Adelaide Metro items of interest

[ozbob]

Advertiser --> Public transport users fined for feet on seats, fare dodging, graffiti, offensive behaviour and smoking

PASSENGERS who make themselves at home on public transport have been fined more than $7000 for putting their feet on seats.

There were 45 fines of $165 for this offence among the more than 2500 fines issued to public transport passengers last financial year.

Among the other crimes punished with on-the-spot fines were fare dodging, graffiti, offensive behaviour and smoking at bus shelters, latest police figures show.

Last financial year's fine figure of 2523 was, however, a massive decrease on the 6848 fines issued in the previous 12 months.

Passengers putting feet on seats drew the ire of several train travellers when a picture of mud left on a seat by dirty shoes was posted on the Noarlunga Line Commuters Facebook page.

Comments posted by passengers included "yuk'' and I "get really annoyed with people needing to put there (sic) feet on the seats.

Another commuter posted: "Some people who travel on the public trains treat them like a toilet leaving behind all their mess that just needs never to be seen by anyone else!''

People for Public Transport president Thanasis Avramis welcomed the feet on seat fines because he said it was an issue that peeved other passengers.

"It seems fair enough to fine people who do that,'' he said.

He was also pleased to see the fall in total fines issued across the Adelaide Metro network.

"I imagine things have improved because I can't imagine the fall is due to offenders becoming cleverer at avoiding fines,'' he said.

The fines fall was the result of a crackdown on passengers behaving badly, the Transport Department said.

"A sustained campaign against fare evaders on Adelaide's public transport is paying off with a fall in the number of expiation notices issued during 2015/16,'' a department spokeswoman said.

"Our public awareness campaign 'FarePlayer' and a very strong focus on fare evaders and anti-social behaviour is having an impact.''

However, the spokeswoman admitted that "fare evasion rates are still too high'' robbed the public transport system of money to "spend on extra services and new infrastructure''.

"We take fare evasion extremely seriously and will continue to look at putting in new and innovative measures to ensure that it is kept to an absolute minimum,'' she said.

"One of these strategies will be the introduction of ticket barriers and increased CCTV at Salisbury and Noarlunga train stations.''

The fare evasion crackdown included "checking more tickets, more often and having officers patrol the network in uniform and plain clothes,'' she said.

There were 120 "revenue protection operations'' conducted financial year with officers checking more than 442,000 tickets.

[ozbob]

Widespread (entire state) blackout for SA.  A HV transmission tower fell in strong winds/storms and by a domino effect entire state out.

Interestingly diesel trains still operating, sparks not of course.  Buses being diverted from normal routes to railway stations to pick up pax stranded by electricity failure.

Adelaide Now --> Massive blackout across South Australia as storm sweeps across state

THE entire state has lost all power in the midst of today's big storm.

Traffic lights are down, roads are in chaos and building fire alarms are blaring across the city.

The operators of SA's high-voltage power network, ElectraNet, are in an emergency meeting to determine the cause of the unprecedented electricity collapse and plot a solution.

There is no estimated time when power will be restored but it is understood authorities expect the blackout to last at least four to eight hours.

The cause is believed to be a Mid North high-voltage transmission tower toppling in the severe weather. This created a domino effect, shutting down the state ...

[ozbob]

UPDATE 4.35pm: regular Adelaide Metro buses diverting to Metropolitan train stations along Seaford, Tonsley lines to assist customers.

— AdelaideMetroSA (@AdelaideMetroSA) September 28, 2016

[ozbob]

Whoa! SA's elec consumption has dropped to 22MW with the storms. Stay safe SA! https://t.co/DcJzdc4auK #AdelaideStorm #energy @NEMwatch pic.twitter.com/IuWyg0COvz

— Energy Consumers Aus (@eca_advocacy) September 28, 2016

[ozbob]

Major power outage affecting transport - traffic lights, tram and electric train services. Please be extremely careful wherever you are

— Stephen Mullighan MP (@SMullighan) September 28, 2016

[ozbob]

#UPDATE due to safety concerns Adelaide railway station is now closed and all other train services will be ceasing.

— AdelaideMetroSA (@AdelaideMetroSA) September 28, 2016

[ozbob]

#UPDATE It is expected that trains, trams & buses will resume from first service today. There may be delays due to the extreme weather.

