RBTU - 'Hands Off Our Buses" Facebook Page

[#Metro]

Gazza u might need yr own FB page...
Just fix the buses already!!

Had enough of scare campaigns, new services blocked etc etc..

[#Metro]

I nominate someone else to come up with a meme... James...

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

21st January 2015

"Privatisation" Scare Campaign - committment to reform needed not scare campaigns!

Greetings,


http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af104/tramtrain/CItyCat_PNG_zps79885aa8.png

RAIL Back on Track does not support misinformation for political gain.

Passengers wishing to experience "privatisation" are directed to buy a ticket for Brisbane City Council's CityCats, which are already privately operated by TransDev. All other bus operators in South East Queensland and Cairns are also already private (19 different operators). It is therefore our opinion that certain campaign material appearing in Ashgrove this week is scare campaign material and should be rejected.

This extract below from one of Brisbane City Council's meeting minutes clearly shows Brisbane City Council itself engages in private bus contracting, signing on five private bus companies to operate special event services. Historically selected BUZ 140 services departing Queen Street Bus station were also privately contracted to Park Ridge Transit bus company.


http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af104/tramtrain/BT_Contracts_zps99af914e.png

Objectors to bus reform are well advised to take a ride on Brisbane City Council's "privatised" CityCat. They'll pay exactly the same fares and experience a high quality of service. Gold Coast Light Rail is also a private operation contracted to the State of Queensland and regulated by TransLink. Private bus operators provide all bus services outside of Brisbane. A one zone fare in Ipswich is the same cost as a one zone fare in Brisbane.

Ashgrove candidates should drop the scare campaigning and do something about Lord Mayor Graham Quirk who had asked for funding beyond the 4% allocation, possibly up to 21% more funding from the Queensland Government, which implies a very large 20% fare increase for passengers. Bus network reform is needed, not more ongoing mediocrity.  Will we see 20% fare increases immediately after the election as actually happened in 2010? Our members would like to know!

Enjoy the election!  Travelling free on the go this week yet?  The fare system is somewhat flawed to say the least ...

Best wishes,
Robert

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

References:

1. Extract from Brisbane City Council Minutes 4403 Ordinary Minutes 14 May 2013 (also
contains much discussion about bus review as well)
http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/about-council/governance-strategy/committees-meetings-minutes/councils-meeting-minutes

2. TransLink - Who we work with http://translink.com.au/about-translink/who-we-are/who-we-work-with

3. QLD Election 2015: Will the punters be hit with 20% plus fare increases after the show?
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11195.0

A special election edition of our newsletter ' Public Transport Matters '  can be downloaded direct from:
>> http://backontrack.org/docs/ptm/PTM0115.pdf PDF 1MB

[James]

I nominate someone else to come up with a meme... James...

James is currently posting from his phone, as he is currently in Vancouver gallavanting around on a functional bus network. And my heavens above, the bus operator here is private too!

[#Metro]

Are you sure they are not just public subsidiaries/GOCs? Nothing against it, all I really care about is getting the network functional.

[#Metro]

^ Easily made with Flickr (choose CC images with modification rights) and paintbrush. Just make sure any TL or BCC logo is obscured/censored and proper credits given.

bus icon https://www.google.com.au/search?q=free+bus+icon

[ozbob]

Bus network reform is what we support.  Don't really care how it is achieved, competitive tender or negotiation. Worth noting that all the bus regions outside of Brisbane have had network reform, sadly compromised because of the failure of network reform in Brisbane.  Why should the rest of SEQ suffer because of BCC's intransigence? 

Competitive tender does not necessarily imply privatisation.  Will Brisbane Transport (BT) be competitive on an open tender process?  Certainly won't be on the present network as a basis.  They had an opportunity in 2012/13 but BT was not permitted to cooperate by BCC with TransLink in the review preparation.  BCC have brought it on themselves.  ALP or LNP or whoever the Government ends up being will need to proceed with network reform.  The present shambles simply is not sustainable.

