Bus region Ipswich/Springfield (Western)

[techblitz]

Aren't the buses electronically tracked to see real time if one is late or not?

If they are being tracked then it aint working effectively enough.
Clear and present communication issues that need to be addressed.
Too many buses going 'in limbo'.

[ozbob]

I think I will write a letter to the QT.

Fuking shambles getting worse.

Submitted 25 May 2018

Western (Ipswich) Region Bus - urgent review needed

Dear Editor,

We have noticed increasing feedback to TransLink about problems with the buses.  Late running and cancelled services are making it very difficult for Ipswich bus users.  I was given an assurance in 2015 by TransLink that steps would be taken to review and improve the Western bus network.  Nothing has happened.  It does not take a transport planner to realise that a particular bus run will take longer during the peak periods than in the off peak.  Bus run timetables need to be adjusted to consider that, so timetables are more accurate and there are no flow on disruptions to other services.

Springfield still has the same mediocre bus timetable that was implemented in 2013 when the rail opened.

We call on Ipswich City Council and our State Members of Parliament to press hard now for a bus improvement process. Citizens have been missing the bus for too long!

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Robert Dow

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

[ozbob]

Aren't the buses electronically tracked to see real time if one is late or not?

If they are being tracked then it aint working effectively enough.
Clear and present communication issues that need to be addressed.
Too many buses going 'in limbo'.

Hey TB, I regularly see buses out Goodna way off route, when on my perambulations around the joint.

< Bus User Group ??

[techblitz]

I regularly see buses out Goodna way off route

High turnover of drivers perhaps??
Last time I was down there at the main goodna bus stop I pulled up a 524 driver waiting to start his run and asked why so many lateness issues.....gave him some examples.....the excuse offered up was 'lots of new drivers'.

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 29th May 2018 page 15

Get buses up and running



https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/1001143154869919744

^

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/1001195437028556801

[ozbob]

Enough of the mediocrity !

I have written to ICC requesting a meeting.

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

26th August 2018

Let's fix our bus network!

Dear Mr Chemello,

Now that the future of ICC is settled, I hope the new administration will carry forward with iGO - City of Ipswich Transport Plan ( https://www.ipswich.qld.gov.au/about_council/corporate_publications/igo ) to reduce Ipswich residents' dependency on cars.  An important next step is to lobby the State Government and TransLink for bus network improvements.  The timetables are years out of date, don't reflect the worsening peak traffic congestion issues, and the overall frequency, span of operation and connections to rail stations poor.  Too often citizens are left stranded at bus stops because buses are late or cancelled.

I would like to meet with the appropriate Council representatives and discuss the need for bus network improvements as a priority.

I have previously met with ICC Staff in the Transport area and have made some contribution towards iGO.

Thank you.

Robert Dow

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

[techblitz]

The timetables are years out of date, don't reflect the worsening peak traffic congestion issues

was down there at Goodna mid week walking down queen st to the smiths rd roundabout......seriously it was at least 20 more than likely 30 cars deep waiting to get through the roundabout....this is at 2pm in the afternoon....if it was 3pm I probably wouldn't have cared as much but 2pm?? And as usual there was poor 522 waiting to get through it...

[ozbob]

I have raised the need to do something about the roundabout a number of times with ICC Staff and Councillors over the past 3 years or so.

It gets worse than that TB.  Kilometres of traffic up and down Queen St depending on the times. No wonder Bertie is stuffed. The roundabout should go and programmed lights. In the interim I have suggested that the traffic flow onto the roundabout needs to coordinated so that the flow down Queen St is not stopped by traffic coming around across the traffic stream when the lights to go on and up on the highway are green.  One set of traffic lights coordinated with the main lights is all that is needed.  Goodna was really shafted when they did the Ippy Highway upgrade.  Shocking outcome for St Ives and that particularly. 

[ozbob]

Enough of the mediocrity !

I have written to ICC requesting a meeting.

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

26th August 2018

Let's fix our bus network!

Dear Mr Chemello,

Now that the future of ICC is settled, I hope the new administration will carry forward with iGO - City of Ipswich Transport Plan ( https://www.ipswich.qld.gov.au/about_council/corporate_publications/igo ) to reduce Ipswich residents' dependency on cars.  An important next step is to lobby the State Government and TransLink for bus network improvements.  The timetables are years out of date, don't reflect the worsening peak traffic congestion issues, and the overall frequency, span of operation and connections to rail stations poor.  Too often citizens are left stranded at bus stops because buses are late or cancelled.