— AdelaideMetroSA (@AdelaideMetroSA) September 28, 2016

[ozbob]

Messenger --> Adelaide Metro bus commuters will soon be able to enter and validate Metrocards at rear doors

O-BAHN commuters will soon be able to enter and validate their Metrocards at the middle and rear doors of buses.

The idea is to speed up boarding times as the new O-Bahn tunnel makes the service more popular.

Validation machines started appearing on buses over the past month with a sign saying, "Exciting travel change coming soon!"

A Transport Department spokeswoman said they would become active when the $160 million tunnel from Grenfell St to Hackney Rd opened "later this year".

They will not appear on other routes "for now".

"This may be re-evaluated at a later date," she said.

Extra ticket inspectors will be deployed to explain the new procedure and catch fare evaders.

[#Metro]

Good to know that Adelaide can sort out rear door boarding.

BrisBANE?? 

[ozbob]

brisBANE is now the outstanding public transport failure jurisdiction.   Everything is just too hard here sadly.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/AdelaideMetroSA/status/907000785002786817

[SurfRail]

Their gates are interesting - they don't actually deduct your fare, just let you into the paid-up area of the platform.  You still need to touch on inside the train.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/907289851585642496

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/907289947790385152

[verbatim9]

^^Nice gates it was needed on some parts of the network

Real time passenger information displays being deployed around the CBD of Adelaide.

[verbatim9]

Their gates are interesting - they don't actually deduct your fare, just let you into the paid-up area of the platform.  You still need to touch on inside the train.

Yep all ticketing validation is onboard all modes in SA. Not entirely sure regarding the gates. Once touched it allows 2 hours seemless travel. It does allow for touch off data which is good for improving services and timetable adjustments.

[ozbob]

Adelaide Now --> Adelaide public transport most convenient in the nation, but our usage lags behind other capitals

ADELAIDE has the most convenient public transport in the country but fewer people use it to get to work than in Australia's other major cities, new data reveals.

Australia's most comprehensive city rankings show a third of Adelaide homes are within 400m of a frequently serviced public transport stop.

It means Adelaide has the best public transport accessibility of 22 cities across the country. Nationally one in five houses are close to public transport.

Yet just 8.7 per cent of Adelaideans use public transport to commute, a lower rate than Sydney (22.7), Western Sydney (12.3), Melbourne (15.5), Brisbane (11.4) and Perth (10.2).

The data was collected and analysed by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet to provide a comprehensive portrait of our biggest cities.

Congestion on Adelaide roads was not as bad as other major cities, but in peak hour travels times rise by 45 per cent.

Cities Assistant Minister Angus Taylor said the data also tracked for the first time how cities were going on the "30-minute city" goal the Government was working toward.

While Adelaide ranked 14th, with 78 per cent of people able to drive to work within 30 minutes, the result was much better than other capital cities.

In Sydney and Melbourne about 40 per cent of motorists were stuck in their cars longer than half an hour.

Cities were also ranked on other key measures including jobs, housing and innovation.

Adelaide's performance was particularly weak on youth unemployment, third highest at 16.4 per cent. The average was 11.9 per cent.

Mr Taylor said: "It's not a matter of one city being better than another, it's a matter of them having different attributes and therefore different challenges and opportunities that need to be addressed.

"Customising solutions for individual cities is crucial and a national government has to be part of that."

Details for each city are at http://smart-cities.dashboard.gov.au

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/951854704555782144

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/AdelaideMetroSA/status/952790943869976576

[ozbob]

The Advertiser --> Traffic congestion forcing more Adelaide drivers to catch public transport or ride a bike to work

TRAFFIC congestion is forcing Adelaide drivers to reconsider how they get to work, despite historic reluctance to use public transport.

More than 60 per cent of Adelaide commuters would be willing to change their travelling habits to help ease road congestion and 53 per cent had already considered doing so, according to a report on traffic in Australia's five largest cities.

With 400,000 cars on the road in a growing city, more Adelaide workers are considering taking public transport, cycling or changing their work times to avoid peak hours.

Almost 79 per cent of Adelaide commuters drive to work — the highest rate in the five big cities, according to the report for mapping and traffic data company HERE Technologies.

HERE Technologies Oceania product management and operations head Sunny Wijewardana said the number of Adelaide residents shunning public transport in favour of driving was "staggering".

"There is a lot of investment going into Adelaide's public transport but ... only 16 per cent of the people that we interviewed actually commute by bus, train or tram and that is the lowest out of any major cities that we looked at,'' he said.