[#Metro]

Updated

[#Metro]

Passengers for Moorooka shops from Archerfield can change to a 900 CityConnector crosstown. Connection would not be difficult to schedule at Coopers Plains. Interchange at Cooper's plains also not difficult to achieve - place a bus stop and a bit of asphalt and line painting. Coopers Plains rail station is DDA compliant.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

Greetings,

Bus Network Reform Required No Matter What



http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/reform/waiting.jpg

What an interesting political situation has developed concerning the Brisbane bus network.

Following the 2009 Queensland Election a punishing 5 year fare path was imposed for public transport in SEQ.  There was no real attempt at proper network reform  until 2013.

BCC resisted proper network reform, the 2013 TransLink bus review for Brisbane fell over. Worth noting is that for all the bus regions outside of Brisbane, they  have had network reform, sadly compromised because of the failure of network reform in Brisbane.  Why should the rest of SEQ suffer reduced services because of BCC's intransigence?

Competitive tender does not necessarily imply privatisation.  Will Brisbane Transport (BT) be competitive on an open tender process?  Certainly won't be on the present network as a basis.  They had an opportunity in 2012/13 but BT was not permitted to cooperate by BCC with TransLink in the review preparation.  BCC have brought it on themselves.  ALP or LNP or whoever the Government ends up being will need to proceed with network reform.  The present shambles simply is not sustainable.  The real enemy of the BT bus drivers is the BCC.

There is a simple solution to the bus mess in Brisbane.  BCC allow Brisbane Transport to sit down with TransLink and revisit the 2013 TransLink review..  Fix up the obvious issues and set about implementing it.

There will then be much more of Brisbane served by buses, more often.  More bus drivers will be needed, not less as patronage climbs on all modes. More money for the fare box, better fare reform possible.

Hysterical scare campaigns are working against the best interests of all.  At least we have the courage to say so.

Best wishes
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

21st January 2015

"Privatisation" Scare Campaign - committment to reform needed not scare campaigns!

Greetings,


http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af104/tramtrain/CItyCat_PNG_zps79885aa8.png

RAIL Back on Track does not support misinformation for political gain.

Passengers wishing to experience "privatisation" are directed to buy a ticket for Brisbane City Council's CityCats, which are already privately operated by TransDev. All other bus operators in South East Queensland and Cairns are also already private (19 different operators). It is therefore our opinion that certain campaign material appearing in Ashgrove this week is scare campaign material and should be rejected.

This extract below from one of Brisbane City Council's meeting minutes clearly shows Brisbane City Council itself engages in private bus contracting, signing on five private bus companies to operate special event services. Historically selected BUZ 140 services departing Queen Street Bus station were also privately contracted to Park Ridge Transit bus company.


http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af104/tramtrain/BT_Contracts_zps99af914e.png

Objectors to bus reform are well advised to take a ride on Brisbane City Council's "privatised" CityCat. They'll pay exactly the same fares and experience a high quality of service. Gold Coast Light Rail is also a private operation contracted to the State of Queensland and regulated by TransLink. Private bus operators provide all bus services outside of Brisbane. A one zone fare in Ipswich is the same cost as a one zone fare in Brisbane.

Ashgrove candidates should drop the scare campaigning and do something about Lord Mayor Graham Quirk who had asked for funding beyond the 4% allocation, possibly up to 21% more funding from the Queensland Government, which implies a very large 20% fare increase for passengers. Bus network reform is needed, not more ongoing mediocrity.  Will we see 20% fare increases immediately after the election as actually happened in 2010? Our members would like to know!

Enjoy the election!  Travelling free on the go this week yet?  The fare system is somewhat flawed to say the least ...

Best wishes,
Robert

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

References:

1. Extract from Brisbane City Council Minutes 4403 Ordinary Minutes 14 May 2013 (also
contains much discussion about bus review as well)
http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/about-council/governance-strategy/committees-meetings-minutes/councils-meeting-minutes

2. TransLink - Who we work with http://translink.com.au/about-translink/who-we-are/who-we-work-with

3. QLD Election 2015: Will the punters be hit with 20% plus fare increases after the show?
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11195.0

A special election edition of our newsletter ' Public Transport Matters '  can be downloaded direct from:
>> http://backontrack.org/docs/ptm/PTM0115.pdf PDF 1MB

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

23 January 2015

Greetings,

Brisbane City Council Bus Features In Privatisation Scare Campaign Ad


http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af104/tramtrain/BCC_AD_PNG_zpsfnqpvjtl.png
Image: Screenshot of video, showing BCC and QLD Gov't logos. Source "Hands Off Our Buses" facebook page.

