Public Transport Queensland - An Independent Transport Authority

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1055487396127490048

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1055553883290841088

[ozbob]

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1055490425731989504

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1055581366107037697

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

21st November 2018

It's time - Public Transport Queensland, come on down!

Good Morning.

The Couriermail ran the the series #FutureSEQ and they concluded that " Greater Brisbane's public transport worst in the nation" with the headline " The key indicator our public transport sucks "  https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/future-seq/greater-brisbanes-public-transport-worst-in-the-nation/news-story/466797fa154d1b2ed9f1548801d4f61b

As we have been pointing out for years the basics for public transport are simply neglected in SEQ.  Bus network reform is well overdue, this alone would drive significant gains in patronage and is essentially low cost compared to the billions of dollars being poured into concrete.

Our bus network proposal for Brisbane was launched on the 5th November 2014 ( https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11047.msg148434#msg148434 - a copy of the media release ).  It is never too late to start to pick up the pieces.

Our rail network is a gross under performer sadly.  Transperth (Perth WA), a rail network roughly a quarter the size of the SEQ rail network carried 8 million more passengers than the Citytrain network in 2017-18.  There is a lot of latent capacity on rail in SEQ, it needs to be tapped.   Queensland Rail Citytrain network should aim for 100 million passengers annually in three years (presently 52 million).

The key issue though is the organisation, administration and delivery of public transport in Queensland.  The present structures have delivered failure - rail fail, botched new trains - NGRs, bus network reform fail, fare fail, greater Brisbane now the nation's worst for public transport access, half hearted DDA compliance.  The structure needs reform.  There needs to be a stand alone public transport authority (a model such as the Public Transport Authority of WA is a good one) with the resources and the will to properly champion public transport and turnaround the failure.  The present structure of Transport and Main Roads and TransLink will not.  They will just continue to propagate failure.  The Government did task the Citytrain Response Unit to make recommendations with respect to an Integrated Public Transport Model.  They completed the review December 2017 and passed to Government for consideration ( https://www.cru.qld.gov.au/Reports ). Nothing has been heard since.

Do nothing is not an option, it is time to bite the bullet of structural reform.

Best wishes,

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

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1064903426843144192

[ozbob]

Facebook ...

[ozbob]

^ strong response to this post!   

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1065158876788453376

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

22nd November 2018

Re: It's time - Public Transport Queensland, come on down!

Good Morning,

Despite many in transport ignoring the ' elephant in the room ', punters are a bit wiser than the transport bumblers give us credit for.

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/RAILBackOnTrack/posts/2331707796843394

Strong response.  It is time there was proper reform.  To keep blundering on with what has delivered failure, and will continue to deliver failure is pointless.  More failure or success?  The choice is yours Government. Please move on from the spin and media management fixation,  and actually do what is needed. Public Transport Queensland  - come on down!

Best wishes,
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

21st November 2018

It's time - Public Transport Queensland, come on down!

Good Morning.

The Couriermail ran the the series #FutureSEQ and they concluded that " Greater Brisbane's public transport worst in the nation" with the headline " The key indicator our public transport sucks "  https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/future-seq/greater-brisbanes-public-transport-worst-in-the-nation/news-story/466797fa154d1b2ed9f1548801d4f61b

As we have been pointing out for years the basics for public transport are simply neglected in SEQ.  Bus network reform is well overdue, this alone would drive significant gains in patronage and is essentially low cost compared to the billions of dollars being poured into concrete.

Our bus network proposal for Brisbane was launched on the 5th November 2014 ( https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11047.msg148434#msg148434 - a copy of the media release ).  It is never too late to start to pick up the pieces.

Our rail network is a gross under performer sadly.  Transperth (Perth WA), a rail network roughly a quarter the size of the SEQ rail network carried 8 million more passengers than the Citytrain network in 2017-18.  There is a lot of latent capacity on rail in SEQ, it needs to be tapped.   Queensland Rail Citytrain network should aim for 100 million passengers annually in three years (presently 52 million).

