Queensland Rail - Commonwealth Games timetable

[ozbob]

TMR and QR officials use a phrase, and it appears in media statements also .... it is "THERE ARE NO PLANS"

- to close lines during the Commonwealth Games,  for instance.  THERE ARE NO PLANS ....

It is a very nice line to get around the situation whereby the thing for which there are no plans eventually comes about subsequently.

Of course, these words, taken at face value, expose the flaw in the thinking ... THERE ARE NO PLANS

Exactly, TMR and QR have not planned sufficiently so that spokespersons can say with any certainty 'it won't happen because we have conducted comprehensive modelling and there is a 95 per cent chance the worst won't happen'.  Or words to that effect.

So, the phrase becomes a certainty .... THERE ARE NO PLANS, or there insufficient planning, or there is hope ... non-contemplation of the horrible .... the worse case scenario.  In other words, a failure to plan with any degree of certainty.

Whoa, I've got a plan ...   go to Adelaide !!   

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

11th January 2018

Points of rail fail clarification

Good Morning,

A couple of interesting articles in the Queensland Times the last few days.

1.  Queensland Times --> New trains in storage 'risks Ipswich rail services'

2.   Queensland Times --> QR responds to concerns of Ipswich rail line closure

A couple of general comments.  We are grateful that there has been finally some ' official clarification ' as to why unaccepted NGR trains have been put out to grass at Redbank Workshops.  The smart thing to have done would have been to issue a statement when the trains were first moved on the 22nd December 2017.  Seriously, did the authorities expect no one to notice them as large as life in the front yard of the Redbank Workshops? Because of the communication information vacuum all sorts of silly rumours were circulating.  It is time that the authorities became pro-active not reactive with respect to basic communications.

In the second article the CEO of Queensland Rail is reported as saying  " ... Mr Easy said the details of the model would be released to commuters and spectators before the April event. .. "

We would certainly hope so.  Not much point after the Games is it? People need information in a timely manner. Where are the new 22nd January 2018 onward rail timetables?  Any improvements or do we continue with the failed rail effort as per 2017?

Additionally using ontime running data as proof of success is very flawed, especially as the root problem is the lack of rail services and lack of timely out of peak reporting of ontime running. We would all hope with less rail services ontime running would improve. Not always the case.  We don't buy it sorry.

We also interpret the touted Commonwealth Games " ... integrated public transport model ..." as code for widespread rail service cuts with bus/car replacement.

Show us today we are wrong.

Best wishes,
Robert

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

[ Attached: https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=12829.msg202889#msg202889 ]

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/951246582732636160

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> People need to 'travel differently' during Commonwealth Games minister warns

People will need to travel "differently" during the Commonwealth Games, Transport Minister Mark Bailey has foreshadowed.

Games organisers are already encouraging people to "take advantage of walking, cycling and public transport" during the Games, to be held from April 4 to 15 on the Gold Coast.

Mr Bailey said the full transport plan for the Games - to begin in 65 days - would be released within weeks.

"Whether you're going to the Commonwealth Games, or not going to the Commonwealth Games, some people will choose not to, is to be informed about your transport options," he said.

"It will be different, let's be very clear, it will be very different in terms of transport for those two weeks or so.

"And we will be releasing a full transport plan in coming weeks and give people plenty of time to get their heads around what the changes will be.

"It might mean that people travel differently to how they normally would maybe for a week or two - depends on your individual circumstances."

Mr Bailey said he would catch public transport during the Games, rather than use designated lanes designed to ensure athletes and dignitaries were not late for events.

An independent review by German railway operator Deutsche Bahn, completed in August, argued 18 of the government's new trains, called New Generation Rollingstock, were required for the Commonwealth Games timetable.

There are now five NGR trains in service, and Mr Bailey said Queensland Rail expected to have at least eight trains to be in service by the Games.

The government has also applied for a temporary exemption to disability laws while it upgrades the NGR trains to make its toilets and pathways compliant - that could take 18 to 36 months.

Queensland's anti-discrimination commissioner Kevin Cocks has labelled the move to introduce the NGR trains before disability access was fixed as "reprehensible".

Mr Bailey said $150 million had been committed to fix the problems with the NGR, blaming the former Newman government for ordering the trains.

"The largest international event in Queensland's history is happening in two months' time on the Gold Coast - the Commonwealth Games - and it is essential that we have every bit of rollingstock, every staff member that we have out on the system transporting people to Games' venues and that's a reality we just have to do," he said.