RAIL Back on Track has become aware of fresh Privatisation Scare Campaign material today.

A Brisbane City Council bus, complete with Brisbane City Council and Queensland Government logos, appears in a new privatisation scare campaign ad.

A voice-over then reads:

"We all miss the occasional bus, but if Campbell Newman gets back in, you won't just miss the bus, you'll miss the buses. Because he wants to privatise them, and the new owners will cut the unprofitable routes, even though people rely on them. So you may not miss the bus now and again, but every day.

We should be investing in our public transport, not privatising it. On January 31st, tell Campbell Newman where to get off."

RAIL Back on Track classifies this material as scare campaign material, and rejects it.

Claim: "...the new owners will cut the unprofitable routes, even though people rely on them."

Facts: All bus operators in Queensland, with the sole exception of Brisbane Transport, are already private, as are the Brisbane CityCats and Gold Coast Light Rail. Almost all bus routes are unprofitable already and private bus operators run these unprofitable bus routes, some with cost recoveries as low as just 2%.

How is this possible?

* Bus operators private or public are paid for their work they do driving the bus by the agency TransLink;
* NOT on how many passengers they carry;
* NOT on how much fare revenue they take in;
* NOT on whether the service is profitable or not - almost all bus routes are unprofitable anyway
* Bus operators have NO authority to cut routes;
* Bus operators have NO authority to alter timetable schedules;
* Bus operators have NO authority to alter fares;

TransLink, a government agency, retains all fare revenue, pays bus companies for their work, retains any profits for cross-subsidy, and retains all planning powers, including powers adjust routes, timetables or fares. The one exception is of course Brisbane Transport, under the control of BCC  and not TransLink, that puts politics before a proper integrated network.

In our opinion, this advertisement is deliberate misinformation for political gain.

It is very sad to see just how politicised Brisbane Transport has become under Brisbane City Council's stewardship, how costs have exploded,  and how patronage has fallen. The advertisement claims that services would be cut - well, well, well, what are the facts? Did you know that the 'black holes' in Yeronga, Centenary, Albany Creek and Bulimba are the direct result of Brisbane City Council cutting proposed high frequency bus services to these suburbs? After insisting that all buses run to the CBD, there was no money left over for investing in public transport in these areas.  Areas outside of Brisbane, the rest of SEQ had cuts to bus service frequency and  hours to prop up the Brisbane bus network.  How about telling the public about that?

RAIL Back on Track members have had a gut-full of Brisbane City Council-fuelled 20% and 15% fare increases.

RAIL Back on Track calls for legislation to be passed through Queensland Parliament altering The City of Brisbane Act.

In our opinion, the sooner the Queensland Government's 1925 decision to hand public transport to BCC is revoked and Brisbane Transport is separated and depoliticised, the better.

RAIL Back on Track is a non-partisan organisation.  We call it as it is.

Best wishes
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

21st January 2015

"Privatisation" Scare Campaign - committment to reform needed not scare campaigns!

Greetings,


http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af104/tramtrain/CItyCat_PNG_zps79885aa8.png

RAIL Back on Track does not support misinformation for political gain.

Passengers wishing to experience "privatisation" are directed to buy a ticket for Brisbane City Council's CityCats, which are already privately operated by TransDev. All other bus operators in South East Queensland and Cairns are also already private (19 different operators). It is therefore our opinion that certain campaign material appearing in Ashgrove this week is scare campaign material and should be rejected.

This extract below from one of Brisbane City Council's meeting minutes clearly shows Brisbane City Council itself engages in private bus contracting, signing on five private bus companies to operate special event services. Historically selected BUZ 140 services departing Queen Street Bus station were also privately contracted to Park Ridge Transit bus company.


http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af104/tramtrain/BT_Contracts_zps99af914e.png

Objectors to bus reform are well advised to take a ride on Brisbane City Council's "privatised" CityCat. They'll pay exactly the same fares and experience a high quality of service. Gold Coast Light Rail is also a private operation contracted to the State of Queensland and regulated by TransLink. Private bus operators provide all bus services outside of Brisbane. A one zone fare in Ipswich is the same cost as a one zone fare in Brisbane.