The study found residents of some suburbs could get to work quicker if they left the car at home. For example, people near Edinburgh North could cut a morning commute to the city from 45 minutes to 34 minutes by catching the train.

A survey undertaken for the study found one quarter of Adelaide drivers would be willing to use public transport more often and a similar number were interested in working flexible hours.

Nearly one in five would be willing to drive to a transport hub and then catch a train, tram or bus and 9 per cent would like to cycle.

Almost 10 per cent of Adelaide drivers used real-time traffic updates before deciding how to get to work or choosing a driving route.

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Stephen Mullighan said public transport use was growing in SA.

"Over the past five years we have seen a huge increase in the number of South Australians using public transport, with over 74 million journeys taken last financial year,'' he said.

"We are investing in projects like the electrification of the Gawler line ... to encourage even more."

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/AdelaideMetroSA/status/979969069410652165

>> https://www.adelaidemetro.com.au/Announcements/News/New-fare-options-great-savings

Cheaper 28 Day Pass

The price of each 28 Day Pass is being reduced from 3 April.

Get unlimited travel on all bus, train and tram services for 28 consecutive days - now even cheaper!   

- Regular 28 Day Pass just $99 - SAVE $25.50   

- Concession 28 Day Pass just $49 - SAVE $13.20   

- Student 28 Day Pass just $25 - SAVE $16.50   

New 14 Day Pass

As well as price reductions on the 28 Day Pass, a new 14 Day Pass is being introduced.

This new product offers greater flexibility and an affordable alternative for unlimited travel on all bus, train and tram services for 14 consecutive days.

14 Day Pass prices   

- Regular $60   

- Concession $29.50   

- Student $15.10   

No card fee for metroCARDs

- No card fee for new metroCARDs - Save $5.00 Regular or $3.50 Concession   

Free group travel for primary schools

- FREE TRAVEL for primary school groups 9.30am to 3.00pm Monday to Friday including school holidays. 

[ozbob]

https://www.adelaidemetro.com.au/Announcements/Planned-Disruptions/More-train-services-more-often-from-22-April

From Sunday 22 April 2018, train passengers will have more services, more often.

Train service frequency will increase with scheduled services at least every 30 minutes from morning peak to last service every week day and all day on weekends on the Belair, Gawler, Outer Harbor and Seaford train lines.

Other changes highlighted below will also improve the efficiency and reliability of services. Online timetables are available below with printed timetables to be available before new services begin. 

https://twitter.com/AdelaideMetroSA/status/983882731267416065

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/AdelaideMetroSA/status/990366314513489920



Adelaide is leaving brisBANE behind ...

[ozbob]

Federal Budget is expected to provide funding to finish the electrification of the line to Gawler.  First stage to Salisbury already underway, money will be provided to spark to Gawler.   

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/993166007073058816

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/marshall_steven/status/993284824721862657

[ozbob]

I am really happy that the Gawler line is finally going to be fully sparked.  Roads only Tony (Abbott) stopped it. 

Better late than never .. 

This is a photograph I took in Jan 2016 on the Gawler line showing the OHT posts in place but no wires ...
(Note also the dual gauge sleepers, it is planned to regauge the 5'3" to 4'8.5" eventually too).

[verbatim9]

Makes sense to complete it all the way to Gawler.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/1004394759610249216

[ozbob]

[ozbob]

The Advertiser --> Severe overcrowding on the Gawler rail line making travel too dangerous for children, people with disabilities

TRAVELLING on peak-hour trains to Adelaide's north is too dangerous for children and people with disabilities because of severe overcrowding, commuters and a public transport advocacy group warn.

People for Public Transport wants extra carriages added to Gawler line trains.

Spokeswoman Josephine Buckhorn said overcrowding was getting so bad that people were turning to their cars.

"(It's) not safe to have (a lot) of people on a train, it puts a lot of pressure on people with accessibility needs that can't use the services due to overcrowding," Ms Buckhorn said.

"It's really about making public transport inclusive for people with disabilities."

Frustrated commuter Darren Adams said trains were usually so full you could not squeeze anyone else on.

"The peak hour trains (to the city) are pretty much full at Elizabeth, then standing room only from Salisbury onwards," he said.

"Sometimes it results in arguments between passengers and it must be difficult at times for pregnant and elderly people who get on at later stops."

The Northern Weekly rode the 5.20pm Gawler express service last Wednesday. Commuters getting on in the CBD scrambled to fill the carriages and were forced to stand in the aisles shoulder-to-shoulder.