Queensland Rail CEO Nick Easy has not revealed whether or not the NGR trains will stay on the tracks if its application to the Australian Humans Rights Commission is rejected.

[BrizCommuter]

In other words - prepare for a dogs breakfast!

[Stillwater]

It's like extracting teeth, isn't it!

[ozbob]

According to the Premier, they are still working on it ...  never fear ... 

Anyone going to Adelaide for the GC2018 ?  #askingforafriend


Only been 10 views of this short clip in 11 months,  thought I would give it a little push ... 

[ozbob]

There is a two day State Government Cabinet meeting on the Gold Coast today (30th Jan 2018) and tomorrow ..

[ Two-day Cabinet meeting to focus on election commitment delivery, Games > http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2018/1/29/twoday-cabinet-meeting-to-focus-on-election-commitment-delivery-games ]

I wonder if there will be any news about the GC2018 rail timetable and related matters?

Despite the Premier's comments the other day ("We are still working on the plan") I have no doubt the rail timetable is finalised.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/958023433249411072

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/958024019193679872

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/SteveMinnikinMP/status/957887009787322368

[Stillwater]

It would be good to know who is doing what in respect of the Commonwealth Games timetable.

This is from the Citytrain Response Unit's latest report:

"The Citytrain Response Unit will continue to work with Queensland Rail and the Department of
Transport and Main Roads to finalise plans for the Commonwealth Games."

How are they working?  What are they working on?  Is there a dedicated working group across TMR, QR, TransLink and CRU?

[ozbob]

Does this mean that the Citytrain Response Unit has an extension from the 8 Feb 2018 ?

Exciting times ...   

[Stillwater]

On Channel 7 News tonight, Premier Palaszczuk confirmed that Cabinet today had discussed the Commonwealth Games timetable.  She said it would be released 'soon' after games organisers had signed off on the details.

[ozbob]

Any mention of ' fixing the trains ' ? 

The  ' one hundred day ' plan is presently morphing into the  ' 500 day plan ' , and quite possibly will be a  ' 1000 day plan ' or longer ..

[tazzer9]

its going to be chaos.  They are still running 3 car trains on the shorncliffe line despite the massively reduced timetable and the introduction of 5 NGR's.   

[ozbob]

Something is in the air ... 

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/958447013137281024

[ozbob]

I am not confident that there will be an adequate rail service frequency, particularly on weekends on lines other than the Goldie.

I hope I am wrong.

[kram0]

I have been told to expect 24/7 15 minute minimum services on the GC line.

[ozbob]

I have been told to expect 24/7 15 minute minimum services on the GC line.

Certainly will be 15 minutes as I understand it.  They looked at 10 minutes but the infrastructure constraints don't allow it.

It will not take much to cause a lot of disruption though.  A failed unit, bridge strike, boom gate strike, track and signal faults will cause problems although they will have crews stationed locally to respond as needed.

[BrizCommuter]

So much for the originally touted 8tph in both directions!

[SurfRail]

It was never announced as being that high, certainly not officially.

[ozbob]

It was never announced as being that high, certainly not officially.

Yo AFAIAA the best effort touted was trains every 10 minutes ..

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/queensland/train-to-the-gold-coast-every-10-minutes-during-the-2018-games-trad-20171020-p4ywkf.html

... Trains will run between Brisbane and the Gold Coast every 10 minutes during the 2018 Commonwealth Games next April, Transport Minister Jackie Trad confirmed for the first time on Friday.

"We are aiming for a timetable of about every 10 minutes on the Gold Coast line," Ms Trad said on Friday.

"And we know there is going to be an enormous transport task of getting people between Brisbane and the Gold Coast for this once-in-a-decade major event in Australia," she said. ...

[ozbob]

>> https://www.gc2018.com/transport

' Access denied ' ... I think they might be updating the page.

Looks like we are getting close the the revelation of the grand plan ...

[SurfRail]

It was never announced as being that high, certainly not officially.

Yo AFAIAA the best effort touted was trains every 10 minutes ..

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/queensland/train-to-the-gold-coast-every-10-minutes-during-the-2018-games-trad-20171020-p4ywkf.html

... Trains will run between Brisbane and the Gold Coast every 10 minutes during the 2018 Commonwealth Games next April, Transport Minister Jackie Trad confirmed for the first time on Friday.

"We are aiming for a timetable of about every 10 minutes on the Gold Coast line," Ms Trad said on Friday.