Ashgrove candidates should drop the scare campaigning and do something about Lord Mayor Graham Quirk who had asked for funding beyond the 4% allocation, possibly up to 21% more funding from the Queensland Government, which implies a very large 20% fare increase for passengers. Bus network reform is needed, not more ongoing mediocrity.  Will we see 20% fare increases immediately after the election as actually happened in 2010? Our members would like to know!

Enjoy the election!  Travelling free on the go this week yet?  The fare system is somewhat flawed to say the least ...

Best wishes,
Robert

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

References:

1. Extract from Brisbane City Council Minutes 4403 Ordinary Minutes 14 May 2013 (also
contains much discussion about bus review as well)
http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/about-council/governance-strategy/committees-meetings-minutes/councils-meeting-minutes

2. TransLink - Who we work with http://translink.com.au/about-translink/who-we-are/who-we-work-with

3. QLD Election 2015: Will the punters be hit with 20% plus fare increases after the show?
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11195.0

A special election edition of our newsletter ' Public Transport Matters '  can be downloaded direct from:
>> http://backontrack.org/docs/ptm/PTM0115.pdf PDF 1MB

[HappyTrainGuy]

sh%t sh%t sh%t sh%t sh%t I'm going to miss the buses....

My bus will be coming along soon...



Any minute now.... Any minute now...

*stretches* Arrrrrrrrr---hhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Any minute now.

*Looks at watch* Still just a few minutes away. I wonder how many buses are going along Gympie Road??

AAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR---HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. *Looks at watch*

My supervisor isn't going to be happy that I'm going to be a little late. Where is this damn bus? It has to be coming any minute now?

Yep. F*** this right off. I'm driving!

.....where the f*** are my buses already???

Oh wait. I don't have any buses to start with. Bugger. Hang on.... Is that a bus I see in the distance??

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

23rd January 2015

Greetings

Scare Campaign?: Falling bus patronage the real threat to bus staff job security

Exhibit A from the Rail Tram and Bus Union's (RTBU) own website suggests that if new bus operators set up in Brisbane, existing
bus drivers will transfer over and keep their jobs. (1)

Exhibit A

http://goo.gl/mWJ8wq

In our opinion, the greatest threat to bus driver's jobs is Brisbane City Council itself. Without bus reform, patronage is now
diving. (2) Accelerating passenger loss from the bus network threatens bus staff job security. Government ownership doesn't
guarantee job security, only strong and growing patronage does. (3) Empty buses don't need drivers, hence losing passengers
eventually means losing staff.

RAIL Back on Track has identified the causes and problems within the Brisbane City Council Bus network, including waste,
inefficiency, and the presence of 'black holes' within the network. (4,5)  Our members have developed a New Bus Network
Proposal to fix these problems across Brisbane at very low cost.(6) Anybody can view our New Bus Network Proposal from their
home computer and compare services to their own house to that of the current Brisbane City Council monopoly. (7,8) Bus reform
means more buses more often, not less.

TransLink attempted to reform the network under negotiated monopoly arrangements in 2013 but this was blocked by Brisbane City
Council, in our opinion, due to the politicisation of Brisbane Transport. All other private bus operators in SEQ participated
in the network redesign; Brisbane City Council did not.

Contrary to scare campaigner claims, independent research from The University of Queensland and Perth's Auditor General confirm
the merits and benefits of bus reform. (9,10) And private bus operators are more than happy to run unprofitable bus services -
indeed they already do so, with some private companies operating services with cost recoveries as low as 2%.

Claims about staff cuts don't stack up. Any bus - public or private - will require someone to drive it as the buses won't drive
themselves. Under bus reform, patronage will increase, leading to a demand for more, not less, bus operators over time. Passengers wishing to experience "privatisation" are directed to buy a ticket for Brisbane City Council's CityCat, run by private operator TransDev.

Only genuine reform of rail and bus networks, together with fare reform will guarantee abundant and low cost public transport for all.