I would like to meet with the appropriate Council representatives and discuss the need for bus network improvements as a priority.

I have previously met with ICC Staff in the Transport area and have made some contribution towards iGO.

Thank you.

Robert Dow

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

Finally received a response to this letter.  I will be arranging a follow up meeting.  However, of great interest they have stated that " in February 2018 Council's elected representatives made representations to the Queensland Government regarding the bus network in Ipswich and the immediate need for a 'Whole of Ipswich' bus network review. A formal response to these letters is yet to be received. "

It is now September.   

[ozbob]

I am meeting with Ipswich City Council Transport staff this afternoon.

[ozbob]

Hey TB,

What are your main concerns with the Western Region?

[bretto82]

The span of hours are a huge issue there is no way to go from brassall and get into the city by 7 am when the first bus is around 6 which is a heap of crap when so close to the city centre so it stops a hell of a lot of people who could potentially use the network I tried to make it work and to leave the car at home for mum to do the school run with 4 kids but was not workable taxi at 5 then train 530 into the city by 630 then finish at 4 so first train home 430 back to ippy 530 then bus at 6ish home 630ish not worth the hassle

[ozbob]

The span of hours are a huge issue there is no way to go from brassall and get into the city by 7 am when the first bus is around 6 which is a heap of crap when so close to the city centre so it stops a hell of a lot of people who could potentially use the network I tried to make it work and to leave the car at home for mum to do the school run with 4 kids but was not workable taxi at 5 then train 530 into the city by 630 then finish at 4 so first train home 430 back to ippy 530 then bus at 6ish home 630ish not worth the hassle

Thanks.

[techblitz]

Hey TB,

What are your main concerns with the Western Region?

I don't use Ipswich,brassal etc services so cant comment specifically on those..
I really only observe services around Goodna,wacol,carole park....so 534,522,463,524

My observations and concerns

poor ontime running of the counter peak direction 522`s into Goodna....ive posted multiple times of them running 10-15 minutes late.


The 534/463 through carole park,ellen grove

463
Roxwell St at Lovat Street, Ellen Grove
10:54 am  11:54 am  12:54 pm  1:54 pm  2:54 pm

534
Roxwell St at Lovat Street, Ellen Grove
10:55 am  11:55 am  12:55 pm  1:55 pm  2:55 pm

Two 1 hourly routes in the same direction through this area within 1 minute of each other....surely something could be done to try and have those two routes pass through half an hour apart......

524 or 522
Address the black hole between bertha and queen sts along alice st which is very hilly.....no sensible person traverses those hills and walks to st ives.....they drive.....however if there was a basic bus service at least it is another option...

[ozbob]

^ thanks!

[STB]

I used to schedule the 463 and 534 many years ago (also made the decision with my then supervisor to terminate the service at Forest Lake instead of Inala)...from memory, the 463 was scheduled to connect with trains at Wacol while the 534 is scheduled to meeting uni start times and end times at USQ (ie: lectures, tutorials etc).  Not sure why they end up within 1min of each other, other than to say that when scheduling those bus routes, we treated them separately and within the context of what we wanted passengers to link in with, with the schedule.

As a side note, I remember many years ago we got flak from Carole Park Primary School for having the 463 and 534 not meeting the school start and finish times, something we looked at, at the time.

[techblitz]

ive done a quick check of the bus-rail

534 on its hourly frequency finishes up at orion :27.....then they have a 5 min break then back in the other direction at :33 where is connects to the trains leaving at :39.
Timetabled and organised very well.........EXCEPT....the route would be better off connecting with the :09 inbound trains.

With the 463 remaining as normal...it gives a 30 minute frequency for carole park,ellen grove,roxwell st residential areas into forest lake.

If anyone uses the springfield line after richlands you can look to the left around consodine st and still see even more residential going up. It would only be a 10minute walk to the roxwell st stop from there and the sort of accommodation being built suits students......
It is advised that translink get this sorted a.s.a.p..

