Christmas 2017 & New Year timetables & Summer School Holidays 2017/18

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 6th December 2017 page 12

A plea for off-peak rail fares this season

THE Queensland Rail summer service changes operating between December 18 through to January 21, 2018, have just been released.

It is very sad to see the level of service reduction Queensland Rail now delivers because of the compounding issues with rail fail.

This reduced service timetable just forces more and more on to the already dangerous and congested roads.

The Sunshine Coast has been treated very poorly once again.

At a time when we should be supporting safe rail travel, what is left is a reduced service that is anti-community.

For example, on the Sunshine Coast Line there were 359 weekly services in January 2015. This reduced to 320 in January 2017.

In the latest summer timetable, it has been further reduced to 235 services. (What a terrible outcome for southeast Queensland.)

Other lines show similar service reductions

The rail timetables from December 18 until January 21 are such a reduction in service that fares for this entire period should be off-peak only. It is essentially an off-peak service during peaks, with further service reductions out of peak, making it very difficult to use.

We call on the incoming government to direct the transport authorities to set the fare system so that only off-peak fares are charged for this rail failure for the period between December 18 and January 21.

ROBERT DOW Rail Back On Track

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/938144207859892224

[ozbob]

Queensland Times --> Train services slashed on Ipswich lines



RAIL FAIL: Raceview resident Benjamin Hayes says reduced services over the summer and Christmas period is "ridiculous". Helen Spelitis

TRAIN services for Ipswich commuters have been slashed in the new summer timetable.

On the Ipswich line, trains usually leave Ipswich train station every 30 minutes but that will drop back to hourly services for most of the month, from December 23.

On the Rosewood line trains will still leave every hour but there will be no through services, meaning passengers will have to change at Ipswich Station.

Queensland Rail said the reduction in services coincides with a low passenger demand period on the affected lines.

But Raceview resident Benjamin Hayes, and Goodna based rail advocate Robert Dow, agreed the services slash was 'ridiculous'.

Mr Hayes, who usually works in hospitality, said the lack of services would be crippling for anyone reliant on public transport hoping to pick up extra shifts in Brisbane during the busy Christmas period.

"In light of how good our services have been in the past it's reprehensible that any government has allowed the network to be reduced to this," Mr Hayes said.

Sunshine Coast services will be reduced to once every two hours on some days.

Queensland Rail CEO Nick Easy said the timetable was proactive planning and resources were deployed to meet demand.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/938146546243088384

[tazzer9]

security staff is something that the public has overwhelmingly agreed that they want.  Not going to get rid of that, as a young fit male, I don't see any benefit in security staff for me, but I can see how others might like them.   Most are pretty cool to chat to though.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/938982848874213377


Redland City Bulletin --> Less train services on Cleveland line planned for festive season

LESS trains will run on the Cleveland line for more than a month from Monday, December 18 as Queensland Rail plans for a dip in passenger numbers throughout the holiday season.

The temporary services changes, which last through to January 21, include changes to weekdays and weekends timetables.

Redlands commuters can expect 15 minute peak services during weekdays and half-hourly services in off-peak times and weekends.

Hourly services will be run from Saturday, December 23 to Boxing Day and again from Saturday, December 30 to Monday, January 1.

Half-hourly services will be available from 5pm on New Year's Eve, December 31.

Queensland Rail Chief Executive Officer Nick Easy said the summer timetables, rolled out across south-east Queensland, would help ensure reliable services were provided and stress points managed.

"As we continue to work hard to recruit and train more drivers and guards, our timetable sustainability assessments have previously identified the summer holiday period as a stress point that required proactive management," he said.

"That's why we've proactively planned for these service changes, to ensure we're providing a reliable service for our customers during the summer holidays, and effectively deploying our resources to meet reduced demand."

Mr Easy said the summer changes would maintain bus connectivity and introduce consistent clock-face departure times to make trains easier to catch.

For more information about services, visit Translink at translink.com.au or call 13 12 30.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/941696455093264384

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/942480384922550272

[Cazza]

https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/news-and-events/news/free-travel-on-christmas-day-and-new-years-eve/

Just to rub salt into the wound...

Not just in the Melbourne Metropolitan region either, VLine services and regional buses will also be free.

"Public transport will be free across Victoria on Christmas Day and on New Year's Eve making it safer, cheaper and easier to leave the car at home and enjoy the festivities."

Not much happening in QLD expect for less reduced services. All fun and games I say 

[techblitz]

take a look at todays action on twitter translink.....that's what we are facing.....poor rail services and poor coastal bus services.....all I can say is catch the bus in brisbane at any chance you can get(there was only 2 BT disruptions today)......and forget the bus on the gold coast/sunshine coast as well.....already struggling and we are not even into peak holiday period...
f*ing hopeless...

[Stillwater]

Doesn't QR have a policy about the percentage of passengers who have to stand for more than so many minutes?  Isn't it a KPI or something?  Or does all that go out the window with the summer holiday timetable and 3-car services replacing 6-car trains?

[BrizCommuter]

Doesn't QR have a policy about the percentage of passengers who have to stand for more than so many minutes?  Isn't it a KPI or something?  Or does all that go out the window with the summer holiday timetable and 3-car services replacing 6-car trains?

Since when have QR followed their own policies?