"And we know there is going to be an enormous transport task of getting people between Brisbane and the Gold Coast for this once-in-a-decade major event in Australia," she said. ...

There were certainly suggestions they were looking at 8tph (including I think when we met Nick King last year), but it was also made clear that was very much in flux.

I suspect there will be 10 minute or better headways in places, especially for anything sizable happening at Robina (eg the rugby).

[James]

I wouldn't rule out 8tph just as far as Coomera/Ormeau along the GC Line, but I think 8tph to Brisbane can be safely put to bed.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Weekend train timetable to be slashed during Commonwealth Games

RAIL services will be slashed to every hour on weekends across the southeast Queensland network to deliver a promised high-frequency timetable to Commonwealth Games venues.

The timetable, expected to be announced in coming days, is understood to involve cutting half-hourly weekend services to hourly services everywhere but the Gold Coast line.

It would free-up scarce train drivers so Gold Coast services could arrive at station platforms every 15 minutes during the April 4-15 event.

The Palaszczuk Government last year announced plans for 10-minute services on the line, but that idea is believed to have been crushed by line capacity limitations.

Transport sources have told The Courier-Mail Queensland Rail will instead raid weekend services across the network to find enough drivers to deal with the extra demand created by event-goers.

It comes amid slow progress in getting new drivers behind the controls following the "Rail Fail" network paralysis that struck in October 2016 when a well-hidden driver shortage boiled over.


A lack of train drivers is behind the changes. Picture: Elise Searson

Queensland Rail has been under ongoing pressure to restore a full timetable ever since.

The hourly weekend services planned during the Games mirror cutbacks under the much-scorned summer timetable over Christmas.

Rail Back on Track commuter advocate Robert Dow said the Games timetable cutbacks
failed commuters and could discourage Games event-goers from using public transport.

That could result in more cars on gridlocked roads.

"Unfortunately we think this is turning into not only a national embarrassment, but a global embarrassment," Mr Dow said yesterday.

"There will be a lot of people travelling on weekends and we don't think there will be enough capacity.

"It will also make it very difficult for people to connect into the Gold Coast line.

"We are having problems with train fleet reliability and certainly a hiccup could mean waiting up to two hours for a train."

QR is believed to have previously considered shutting down branch lines during the event and replacing them with buses, but is believed to have abandoned the option.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk last year told Parliament "the Minister for Transport has advised me categorically that there would be no line closures" during the Games.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/959453778217902086

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/959454426632081409

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/959476531218149382

[ozbob]

The GC2018 transport plan is due to be released tomorrow Sunday 4th Feb 2018.

http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/gold-coast/extra-services-for-gold-coast-light-rail-during-the-2018-commonwealth-games/news-story/2a33de2b4e6449f3fad6abf33a046192

" Mr Bailey will unveil the Commonwealth Games Transport Plan tomorrow. "

[ozbob]

As we have long suggested. 

The Gold Coast line and transport at the Games I think will be fine (providing issues are handled promptly etc.) 

It is the rest of the PT network in SEQ, rail particularly and its abysmal feeder bus support that will be a disconnected,
dysfunctional mess for #GC2018.

Final confirmation tomorrow.   

[Stillwater]

And will it be two-hourly services to Nambour?

[ozbob]

And will it be two-hourly services to Nambour?

We expect so ... 

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/9NewsQueensland/status/959526786483679232

[not_available]

And exactly how are, say, residents on the north side going to get to the games? Via TV Remote?

[ozbob]

And exactly how are, say, residents on the north side going to get to the games? Via TV Remote?

I have reports of folks, who got tickets giving them to younger people etc. as they are scared witless they will be caught on the public transport without toilet facilities.  I kid you not ...

A recent comment:

https://twitter.com/railmaps/status/959528488779722752

[BrizCommuter]

What an absolute disgrace! Massive fail for passengers (including GC2018 visitors workers) who have to connect with the Gold Coast Line. Massive fail for those who have to get to work in Brisbane. This should be making world news!

There will be a BrizCommuter blog post when the actual timetable is released.

[ozbob]

Thanks Briz.  Looking forward to it ..   

[BrizCommuter]

Someone should contact the BBC News!

[#Metro]

I guess QR's service contract will just have to be renewed, again. 

Imagine if Connex or MTR did this, I guess they could look forward to contract renewal too, right??

[ozbob]

Someone should contact the BBC News!

And Reuters ... marking time ..

[ozbob]

And 7 News ... about to do an interview re weekend cuts ...