Best wishes
Robert

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

References

1. RBTU Website http://www.rbtu.com.au/ Darwin Bus Service Privatisation.

2. Brisbane commuters abandon buses, choose cars instead
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/brisbane-commuters-abandon-buses-choose-cars-instead-20140911-10fqak.html

3. Full list of Queensland Public Service Redundancies http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/full-list-of-queensland-public-service-redundancies/story-e6freon6-1226471881372 "The Budget papers state that the total reduction in FTE positions is about 14,000"

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

5. The Principles Of Bus Network Reform, Frequency is Freedom, http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/reform/bus_reform.pdf

6. 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

7. New Bus Network Proposal > http://tiny.cc/newnetwork
8. Current BCC Bus Network > http://tiny.cc/checkyourbus

9. The contracting of urban bus services – Recent Australian developments Ian P. Wallis and David J. Bray, Research in Transportation Economics Volume 48, December 2014, Pages 48–61. http://doi:10.1016/j.retrec.2014.09.031

10a. Competition Reform of Transperth Bus Services Report No 3 – June 1997 Performance Examination
https://audit.wa.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/report97_03.pdf

10b. Bus Reform: Further down the road A follow-on examination into competition reform of Transperth bus services Performance
Examination Report No. 6 June 2000 https://audit.wa.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/report2000_06.pdf

10c. Bus Reform: Competition Reform of Transperth Bus Services, Report 3 – June 1997
https://audit.wa.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/1997-Insert-BusReform.pdf

11. http://www.brisbaneferries.com.au/ "Welcome to Transdev, Brisbane's iconic ferry company Transdev Brisbane Ferries operates
the world-class CityCat, CityFerry and CityHopper services on behalf of Brisbane City Council. A trip on the river is the
perfect way to enjoy Brisbane, so hop aboard one of our services that operate daily from 24 terminals along the Brisbane River."

Sent to all outlets:

23 January 2015

Greetings,

Brisbane City Council Bus Features In Privatisation Scare Campaign Ad


http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af104/tramtrain/BCC_AD_PNG_zpsfnqpvjtl.png
Image: Screenshot of video, showing BCC and QLD Gov't logos. Source "Hands Off Our Buses" facebook page.

RAIL Back on Track has become aware of fresh Privatisation Scare Campaign material today.

A Brisbane City Council bus, complete with Brisbane City Council and Queensland Government logos, appears in a new privatisation scare campaign ad.

A voice-over then reads:

"We all miss the occasional bus, but if Campbell Newman gets back in, you won't just miss the bus, you'll miss the buses. Because he wants to privatise them, and the new owners will cut the unprofitable routes, even though people rely on them. So you may not miss the bus now and again, but every day.

We should be investing in our public transport, not privatising it. On January 31st, tell Campbell Newman where to get off."

RAIL Back on Track classifies this material as scare campaign material, and rejects it.

Claim: "...the new owners will cut the unprofitable routes, even though people rely on them."

Facts: All bus operators in Queensland, with the sole exception of Brisbane Transport, are already private, as are the Brisbane CityCats and Gold Coast Light Rail. Almost all bus routes are unprofitable already and private bus operators run these unprofitable bus routes, some with cost recoveries as low as just 2%.

How is this possible?

* Bus operators private or public are paid for their work they do driving the bus by the agency TransLink;
* NOT on how many passengers they carry;
* NOT on how much fare revenue they take in;
* NOT on whether the service is profitable or not - almost all bus routes are unprofitable anyway
* Bus operators have NO authority to cut routes;
* Bus operators have NO authority to alter timetable schedules;
* Bus operators have NO authority to alter fares;

TransLink, a government agency, retains all fare revenue, pays bus companies for their work, retains any profits for cross-subsidy, and retains all planning powers, including powers adjust routes, timetables or fares. The one exception is of course Brisbane Transport, under the control of BCC  and not TransLink, that puts politics before a proper integrated network.

In our opinion, this advertisement is deliberate misinformation for political gain.

It is very sad to see just how politicised Brisbane Transport has become under Brisbane City Council's stewardship, how costs have exploded,  and how patronage has fallen. The advertisement claims that services would be cut - well, well, well, what are the facts? Did you know that the 'black holes' in Yeronga, Centenary, Albany Creek and Bulimba are the direct result of Brisbane City Council cutting proposed high frequency bus services to these suburbs? After insisting that all buses run to the CBD, there was no money left over for investing in public transport in these areas.  Areas outside of Brisbane, the rest of SEQ had cuts to bus service frequency and  hours to prop up the Brisbane bus network.  How about telling the public about that?