The key issue though is the organisation, administration and delivery of public transport in Queensland.  The present structures have delivered failure - rail fail, botched new trains - NGRs, bus network reform fail, fare fail, greater Brisbane now the nation's worst for public transport access, half hearted DDA compliance.  The structure needs reform.  There needs to be a stand alone public transport authority (a model such as the Public Transport Authority of WA is a good one) with the resources and the will to properly champion public transport and turnaround the failure.  The present structure of Transport and Main Roads and TransLink will not.  They will just continue to propagate failure.  The Government did task the Citytrain Response Unit to make recommendations with respect to an Integrated Public Transport Model.  They completed the review December 2017 and passed to Government for consideration ( https://www.cru.qld.gov.au/Reports ). Nothing has been heard since.

Do nothing is not an option, it is time to bite the bullet of structural reform.

Best wishes,

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

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1065276862836891649

[ozbob]

A proper stand alone statutory authority, with the resources, the will to champion public transport improvements for Queensland.
It's time! Come on down PTQ !https://t.co/lfChnZFHCj#qldpol pic.twitter.com/T9cG65tXRJ

— ozbob13 (@ozbob13) November 21, 2018

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1066362208135729152

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

11th December 2018

Queensland: Commission Of Inquiry New Generation Rollingstock trains - what it really shows

Good Morning,

Well done Commissioner Forde and the COI staff team.  The inquiry is a comprehensive report into the matters leading to the botched NGR train outcomes.  The findings are disturbing to say the least.  Egos and incompetence before community have been laid bare.

The Final Report > https://www.traininquiryngr.qld.gov.au/assets/custom/docs/coi-final-report-2018.pdf  PDF 3 MB

Government Response > https://www.traininquiryngr.qld.gov.au/assets/custom/docs/government-response-to-final-report.pdf PDF 129 KB

Does anyone really think though that without proper structural and organisational reform anything is really going to change?  We don't.

The key issue is the current organisation, administration and delivery of public transport in Queensland.  The present structures have delivered failure - rail fail, botched new trains - NGRs, bus network reform fail, fare fail, greater Brisbane now the nation's worst for public transport access, half hearted DDA compliance.  The structure needs reform.

There needs to be a stand alone public transport authority (a model such as the Public Transport Authority of WA is a good one) with the resources and the will to properly champion public transport and turnaround the failure.  The present structure of Transport and Main Roads and TransLink will not clearly.  They will just continue to propagate failure.  The Government did task the Citytrain Response Unit to make recommendations with respect to an Integrated Public Transport Model.  They completed the review December 2017 and passed to Government for consideration ( https://www.cru.qld.gov.au/Reports ). Nothing has been heard since.

Do nothing is not an option, it is time to bite the bullet of structural reform and put this era of failure behind us.

Best wishes,
Robert

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

Media release 10 December 2018

Queensland: Commission Of Inquiry New Generation Rollingstock

RAIL Back On Track (https://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers looks forward to the public release of the findings of the Commission of inquiry into the New Generation Rollingstock (COI NGR) Trains.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"RAIL Back On Track became increasingly concerned with the NGR project from around July 2012.  Following the raising of concerns with accessibility issues with the NGR trains in 2015 we monitored the project very closely.  In March 2017 we subsequently made an application to the Queensland Auditor General (QAG) to audit the project such were our serious concerns.  This was declined by the QAG several months later. We constantly made repeated calls for an inquiry into the project.  These calls were essentially ignored by the Government.

"So on the 14th May 2018 we launched our own NGR Public Inquiry (1).  This in turn led to the Queensland State Government to establish the proper Commission of inquiry into the New Generation Rollingstock Trains (2, 3). We then suspended our own NGR Public Inquiry."

"RAIL Back On Track made several submissions to the AHRC, and a submission to the COI NGR.  Robert Dow Administration RAIL Back On Track was interviewed in person by the Commissioner as part of the COI proceedings."

"Our purpose in seeking an inquiry has been that unless there was a proper inquiry into the NGR project the failings will not be properly identified and the mistakes can and probably will occur again. This is very important as we have determined the State will need another 50 six car train sets (this is additional to the present order of 75 six car NGR trains) to meet the service requirements when Cross River Rail is completed in 2024."

"We also hope that the  full details of the DDA compliance rectification program for the NGR trains, including timelines and costs will be publicly released today."

