane rates to rise 2.5% > http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/bcc-budget-brisbane-rates-to-rise-25-per-cent-20150616-ghpntl.html

... Cr Quirk said the council's bus network subsidy would rise to a record $81.9 million, with an additional $7.1 million for the CityGlider high-frequency services and $25.4 million for CityCats and ferries.

"As the only city council in Australia that runs a public transport system, we will continue our commitment to the bus and ferry network with a $114 million in the budget," he said.

"Our bus fleet is now the most modern in Australia – we have delivered 1090 new buses since 2004 with another 60 new buses in the coming year, 100 per cent of the fleet is air conditioned and 100 per cent low floor disability accessible.

"We will continue to improve the wheelchair and mobility aid accessibility of Brisbane's bus network with a $7.6 million project to upgrade the city's network of bus stops.

"Council will also undertake a trial of dedicated priority seating at CBD bus stops to make these bus stops more accessible to passengers who are elderly, people with a disability, pregnant women and parents with small children." ...

There is a very good reason why Brisbane council is the only one that runs a public transport system.  IT DOES NOT WORK.  What is TransLink really about?  We need a proper integrated public transport network with all modes working optimally.  Brisbane City Council puts petty self interest and politics before a proper integrated public transport for all of SEQ.

We have outlined a road map to reform.  The public transport system is in crisis.  Time it was sorted.

Best wishes
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

14th June 2015

Greetings

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk Misses The Bus

A recent article by the Sydney Morning Herald describes the importance of bus network reorganisation and connections.

"The benefits of the Gold Coast line have extended well beyond the tram line, with a 22 per cent increase in the number of public transport trips across the Gold Coast on all modes – buses and trams. This has happened, says Cook, because light rail has allowed the reorganisation of buses.

"We've changed the bus network quite dramatically to feed into the tram at each end, and that improves your overall public transport on the coast, using this as the spine," he says.

More frequent buses now run to light rail stops, where passengers can change to the tram."

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/advocates-of-sydneys-george-street-light-rail-can-take-lessons-from-the-gold-coast-20150612-ghm7nh.html

This 22% patronage increase was achieved in the same high-fares environment that Brisbane City Council's buses operate in. And the tram is actually less frequent than the Gold Coast Highway buses it replaced.  Similar patronage gains are being made in Brisbane's sister city of Auckland, where the entire bus network is now being reorganised.

Introducing selected connection opportunities means that more buses can run more often, cutting waiting time at the bus stop dramatically. This is what drives patronage UP, not down.

Brisbane doesn't have light rail, it has something better - heavy rail trains on a dedicated track. Unlike trams, trains don't have to share intersections with car traffic. More buses in Brisbane's north and west should be running to train stations. See our New Bus Network Proposal http://tiny.cc/newnetwork



Lord Mayor Graham Quirk claims that 'feedback' says that people don't like connections. The problem for him is Brisbane City Council's own Lord Mayor's Mass Transit Report on page 12 says the exact opposite. Worse, there are real-world examples functioning bus networks such as Vancouver, Auckland, Toronto, Houston and now the Gold Coast based around increased connections. And exactly how does the Lord Mayor expect residents of the Centenary suburbs to access health, education and work opportunities at Springfield without performing an interchange?

If Brisbane City Council insists on running every bus route to the CBD, it will not have the funds left over to run its bus network frequently. That's why Brisbane City Council cancelled proposed bus upgrades to Albany Creek, Yeronga and the Centenary suburbs.

In our opinion, the Lord Mayor's so-called bus 'evolution' is phoney. It would take five decades to reform the bus network this way.

Funding for any infrastructure project will not appear any time soon. Intense pressure is growing for bus reform. Deputy Premier Jackie Trad should very seriously consider refusing to sign Brisbane City Council's bus contract and instead nationalise Brisbane Transport.

Don't miss the bus like Brisbane's Lord Mayor!