RAIL Back on Track members have had a gut-full of Brisbane City Council-fuelled 20% and 15% fare increases.

RAIL Back on Track calls for legislation to be passed through Queensland Parliament altering The City of Brisbane Act.

In our opinion, the sooner the Queensland Government's 1925 decision to hand public transport to BCC is revoked and Brisbane Transport is separated and depoliticised, the better.

RAIL Back on Track is a non-partisan organisation.  We call it as it is.

Best wishes
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

21st January 2015

"Privatisation" Scare Campaign - committment to reform needed not scare campaigns!

Greetings,


http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af104/tramtrain/CItyCat_PNG_zps79885aa8.png

RAIL Back on Track does not support misinformation for political gain.

Passengers wishing to experience "privatisation" are directed to buy a ticket for Brisbane City Council's CityCats, which are already privately operated by TransDev. All other bus operators in South East Queensland and Cairns are also already private (19 different operators). It is therefore our opinion that certain campaign material appearing in Ashgrove this week is scare campaign material and should be rejected.

This extract below from one of Brisbane City Council's meeting minutes clearly shows Brisbane City Council itself engages in private bus contracting, signing on five private bus companies to operate special event services. Historically selected BUZ 140 services departing Queen Street Bus station were also privately contracted to Park Ridge Transit bus company.


http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af104/tramtrain/BT_Contracts_zps99af914e.png

Objectors to bus reform are well advised to take a ride on Brisbane City Council's "privatised" CityCat. They'll pay exactly the same fares and experience a high quality of service. Gold Coast Light Rail is also a private operation contracted to the State of Queensland and regulated by TransLink. Private bus operators provide all bus services outside of Brisbane. A one zone fare in Ipswich is the same cost as a one zone fare in Brisbane.

Ashgrove candidates should drop the scare campaigning and do something about Lord Mayor Graham Quirk who had asked for funding beyond the 4% allocation, possibly up to 21% more funding from the Queensland Government, which implies a very large 20% fare increase for passengers. Bus network reform is needed, not more ongoing mediocrity.  Will we see 20% fare increases immediately after the election as actually happened in 2010? Our members would like to know!

Enjoy the election!  Travelling free on the go this week yet?  The fare system is somewhat flawed to say the least ...

Best wishes,
Robert

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

References:

1. Extract from Brisbane City Council Minutes 4403 Ordinary Minutes 14 May 2013 (also
contains much discussion about bus review as well)
http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/about-council/governance-strategy/committees-meetings-minutes/councils-meeting-minutes

2. TransLink - Who we work with http://translink.com.au/about-translink/who-we-are/who-we-work-with

3. QLD Election 2015: Will the punters be hit with 20% plus fare increases after the show?
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11195.0

A special election edition of our newsletter ' Public Transport Matters '  can be downloaded direct from:
>> http://backontrack.org/docs/ptm/PTM0115.pdf PDF 1MB

[#Metro]

Effects of Tanya Plibersek's PT media conference this morning filtering through:

http://www.9news.com.au/national/2015/01/23/15/13/labor-campaigns-against-privatising-buses
http://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/labor-campaigns-against-privatising-buses/story-e6frfku9-1227194670462

Usual nonsense - Melbourne has cheaper fares, all State Gov't paid, none of this 2-level gov't game playing etc...

Brisbane City Council bus services will suffer and fares will go up if the Newman government wins a second term, the Labor party has warned.

Federal deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek joined the party's candidate for the Brisbane seat of Chatsworth, Paul Keene, on Friday to campaign against the privatisation of the city's buses.

The seat of Chatsworth includes a large Brisbane City Council bus depot at Carina, in Brisbane's inner southeast.