References:

1. 14 May 2018: Queensland: New Generation Rollingstock Public Inquiry commenced
https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=13143.0

2. 23 July 2018: Statement: New Generation Rollingstock inquiry
http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2018/7/23/new-generation-rollingstock-inquiry

3. Commission of inquiry into New Generation Rollingstock Trains
https://www.traininquiryngr.qld.gov.au/

Contact:

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

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1076336858093633537

[AnonymouslyBad]

I'm surprised the Labor government hasn't done this already, consider folding TransLink back into the Department was a Campbell Newman Special in the first place. Let's not pretend anything new is being suggested here - I still have a go card issued by the TransLink Transit Authority with no TMR branding whatsoever

They definitely had a lot more teeth (and resources) back then.

Though as always so much depends on the resourcing and political capital of each agency. PTV has to watch their tram network disintegrate into unreliability more and more every year because really they can't do anything without VicRoads.

[ozbob]

Our preferred structure is the Public Transport Authority of WA

PTA WA > http://www.pta.wa.gov.au/

Organisational structure > http://www.pta.wa.gov.au/about-us/our-role/organisational-structure

We must get PT out of TMR, it has been a disaster with them sadly ...  I am surprised the DG is still there ..   

[achiruel]

If PTQ exists, won't the Minister for TMR still be the responsible Minister? Maybe Public Transport need its own fully-fledge department?

[ozbob]

If PTQ exists, won't the Minister for TMR still be the responsible Minister? Maybe Public Transport need its own fully-fledge department?

Yes, that's the idea. PTQ with a Minister for Public Transport ( as far away from DTMR as possible ..  )

PTQ would be a stand alone statutory authority, as for PTA WA.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1086758938421293056

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

24th March 2019

Public Transport Queensland - a proper authority for public transport is needed now!

Good Morning,

As we have been pointing out for years the basics for public transport are simply neglected in SEQ.  Bus network reform is well overdue, this alone would drive significant gains in patronage and is essentially low cost compared to the billions of dollars being poured into concrete.
Our bus network proposal for Brisbane was launched on the 5th November 2014 ( https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11047.msg148434#msg148434 - a copy of the media release ).  It is never too late to start to pick up the pieces.

Our Citytrain rail network is a gross under performer sadly.  Transperth (Perth WA), a rail network roughly a quarter the size of the SEQ rail network carried 8 million more passengers than the Citytrain network in 2017-18.  There is a lot of latent capacity on rail in SEQ, it needs to be tapped.   Queensland Rail Citytrain network should aim for 100 million passengers annually in three years (presently ~ 52 million).

The key issue though is the present failing organisation, administration and delivery of public transport in Queensland.  The present structures have delivered gross failure - rail fail, botched new trains - NGRs, bus network reform fail, fare fail, greater Brisbane now the nation's worst for public transport access, half hearted DDA compliance.  The structure needs reform.

There needs to be a stand alone public transport authority (a model such as the Public Transport Authority of WA  http://www.pta.wa.gov.au is a good one) with the resources, funding and the will to properly champion public transport and turnaround the failure.  The present structure of Transport and Main Roads and TransLink will not.  They will just continue to propagate failure.  The Government did task the Citytrain Response Unit to make recommendations with respect to an Integrated Public Transport Model.  They completed the review December 2017 and passed to Government for consideration ( https://www.cru.qld.gov.au/Reports ). Nothing has been heard since.

We have long lost confidence in TMR.  TransLink are an emaciated shell with limited resources and authority, inadequate funding, and sadly micromanaged by incompetent TMR bureaucrats who act as an obstacle to improvements and are agents of non-transparency in our opinion.
Do nothing is not an option, it is time to bite the bullet of structural reform.

Best wishes,

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

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1109577500303081472

[ozbob]

Facebook ..

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1109634928784740353

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 25th March 2019 page 13

Realistic transport solutions needed

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

27th March 2019

Time for action to sort the PT mess ...

Good Morning,

Public transport in SEQ is in disarray.  Railfail continues along, with no resolution in sight.

Bus network in urgent need of reform.   Minister for Transport and BCC in a stand off over the Brisbane ' Metro ' project.

TransLink understaffed, under-resourced, without any real authority, and service improvement underfunded.

The real issue is getting a proper public transport authority in place.  DTMR is a well demonstrated failure.

We call on the Premier to direct that Public Transport Queensland be put in place, and a dedicated Minister for Public Transport be charged with sorting the mess.

Best wishes,
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

24th March 2019

Public Transport Queensland - a proper authority for public transport is needed now!