Regular commuter Ameera Dean said she had noticed trains had been getting packed a lot, which made it harder for her five-month-old son to ride.

Fellow passenger Caitlin McLean, who catches the train regularly for work, said there needed to be more trains scheduled.

"People are just piling into these trains," she said. "If there was one ten minutes later they wouldn't need to."

A Transport Department spokesman said it used the whole diesel fleet in peak periods and would not be able to add more carriages until the Gawler line electrification was completed in 2020.

He said there were no complete records kept of full trains because ticketing systems showed boarding numbers only from individual stations.

But drivers reported 39 full trains between July, 2015, and June, 2017, and only one last month, he said.

Playford Mayor Glenn Docherty said northern commuters had suffered for too long.

Salisbury councillor Chad Buchanan said residents complained they could not reach the city before 9am, making them late for work.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/9NewsAdel/status/1017691505673138176

[ozbob]

The Advertiser --> Segways and Uber-style buses could become integral parts of Adelaide's public transport system

SEGWAYS, EcoCaddies, Uber-style buses, ferries, ride-share bicycles and old-school trams.

Infrastructure Minister Stephan Knoll has vowed nothing is off the table as work begins on designing the best public transport system for greater Adelaide.

Almost 79 per cent of Adelaide commuters drive to work – the highest rate in the five mainland capitals – but growing congestion issues have many motorists reconsidering their commuting options.

Mr Knoll has told the Sunday Mail he wants to bring South Australia's public transport service offering into the 21st century.

"Some new technologies are operating in other cities around Australia – and the world – with great success, delivering better service for commuters," he said.

"If we can increase public transport patronage, it'll help relieve traffic congestion and reduce commute times for everyone."

Former State Government tram plans for Adelaide – including a line to The Parade, in Norwood, and an extension to North Adelaide – have been scrapped as Mr Knoll will ask the new South Australian Public Transport Authority (SAPTA) to consider anything and everything.

"Ultimately, the question we want SAPTA to answer is, how do we deliver the best, most efficient, reliable and cost-effective public transport system for South Australians?," Mr Knoll told the Sunday Mail.

"That's why we're scrapping the AdelLink plan from the Infrastructure Australia list. Labor locked themselves into building an expensive tram network around metropolitan Adelaide and didn't ask what is the best way to deliver public transport services?

"Labor had the blinkers on – they had a fixation on trams and closed themselves to other, possibly better, options.

"Now, trams may be one option as part of the broad plan but we don't know that. There are a host of new technologies and we need to investigate them."

He named uber-style buses, ecocaddies, segways as some of the technologies but how they could work - if at all - would be up to the authority to explore.

The important thing he said, was to have a fresh and modern look.

A survey by HERE Technologies in February revealed more than 60 per cent of Adelaide commuters would be willing to change their travelling habits to help ease road congestion and 53 per cent had considered doing so.

"We need to recognise all forms of transport can be part of our network – point to point, rideshare, bikeshare and on demand, first mile, last mile services as well as high-capacity services," he said.

"At the heart of it, SAPTA will be customer-focused because our public transport network relies on hundreds of thousands of customers every day to be sustainable," he said.

"SAPTA will provide fundamental advice about the best way forward for SA's public transport network.

"We won't leave any stone unturned as we look to get more and more people using public transport."

SA Council of Social Services chief executive Ross Womersley said much of the public transport system in Adelaide was organised on an arterial basis. "The public transport system is okay if you want to come in and out of the city," he said. "But if you want to go across suburbs it is really challenging.

"The other key issue for us is that we enhance affordability and accessibility."

Public Sector Association secretary Nev Kitchin welcomed any conversation about enhanced public transport options.

"Thousands of public sector workers use public transport each and every day and any improvements in access to transport services would advantage the public sector workforce," he said. Mr Kitchin said with many public sector workers using the train network it was important to make it easy to get to stations including options such as making more bike lockers accessible for the growing number of cyclists.

In November, participants in the Sunday Mail's "Your State, Your Survey" listed many issues that kept them from using public transport:

FREQUENCY and hours of operation.

BUSES, trains and trams running behind time

DRUNK, obnoxious and unruly passengers.

DIRTY vehicles.

One in five of the 3585 people who responded to the survey said they never used public transport. Statistics from last year show that SA's major public transport provider Adelaide Metro recorded 74.8 million boardings – a 1.1 per cent drop on the 75.6 million the previous year.