Ms Plibersek claims Premier Campbell Newman wants to privatise Brisbane's buses, which she says will lead to fewer services and higher bus fares as seen in Victoria when former premier Jeff Kennett privatised the state's public transport system in 1999.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Oh thank god Translinks fares didn't go up while Labor was in power 

[BrizCommuter]

I really don't think the ALP are fit for government yet. It's a very poor choice in this election again!
http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/brizcommuter-special-2015-queensland_23.html

[Fattious]

Here is the link to the hands off our buses Facebook video post for you to contribute comments

https://touch.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=848648621864590&id=821146724614780&fs=5&ref=m_notif&notif_t=share_reply

[pandmaster]

I saw people with "Hands off our buses" shirts in the city today. It is such a shame so much effort is being put campaigning in the wrong area: the real enemy is BCC's network design. The only thing substantial the ALP has had to say about transport is based on misinformation. If they are so against contracting bus routes will they be returning the other regions to public operators when in power?

[techblitz]

Its actually quite impressive how much influence the union is having in all of this..i suspect a few BT bus drivers and family members would be campaigning.......as for the page...fast approaching 2000 likes......

[ozbob]

Be a shame when they lose their jobs hey?  Wrong message ... just getting the LNP really off side.

Good luck to them.

[dwb]

rBOt keeps harping on about the ferries being private, well who pays to build the ferries?

[HappyTrainGuy]

The same that pays for the buses?? 

[petey3801]

rBOt keeps harping on about the ferries being private, well who pays to build the ferries?

Can't say i'm entirely sure what this has to do with the conversation? In Melbourne, the trains are bought by the Government, but are run by a private operator... Pretty sure the buses in Perth are build/bought by the Government, but operated by private operators (happy to be corrected on this point). What's the difference?

[SurfRail]

rBOt keeps harping on about the ferries being private, well who pays to build the ferries?

Who pays to build the buses?  Given the question you've asked, I think you'll be surprised by the answer to this one.

[dwb]

The fleet would not be like it is now without BTs influence whether they paid for them or not. The ferries would not exist without BT. And it is BCC who pay for the citycats and prior to disaster recovery the terminals too. Translink or a regional/state based regulator would never create the ferry aystem

[ozbob]

For interest --> http://www.brisbaneferries.com.au/about-us-2/our-history/  Excellent summary.

BT can be competitive if allowed to be by BCC IMHO.  BCC have indicated that they think they will be competitive in a competitive tender process. 

Read into that what you may. 

[SurfRail]

The fleet would not be like it is now without BTs influence whether they paid for them or not. The ferries would not exist without BT. And it is BCC who pay for the citycats and prior to disaster recovery the terminals too. Translink or a regional/state based regulator would never create the ferry aystem

And the railways wouldn't exist without the people in Grandchester needing to send their goods up to the port in the 1860's.

Who gives a flying fig about ancient history? 

History is no more relevant to this than to the other idiotic things in the system, like the unnecessary route 301 diversion via Pleystowe Crescent, or the reason there is a 475 and 476 instead of one route - neither of which a sensible operator would tolerate.

If bus reform happens, the system will probably end up costing (based on the most conservative figures) around 10% less to run, or $30m.  If we can achieve the kind of savings Adelaide did (38%), then the system would cost $120m less to run.  There's your ferry funding and about 8 new high frequency routes, plus a smattering of improvements elsewhere.  Wipes out BCC's funding contribution in one fell stroke by making it irrelevant.

In any event - ferries are 100% privately operated and have been for years.  The only reason BCC pays for the ferries is that section 91 of the City of Brisbane Act 2010 gives them a monopoly.  The State wouldn't be able to do anything without their agreement to begin with.  Change that and the whole problem goes away.

[#Metro]

You don't need the local council to own the buses to have a bus system, yes even a decent one. I mean, the way people talk makes one think Sydney, Melbourne and Perth do not have buses? I rode a bus in Melbourne (Grendas or Ventura?) and it was the same bus BCC uses minus the BCC-stamped seat covers.

BCC ran its bus fleet into the ground - ancient, rusty, diesel belching unairconditioned wrecks on wheels from the 1980s IIRC in 2004. Was a miracle that the council changed and the buses got an upgrade - could have easily gone the other way.

[#Metro]

Translink or a regional/state based regulator would never create the ferry system

Sydney has ferries. Not run by the council.
Perth has ferries too.

[SurfRail]

You know one other thing the BCC did?