Good Morning,

As we have been pointing out for years the basics for public transport are simply neglected in SEQ.  Bus network reform is well overdue, this alone would drive significant gains in patronage and is essentially low cost compared to the billions of dollars being poured into concrete.
Our bus network proposal for Brisbane was launched on the 5th November 2014 ( https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11047.msg148434#msg148434 - a copy of the media release ).  It is never too late to start to pick up the pieces.

Our Citytrain rail network is a gross under performer sadly.  Transperth (Perth WA), a rail network roughly a quarter the size of the SEQ rail network carried 8 million more passengers than the Citytrain network in 2017-18.  There is a lot of latent capacity on rail in SEQ, it needs to be tapped.   Queensland Rail Citytrain network should aim for 100 million passengers annually in three years (presently ~ 52 million).

The key issue though is the present failing organisation, administration and delivery of public transport in Queensland.  The present structures have delivered gross failure - rail fail, botched new trains - NGRs, bus network reform fail, fare fail, greater Brisbane now the nation's worst for public transport access, half hearted DDA compliance.  The structure needs reform.

There needs to be a stand alone public transport authority (a model such as the Public Transport Authority of WA  http://www.pta.wa.gov.au is a good one) with the resources, funding and the will to properly champion public transport and turnaround the failure.  The present structure of Transport and Main Roads and TransLink will not.  They will just continue to propagate failure.  The Government did task the Citytrain Response Unit to make recommendations with respect to an Integrated Public Transport Model.  They completed the review December 2017 and passed to Government for consideration ( https://www.cru.qld.gov.au/Reports ). Nothing has been heard since.

We have long lost confidence in TMR.  TransLink are an emaciated shell with limited resources and authority, inadequate funding, and sadly micromanaged by incompetent TMR bureaucrats who act as an obstacle to improvements and are agents of non-transparency in our opinion.
Do nothing is not an option, it is time to bite the bullet of structural reform.

Best wishes,

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

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1110567574985596928

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 29th March 2019 page 11

Public transport in the state of disarray

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1111341414699286528

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1116008581092990976

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1122891066791747585

[ozbob]

It is very clear that any constructive move to fix the festering mess that is the structure of the way public transport is administered and delivered in Queensland is not going to happen with the present pathetic Government.  The CRU recommendations obviously have been dismissed.  I have little doubt the bureaucracy would have lobbied relentlessly to keep on board the gravy train of bumble.  Weak political leadership has cost a lot sadly, and will cost a lot more in the future.

The same bumbling organisation and structures will continue to deliver the same great big cluster-fuk of failure sadly.

Not much point in wasting any more effort on PTQ. 

At least Ms Trad had the smarts and got Cross River Rail out of the reach of the bumblers at TMR. 

[Stillwater]

Given the mess that is SCL duplication - now priced at $800m due to inaction and rescoping etc - do we really think this crowd will be able to spend $2 billion PLUS per year from now until 2032 on rail infrastructure?  The best they could achieve is a feasibility study, maybe a business case and drive-through and another strategy document -- titled something like 'SEQ's Rings of Rail: Getting Ready for the Olympics', with all the construction to occur in 2031. Fingers crossed.

[ozbob]

'SEQ's Rings of Rail: Getting Ready for the Olympics'

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1126386804293230592

[ozbob]

 

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1146661527560192000

[ozbob]

Melbourne on Transit Blog

Local government transport strategies - where councils are at

https://melbourneontransit.blogspot.com/2019/09/local-government-transport-strategies.html

" ... Public transport in Australian capitals is generally a state/territory government responsibility, with occasional federal government funding for major infrastructure projects. This is sensible and works well.

South Australia and Tasmania ceded their regional passenger railways to the federal government in the 1970s but ended up with none surviving. Brisbane's urban network is a mess with two extensive but infrequent and duplicative rail and bus systems (managed by state and local government respectively) instead of a developed integrated network like Perth's. Then there's overseas experiences, such as the transit networks in some North American cities that stop at municipal limits even though settlement has since spread beyond.  ... "

[ozbob]

Fixing the Trains—September Quarter 2019 (PDF, 764 KB)  Page 11

Suggests that the Review 36A-C  Undertake review of transport governance is still in progress.

Progress " Continued government stakeholder consultation on a proposed new, integrated public transport model for Queensland. Work continuing on options for proposal/recommended model prior to Government consideration "

Seems to be deliberately drawn out ... has a completion target for end of 2020.  This is post election ...