Buses were the most popular mode of travel, recording 51.12 million boardings last financial year. Trains recorded 14.38 millions boardings and trams, 9.25 million boardings, during the same period.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/1022153382176247810

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/9NewsAdel/status/1034255277867061248

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/AdelaideMetroSA/status/1035708874173636614

[ozbob]

The Advertiser --> State Budget 2018: Bus routes that follow train and tram lines most like to be cut to save money

BUS routes that closely follow tram and train lines will be under the gun when a budget cut review begins this week.

Following a State Budget announcement on Tuesday that millions were to be saved from the bus cuts, State Government sources have confirmed to The Advertiser what the targets are likely to be.

The government will announce which exact routes will be affected within several weeks, but those reviewing how to make $1.1 million in savings in 2018-19 — increasing to $14.8 million per annum (indexed) from 2019-20 — have been told to:

IDENTIFY routes which are barely used and could disappear completely.

COMPARE and contrast bus routes with train and tram lines that follow a similar path and could be providing commuters with multiple means of getting to the same locations.

REORGANISING timetables on routes where buses were often half empty.

CO-ORDINATING timetables between train, tram and bus services with the aim of keeping all three but staggering their availability times.

NIGHT time bus patronage reviewed to determine if some late-night services are necessary.

People for Public Transport spokeswoman Josehpine Buchhorn said the cuts would pose a two-fold problem.

"Routes can be cut in areas where people have few options to get out and about and they can become very isolated, which creates problems, but also there is a global trend towards making things sustainable and getting people out of public transport and into cars has the opposite effect,'' she said.

"Any cuts to public transport, unless there is some logical reason for it, is not a good idea.''

Ms Buchhorn rejected the need to axe duplicate public transport services.

"It sounds like a good idea on the face of it but if you think of the Grange line (where there is a duplication), the more options there are the more people will use it, which is what government also wants,'' she said.

Ms Buchhorn said the organisation had not been consulted but it had its "finger on the pulse" of public transport and would be sharing its views with the government.

[ozbob]

The Advertiser --> Adelaide's least-used bus routes revealed in transport department figures, and could be removed

ANALYSIS of Transport Department figures has revealed the least used bus routes which could face the axe in State Government budget cuts.

Treasurer Rob Lucas this week announced plans to cut $1.1 million from the annual budget by cutting bus routes and adjusting others.

Routes to be axed will be named within weeks, but patronage figures regularly released by the department show 19 attract very few passengers.

Several of these routes are in the Adelaide Hills, and Hills Mayor Bill Spragg said the area had been battling cuts to bus services for some time.

"We have struggled to get and keep bus services and some years ago we had to pay for a trial to try and increases use,'' he said.

"They (state governments) argue that if you don't get enough passengers on the bus it is not worthwhile, but are they providing a service or not?

"They may be running some routes at a loss but they are also running some with a surplus, and that should subsidise the others.''

The Advertiser understands the Transport Department has for some time been lobbying the former and current governments to make cuts to routes which were not used.

Former Transport Minister and now Opposition Spokesman Tom Koutsantonis confirmed the list produced by The Advertiser analysis was similar to a list the department presented to the former government.

"These bus route cuts were all previously rejected by the (Labor) government,'' he said.

"They put up these recommendations and the government says yes or no, it is up to the Minister to be the Minister and say 'no'.''

Transport Minister Stephan Knoll said while some route cuts would be made, some changes included duplication in routes such as where train and tram services were available.

"The new State Government will drive efficiencies in our public transport system and routes with low patronage or which are duplicated will be discontinued,'' he said.

"We will invest more in areas where more capacity is needed as we've already done through the Gawler line electrification project and Flinders Link.

"We're seeking to protect South Australian taxpayers, given some services operate at a significant cost to the taxpayer."

COTA SA head Jane Mussared said for the sake of older passengers, it was important that people be consulted, rather than a review of services based only on departmental patronage records.

"We would urge the Government to engage in conversations with users, particularly older users who rely heavily on public transport as they opt not to drive themselves,'' she said.