Turned this:



into this!:

[#Metro]

Only another week to go now.

Expect 10x the lies and misinformation - pollies and their campaigners know full well if multiple people repeat the same lies and mistruths it is recited into factuality. Hence the red team media conference on friday.

The only people who have had any half decent comprehensive policy on PT have been the QLD Greens. They have the whole package.

And goodness me, to see Di Farmer of Bulimba campaigning with Plibersek et al spreading nonsense is just deplorable. Her electorate is Bulimba, would have got upgrades under Translink 2013, and under RBOT Bus Reform would have a full blown BulimbaGlider. A concept EXPLICITLY rejected by BCC ---> http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/calls-for-bulimba-glider-rejected-20120201-1qtbt.html

Bulimba is also the most marginal seat there is.  Certainly should be questioned her position re Bus reform in Bulimba... why support something that blocks an upgrade to her area? BCC certainly NOT interested in Bulimba bus upgrades.

It is no co-incidence, politicians know very well what they are up to.

[SurfRail]

We really need somebody like Aunty Gladys up here to sort out the malaise.  She may have gotten some noses out of joint but by God she is doing something.

[#Metro]

Sorry Di, it's called The CityCat... same fares etc.
Oh, and Perth? Actually made savings...

"Sold to the highest bidder" - er no asset is being sold, the businesses are offering to supply services. Presumably the lower bidders will win. Clearly has no idea what the difference between tendering for a supply contract for services and selling an asset is.

Technically there is no reason why BCC could not bid for bus contracts outside the BCC area. Hence it is not automatically a "privatisation" either. It is theoretically possible that BCC could EXPAND to engulf Logan for example. But is sounds scarier when you drop the P word, I guess votes have to be scraped no matter what...

"Privatisation can only mean cuts to services and increased fares" - which organisation cut bus upgrades to Bulimba? Hint: wasn't a private company... Which organisation helped push fares up by 20%? Same clue!!

[#Metro]

I have to say, if Red Team get into QLD Gov, they are setting themselves up for one gigantic royal headache if they have to then disburse funds to BCC... The mayor wants more, possibly 20% more, where is that going to come from?

Make your own downfall I guess.

[MaxHeadway]

If Red Team get into QLD Gov, they are setting themselves up for one gigantic royal headache if they have to then disburse funds to BCC... The mayor wants more, possibly 20% more, where is that going to come from?

Rates increases? They've done that before.

[#Metro]

It dawned me today looking at the photo with red team MPs all around making blatant mistruths - there can be no excuse for this. Red team actually set up the entire TransLink system to be the sole system co-ordinator, so there can be no reason why they do not know how it all works. They set it up!!

Fast forward 11 years and they want to keep the primacy of BT but keep TL as well... talk about a contradiction. Why set up TL if you didn't want to transfer the powers from BT?

Even more crazy is the "special treatment" - BT is supposed to be kept public because of reasons X, Y, Z but then there are all the other private operators on Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Ipswich - these are not exactly small towns. Are those going to be subject to public takeover too or not? If the answer is no, why the inconsistency then?

[ozbob]

Unless labor start to roll out some specific policies they will go down. 

LNP is about to go into policy overdrive I expect, despite the wheels falling off Newman's bus ..

[James]

I have to say, if Red Team get into QLD Gov, they are setting themselves up for one gigantic royal headache if they have to then disburse funds to BCC... The mayor wants more, possibly 20% more, where is that going to come from?

Make your own downfall I guess.

The ALP has a magic money pot that they will draw funding out of, just like they have for everything else, so even more people from zone 4/5/6 can have rockets and BUZes fired from their house to the CBD. Council won't raise rates, especially given the 2015/16 financial year contains a local government election. ALP doesn't understand that the problem is BCC.

[Fattious]

The movement has a rally on today at Queens park, might drop in and educate a few of them. Is there any evidence that private operator drivers get a worse deal then BT drivers?

I've actually found Logan Bus Services drivers seem to have higher job satisfaction and a more healthy approach to passengers than BT.

[#Metro]

It's not about education, it is not about facts. It is purely about scaring enough people to tilt the votes. They already know what they are doing and where they are wrong.

Be careful with crowds, you may be lynched.

Take care!