[STB]

ive done a quick check of the bus-rail

534 on its hourly frequency finishes up at orion :27.....then they have a 5 min break then back in the other direction at :33 where is connects to the trains leaving at :39.
Timetabled and organised very well.........EXCEPT....the route would be better off connecting with the :09 inbound trains.

With the 463 remaining as normal...it gives a 30 minute frequency for carole park,ellen grove,roxwell st residential areas into forest lake.

If anyone uses the springfield line after richlands you can look to the left around consodine st and still see even more residential going up. It would only be a 10minute walk to the roxwell st stop from there and the sort of accommodation being built suits students......
It is advised that translink get this sorted a.s.a.p..

Yeah, those times would be in the context of getting students from Springfield Central to USQ for lecture/tutorial starts on the hour, with them finishing on the hour on the return trip, while also connecting with trains at Springfield Central.

The housing on Consodine St would depend on whether a bus can turn around and get back on it's route.  Planners plan for what road infrastructure exists, we don't plan for idealistic bus turnarounds etc, so if for example that housing is in an area that is a one way in and one way out, and the bus can't turn around without doing a 3 point turn, then at least when I was working at TL planning, we'd never send a bus into that street regardless of the housing.

An example of that is when we moved route 272 out of the end of Smith St where a retirement village was, it was becoming dangerous having a full length bus doing a 3 point turn to get out of there, the 272 which I think was route 3 once upon a time used piecarts which were able to do that 3 point turn safely, things changed when the piecarts were retired and replaced with new low floor full length buses.

A good way of improving a bus service in an area is making sure that councils don't approve developments in areas where it's basically one way in/one way out - something councils have been guilty of in the past which meant that developments remain permanently unserviced and the area unservicable.

Just to add with route 463, the schedule would also be determined by the buses coming in/out of Goodna station - that is, a 463 would be scheduled to arrive at Goodna station and then timed to depart as route 500 or 522 or 524 - something that gets taken into account too when scheduling.

Another example of that was former route 243 that ran from Thorneside station to Brisbane City (now orginates from Capalaba), route 243 was timed to continue as route 253 from Thorneside station, so the bus was able to maximize it's revenue runs and reduce dead running.

[ozbob]

Thanks for the feedback all. All very useful.

I met with the Principal and a Senior Ipswich City Council transport planners yesterday. 

A general discussion on bus network reform for Ipswich.  They have over a 1000 responses from locals on the issues with the bus network so I offered to give them some of the RTI patronage data and particularly the 17/18 when we get it (which should be soon), as well as some of our comments on particular route issues.  They are working on getting support from TransLink/TMR for network improvements.  As with all these things, it takes time.  So off to a good start with the new administration.

[STB]

If anyone is curious, you can find the HTML timetable for the new upcoming Ripley Town Centre route 531 if you search for it from the 4th February (might be sooner, but that's where it popped up when I did a search for it).

[City Designer]

2 hour gaps during the day and hourly at night.
Eastbound from Yamanto (36 minute running time): 5.54a, 6.21a, 7.21a, 8.21a, 9.25a, 10.25a, 12.25p, 2.25p, 4.25p, 5.25p, 6.29p, 7.24p, 8.24p, 9.24p
Westbound from Orion Springfield (36 minute running time): 5.33a, 6.32a, 7.29a, 8.32a, 9.34a, 11.32a, 1.32p, 3.24p, 4.32p, 5.49p, 6.38p, 7.33p, 8.28p, 9.28p

It will be through routing from other services because the departure times don't line up for the bus to go back on itself.

[City Designer]

Timetable for the 531 has been published today.

Starts Tuesday 29 January 2019.

https://translink.com.au/service-updates/203826

[ozbob]

Timetable for the 531 has been published today.

Starts Tuesday 29 January 2019.

https://translink.com.au/service-updates/203826

Thanks! 

[ozbob]

Queensland Times 17th January 2019 page 3

New bus service fills service void

[ozbob]

On January 29th I think I will get the 531 from Springfield Central station at 11.34am and head to Yamanto.  Then the 515 to Ipswich.

10.27am ex Goodna for Darra.

10.41am ex Darra for Springfield Central.