Routes with the least passengers

600S After Midnight Saturday PM - Sunday AM Marion Centre Interchange to City

HL1 Hahndorf to Mt Barker Township Loop

N10 After Midnight Saturday PM - Sunday AM Marion Centre Interchange to City

HL2 Hahndorf to Mt Barker Township Loop Friday only

725A Noarlunga Centre Interchange to Old Reynella Interchange

866R Stirling to Crafers

839R Mount Barker West Clockwise Loop Service

721L Noarlunga Centre Interchange to Lonsdale Depot

557S Paradise Interchange to St Agnes

745C Colonnades Centre Interchange to Seaford Centre

747B Colonnades Centre Interchange to Seaford Rise

415H Salisbury Interchange to Salisbury Heights

371 West Lakes Centre Interchange Clockwise Loop

852L Langhorne Creek to Cornerstone College

J7M West Lakes Centre Interchange / Marion Centre Interchange to Camden.

452W Munno Para Centre Interchange to Elizabeth West

752 McLaren Flat to McLaren Vale

451A Munno Para to Andrews Farm

591A Golden Grove Interchange to Greenwith

* Source: The Advertiser analysis of Transport Department patronage figures.

[ozbob]

The Advertiser --> The South Australian bus rides that are costing taxpayers $100 a head

TAXPAYERS are paying at least $100 a passenger on about 10 South Australian bus services as the State Government prepares to cut its least patronised routes.

Almost 100 services cost more than $50 a passenger to operate, with the Government only recouping 20-25 per cent of its bus expenditure in fare revenue across all services.

The Government will not reveal exactly which routes are the most expensive until it determines which ones it will discontinue, while specific costs have been deemed commercial in confidence because of a tender for bus services going out next year.

The figures follow The Advertiser'sanalysis of Transport Department data pinpointing 19 bus routes with few passengers, the majority of which run in the Adelaide Hills.

Transport Minister Stephan Knoll said the figures highlighted the "financial mess" left by the former Labor government that he had been left to clean up.

"We're seeking to protect South Australian taxpayers given some services operate at a significant cost to the taxpayer," Mr Knoll said.

The Government will aim to save $1.1 million this financial year by cutting some routes and adjusting others, with that savings target to swell to $14.8 million per year from 2019-20.

The bus route review will be completed by the yet to be established South Australian Public Transport Authority, which Mr Knoll has said is crucial to providing a "more modern and innovative public transport network".

Mr Knoll said the efficiencies would be accompanied by investments in public transport where there was the "greatest need" for more or better services.

"We will invest more in areas where more capacity is needed as we've already done through the Gawler line electrification project and Flinders Link," he said.

"We're also delivering public transport fare reductions, the introduction of maximum 30 minute train frequency on all lines, as well as a host of local infrastructure upgrades."

Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas said earlier this month that the public transport cuts would "hurt everyday South Australians".

"These cuts will be a blow to the many South Australians who rely on public transport to get to work, medical appointments, school, university and to visit family and friends," he said.

"These cuts will have a massive impact to commuters across metropolitan Adelaide — from the shift worker who relies on his late-night buses to get home from work, to the nurse who relies on public transport to get her to a hospital for her early morning shift."

[ozbob]

The Advertiser --> Designs released for $85m Flinders Link train project linking Tonsley line to Bedford Park

THE State Government has lodged plans for the $85 million Tonsley train line extension, paving the way for a projected "urban village" development at Flinders University.

If approved, the project – to extend the line 650m from the current Tonsley terminus to Bedford Park – would begin early next year.

Supporters say it would be a catalyst for further investment and lure more foreign students.

The State Commission Assessment Panel yesterday released designs for public consultation.

Flinders University's director of property, facilities and development, David Banks, said the project would put the Bedford Park campus and Tonsley innovation precinct "at the heart of South Australia's economic growth".

"It will be the catalyst for further investment to create an innovation and urban precinct both around the new station and at Tonsley, that will help drive South Australia's transformation into a knowledge economy," Mr Banks said.

"An integrated station connecting Flinders University, the medical precinct, Tonsley innovation precinct and surrounding communities is critical in attracting all the elements that will make this zone a success."

Mr Banks said it would boost private development investment, as well as attracting international students and world class researchers.

The university has been working on plans for an "urban village" at Bedford Park, with homes for about 1500 students.

It could include apartment buildings, a hotel, shops and cafes.

The rail project would be the catalyst for the project, which Flinders has previously estimated could cost $2 billion.

"The State Government's release of the Flinders Link project development plan for public consultation brings this a step closer to reality.

"It's the key to developing student accommodation that will allow Flinders to double its international student intake within five years," Mr Banks said.