Best wishes,
Robert

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

References:

Brisbane Bus Reform: Brisbane City Council's Bus Network - What Went Wrong?
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11175.0

Transferring is Good For You and Your City
http://www.humantransit.org/2009/04/why-transferring-is-good-for-you-and-good-for-your-city.html

Report: Frequency is Freedom
http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/reform/BusReformBlueprint.pdf

Lord Mayor's Taskforce: Brisbane Mass Transit Investigation http://wtsag.org.au/sites/default/files/2009-06-04-Lord%20Mayors%20Tasksforce%20Brisbane%20Mass%20Transit%20Investigation.pdf

Taskforce: The taskforce consisted of Cr David McLachlan (LNP, Taskforce Chair), Mr John Gralton and Mr Stephen Lonie supported by a working group from the Brisbane City Council's Urban Transport Section of Transport and Traffic (City Policy and Strategy Division) performing project secretariat and coordination activities.

Advocates of Sydney's George Street light rail can take lessons from the Gold Coast http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/advocates-of-sydneys-george-street-light-rail-can-take-lessons-from-the-gold-coast-20150612-ghm7nh.html

[BrizCommuter]

The BrizCommuter word on a busway observation.
http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2015/06/is-graham-quirk-delusional.html

[ozbob]

The BrizCommuter word on a busway observation.
http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2015/06/is-graham-quirk-delusional.html

^ 

Delusion, denial > defeat.

[ozbob]

Twitter

Robert Dow ‏@Robert_Dow 26m

'Is Graham Quirk delusional? ' > http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2015/06/is-graham-quirk-delusional.html ... #qldpol @Team_Quirk @jackietrad @Rod4Bris

[BrizCommuter]

Twitter

Robert Dow ‏@Robert_Dow 26m

'Is Graham Quirk delusional? ' > http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2015/06/is-graham-quirk-delusional.html ... #qldpol @Team_Quirk @jackietrad @Rod4Bris

Any responses?

[ozbob]

Not directly, but I am sure it has been noticed ..   

[#Metro]

http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/more-of-brisbane-city-councils-not.html

Brizcommuter, you sound like a broken record! Same issues as in 2013...

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

21st June 2015

Greetings

Five decades required for Lord Mayor Quirk's 'bus evolution'

While our Lord Mayor struggles to make the P443 Moggill Rocket bus work with the Legacy Way tunnel - because council and Governments didn't pay for the proper bus connection - let's look at what happened in Brisbane's sister city of Auckland, New Zealand.

Take a look at a recent Auckland Transport video:

"New transport interchanges are opening, like this one in Panmure."

"It's all getting ready for a brand new streamlined public transport system, that will connect Aucklanders in a way that we haven't seen before. Pretty soon you'll be able to turn up and go, like you do in some major cities overseas."

Auckland's mayor and Auckland Council accepted the need for bus reform. Auckland Transport is now busy implementing bus network reform across the entire city, including on the Auckland busway network. In contrast, Brisbane City Council rejected bus reform, so we now have an expensive mess.

Lord Mayor Quirk offers us 'bus network evolution'. In our opinion, it's a phony and a con on the public. Lord Mayor Graham Quirk's concept would take around five decades to implement. Five decades! The Lord Mayor would be 107 years old when that proposal would be complete. How is this even remotely acceptable? Imagine if such a bus network plan was finished this year- it would have had to be first cooked up in 1965. At least the trams were still around then - 'ding ding!'

After the Lord Mayor railed against bus connections, Brisbane City Council's own Lord Mayor's Mass Transit Report surfaced. Contradicting the Lord Mayor, it confirms that Brisbane City Council is well aware of public acceptance for increased connections in a new bus network. Further, we can show the city of Vancouver, Canada relies on a connections-based bus network. Vancouver is a leader in liveability and hardly an example of people jumping in their car due to use of smart bus connections.

The Lord Mayor's policy position is barely credible, isn't it? Perhaps the Lord Mayor should get some new policy advisors.

' New world City ' in the ' smarter state ' ?   Hardly is it ..

Best wishes
Robert

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


References:

Calculation
Approx. 200 routes divided by 4 bus changes/year = 50 years.

Panmure interchange opens
http://transportblog.co.nz/2014/01/18/panmure-interchange-opens/

Panmure's new transport interchange will make life a lot easier for commuters with the walking time between buses and trains now taking less than a minute.

The new bus and train station has been opened today by Mayor Len Brown and Associate Transport Minister, Michael Woodhouse.
"This will be the gateway to Auckland's newest high-frequency busway and is a significant step towards better transport connections for Auckland's eastern suburbs," says Mr Brown.