11.34am 531 ex Springfield Central arrive Yamanto Shopping Centre 12.08pm

12.12 515 ex Yamanto Shopping Centre arrive Bell St 12.32pm

[ozbob]

https://translink.com.au/service-updates/214531

Yamanto Shopping Centre - stop relocation

From Tuesday 29 January, the Yamanto Shopping Centre bus stop will be relocated approximately 50 metres away (towards the Cunningham Highway) to allow for the new route 531 (Springfield Central to Yamanto) to use this stop when it comes into service.

You will still be able to catch roue 515 from this stop until last service Monday 28 January.

If you normally use this stop, please see the new location in the map below.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1089646558692311040

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1090056339747876869

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1090073248757252097

[ozbob]

Some photographs from the trip on the 531 bus Springfield Central > Yamanto.

As bus routes go this is an interesting run.






.
























Photographs R Dow 29th January 2019

[verbatim9]

[ozbob]

Queensland Times --> Your time to take a ride on Ipswich's 'delightful' new route

A "DELIGHTFUL" new bus service has filled the missing public transport link through Ipswich's eastern suburbs.

The long-awaited 531 Translink bus started service on Tuesday; linking Springfield to Ripley and Yamanto.

Transport advocate and Rail Back on Track group spokesman Robert Dow was among the first, and most eager, to travel on the new run.

"It's a lovely run," he said.

Mr Dow has long been critical of the lack of planning for future public transport needs across the growing city.

As he sat on Translink's new Volvo bus, the advocate struggled to find a fault.

"It's a delightful bus route," he said.

"It opens up a growing residential area and I think the bus service is very timely.

"I'd be clutching at straws to be critical."

The 531 route features seven stops and starts from Springfield about 5.30am and terminating at Yamanto about 10pm.

Mr Dow hoped residents would take advantage of the new service and believed its frequency would soon increase.

"Translink has done some really good planning," he said.

"The signage was good, all the stops had special billboards out and on the bus there was a Translink representative.

"Overall it was pretty good."

Mr Dow said the only negative was drivers at Ripley Town Centre parking in the bus stops.

Economic Development Queensland is contributing $6.6million towards the early provision of public transport services in the growing development area.

The cash will come from municipal infrastructure charges levied on developers.

"This is a greenfield project that recognises the importance of delivering effective and efficient solutions to meet the emerging public transport needs of Ripley Valley residents," Minister for Planning Cameron Dick said.

[ozbob]

Queensland Times 31st January 2019 page 5

' Enjoyable ' transport service links city's growing eastern suburbs

[SurfRail]

I still find it bizarre it has such (comparatively) long operating hours but no weekend service at all.  TransLink's modelling is just spooky at times.

[ozbob]

I still find it bizarre it has such (comparatively) long operating hours but no weekend service at all.  TransLink's modelling is just spooky at times.

Yes.  I raised it with the TransLink representative on the bus.  Hopefully it won't be too long, the way the valley is going ahead I think there will be a need sooner than later.

[ozbob]

 

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1098036167302295553

Footnote: TransLink have responded that it will be ' investigated ' etc. ..  Thanks ..

[ozbob]

Queensland Times --> School bus services set for a shake up

A NUMBER of bus routes transporting students to schools in the Ipswich CBD will receive a shake up.

Southern Cross Transit plan to revise services from the start of the next school term in April to address safety issues and minimise lengthy journey times.

Exclusive Ipswich high school services will now have their own route numbers but other services which serve all Ipswich schools will remain unchanged.

Some current services will cease to operate in the current format and the new versions will use a different route and timing and service different suburbs.

But there is still overlap from the old to the new.

Managing director Frank Oliveri said the changes have been made off the back of consultations with drivers and advice from operations staff.

"We have also taken on board concerns, comments and suggestions already received from our community," he said.

"We have released this information on the proposed changes seven weeks before their commencement... to allow our communities to give us feedback.

"We will genuinely consider all feedback and if at all possible, address issues and concerns to make the journey to and from school a safe, comfortable and efficient one."

Any changes will need to be approved by the school transport division of Translink.

"We are confident they will be approved," Mr Oliveri said.

"Given the limited resources we have due to government funding... we are confident that these changes will be well received by the majority."

For more information, visit the Southern Cross Transit website. [ https://www.southerncrosstransit.com.au/single-post/2019/03/04/Ipswich-Service-changes ]

[ozbob]

Queensland Times 7th March 2019 page 5

Commuters are fed up

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1103363760314433536

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1115372627479027712

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1115375913682649088