"It is also ... a conduit for investment and urban development that will attract investment and create jobs here in Southern Adelaide."

The Flinders Link project includes 520m of elevated single track over Sturt Rd, Laffer's Triangle and Main South Rd and a shared cycling and walking path adjacent the rail line.

A report to the State Commission Assessment Panel said the project aimed to improve connections between the Flinders and Tonsley innovation precincts, reduce travel time from Flinders University to the city and increase patronage on the underused rail corridor.

Transport Minister Stephan Knoll said the train line extension represented "an exciting opportunity to ... drive more investment into our southern suburbs".

"This project would also help support any plans Flinders University may have to expand into the future."

Marion Mayor Kris Hanna said it made sense for the area around the train line's new terminus, to be developed.

Visit http://saplanningcommission.sa.gov.au/scap/public_notices.

[ozbob]

The Advertiser --> A simple plan will remove 1000 unnecessary bus trips from CBD streets

TRAFFICcongestion through the heart of the CBD will be eased with 1000 surplus bus trips along Currie and Grenfell streets to be removed each weekday.

The changes have been prompted by the elimination of double-up buses between two companies after Torrens Transit bought Light City Buses in May.

Hospital visitors will also benefit with an additional 200 buses stopping each weekday at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and improved services at Lyell McEwin Hospital.

The changes will come into effect on October 14.

Transport Minister Stephan Knoll said one of the major changes happened because the double-up of Torrens Transit and Light City buses could be eliminated.

"Getting a large number of buses off Currie and Grenfell streets will reduce traffic congestion and make travelling through the CBD even smoother,'' Mr Knoll said.

Mr Knoll said one of the major changes happened because the double-up of Torrens Transit and Light City buses could be eliminated.

"Ultimately, these changes also mean some bus services will be better connected so that passengers on certain routes don't have to change buses to get to where they want to go.''

Until now, many passengers who were travelling through the city – rather than ending their trip in the CBD – had to leave one company's bus to board another so they could continue on their journey.

The empty bus then had to make its way out of the city along Grenfell and/or Currie streets – a journey that will now no longer be necessary and will save 1000 trips of the 2350 every weekday along the busy route.

The majority of these empty buses, often flagged "not in service", are what prompted the former Labor state government in 2012 to create bus-priority lanes on the two busy streets, while frustrated motorists were forced on to other routes.

Until now, many passengers who were travelling through the city – rather than ending their trip in the CBD – had to leave one company's bus to board another so they could continue on their journey.

Mr Knoll said Torrens Transit planners also had been working out how routes and bus frequency could be altered to improve services and patronage.

But he said the improvements would not affect plans announced in the State Budget to rationalise bus routes that were not being used or were duplicated with other services.

Mr Knoll said changes would start immediately after the current school holidays to avoid disruption.

"It also means some routes will benefit from increased frequency of services while some routes will be expanded to better service important public places, like hospitals,'' he said.

The takeover of Light City Buses decreased Adelaide's bus operators from three to two.

Torrens Transit operates the north-south, east-west and outer northeast contract areas. SouthLink operates the outer south, outer north and Hills contract areas.

The lone cut in the new scheduling is one bus trip at one scheduled time – the 6.30am 376 service – a route that circles Delfin Island and is used by an average of one passenger a week.

The airport and hospitals were identified by Torrens Transit as needing additional and better services.

Royal Adelaide Hospital services will be significantly improved with route changes taking passengers past the new building on buses with numbers 500, 501, 502, 540 and 541.

The changes will mean an extra 200 stops at the hospital each weekday.

At the Lyell McEwin Hospital, the 29 bus from Elizabeth and 36 bus from the city will stop outside on weekdays.

The 13 bus from Elizabeth and 12 bus from the city will service the hospital at weekends.

On Sir Donald Bradman Drv, buses travelling from the city to Harbour Town at weekends will increase from once an hour to twice an hour.

Buses from the city to the airport during weekday interpeak will increase from four buses an hour to six buses an hour with the introduction of J2 services.

On Magill Rd, there will be four new inbound bus trips between 7am and 8.30am, creating a five-minute service frequency, and three additional services between 3pm and 7pm, creating a 15-minute frequency.

There will be three additional outbound services after 7pm, creating a 30-minute frequency until 11.30pm.

Prospect Rd will gain two additional morning peak-hour services operating between stop 15 and the city on school days.

Direct services from Elizabeth to Adelaide Airport will be restored by linking J1 and C1 buses.