[ozbob]

Seamless at Perth

Disgrace SEQ public transport 

So so embarrassed 😳

[BrizCommuter]

QR's Summer Timetable Backlash
https://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2017/12/qrs-summer-timetable-backlash.html

[ozbob]

QR's Summer Timetable Backlash
https://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2017/12/qrs-summer-timetable-backlash.html

It's a sad and terrible outcome for SEQ...

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/943643897455980544

[Cazza]

The funny thing is that over the holidays is probably the time when off peak services are the busiest, yet we see the frequencies reduced to every hour. All of the school kids that would be in school during the terms are now out and about during the day going to movies, seeing friends, going shopping etc. The majority of them rely on PT to get around.

Go figure.

[BrizCommuter]

The funny thing is that over the holidays is probably the time when off peak services are the busiest, yet we see the frequencies reduced to every hour. All of the school kids that would be in school during the terms are now out and about during the day going to movies, seeing friends, going shopping etc. The majority of them rely on PT to get around.

Go figure.

I'm sure the hourly services will be causing damage to CBD retailers during the sales. Drive to Chermside, or hourly train services to the CBD. No brainer!

[Cazza]

^Exactly. A lose-lose situation for both retailers and customers.

Not to mention the amount of people still working right up until the 24th. Plus, most people will be going back to work the week after NYE when the sh%t timetables are still in play.

Fun and games for all.

[BrizCommuter]

Currently a standing load on an off peak Ferny Grove bound train. Not enough demand for 15min off-peak you say QR?

[techblitz]

When a person is forced to stand longer than usual while also being told that services are reduced because of lower patronage.....do QR honestly think the passengers wont get mixed messages??
They certainly are a special kind of special.
QR are just better off admitting the SOLE reason....'services have been reduced to give our drivers/guards their hard earned holidays'
That at least is honest...

[#Metro]

It's almost 12 months now. New operator please!!

[BrizCommuter]

When a person is forced to stand longer than usual while also being told that services are reduced because of lower patronage.....do QR honestly think the passengers wont get mixed messages??
They certainly are a special kind of special.
QR are just better off admitting the SOLE reason....'services have been reduced to give our drivers/guards their hard earned holidays'
That at least is honest...

Passengers were fed up with the spin 15 months ago, yet QR still treat their passengers as if they are stupid.

[Cazza]

https://transportnsw.info/events/2017/12/sydney-new-years-eve-2017#home-carousel

"Over 1,000 extra trains will run on New Year's Eve to help get you to and from the celebrations."

It really is taking a huge effort to hold back the tears. Maybe moving up from Sydney wasn't the best choice aye?

[techblitz]

definitely a depressing time to be using the rail lines at the moment.
Seriously...60min frequency feeding into 10 min LRT frequency at Helensvale??
Take any train to any station and watch the sharp increase in people waiting....especially Helensvale.
The boredom on their faces as they wait in 30 degree heat for the train is almost gut-wrenching.....people are visually p%ssed  off & depressed at these frequencies with absolutely no power to do anything.......many don't have the option to drive so they just have to put up with the situation.
Yesterday @ Salisbury there was a guy who turned up 10 mins before the train he actually thought was coming......20mins later he was pacing up and down constantly checking his watch....he obviously had to be somewhere on time....just before I left in the other direction had to break the bad news to him to say his next train wont be for another 20 mins...

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/943979492019539968

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/943643897455980544

[ozbob]

definitely a depressing time to be using the rail lines at the moment.
Seriously...60min frequency feeding into 10 min LRT frequency at Helensvale??
Take any train to any station and watch the sharp increase in people waiting....especially Helensvale.
The boredom on their faces as they wait in 30 degree heat for the train is almost gut-wrenching.....people are visually p%ssed  off & depressed at these frequencies with absolutely no power to do anything.......many don't have the option to drive so they just have to put up with the situation.
Yesterday @ Salisbury there was a guy who turned up 10 mins before the train he actually thought was coming......20mins later he was pacing up and down constantly checking his watch....he obviously had to be somewhere on time....just before I left in the other direction had to break the bad news to him to say his next train wont be for another 20 mins...

It p%sses me right off the sanctimonious attitude of Translink and QR and their spin. Free travel tomorrow and NYD here in Vic. The Qld mob couldn't even manage to do off peak fares for duration of the sh%t.  Utter disgrace!

[BrizCommuter]

Going into the city this afternoon - by car!

[cartoonbirdhaus]

definitely a depressing time to be using the rail lines at the moment.

Glad to have moved to a place a couple of minutes' walk from a BUZ-served stop. 

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/944994096321404928

[ozbob]

FYI

https://twitter.com/ptv_official/status/942534916390125569

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/945218830707474432

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/945343342908338176

[verbatim9]

The Summer hourly timetable has created platform congestion at Helensvale on Boxing Day afternoon @ 1745 EST. Train will be full no doubt originating at Varsity Lakes

[verbatim9]

^^Full train standing only. (1754 Helensvale-Airport) Would of been good having Boxing Day as every 30mins to avoid delays and congestion. This train also delayed 5 mins.

[techblitz]

the gold coast is set to take the national embarrassment gong for public transport in Australia over the next week. Even if it does have that LRT....its rendered useless with the train frequency......a national embarrassment when you factor in the high volume of rail passengers vs number of actual rail services....you will not find this anywhere else.....it is truly embarrassing....depressing to look at all those people waiting for a train while QR/Translink continue to sprout that 'reduced patronage' bullsh%t...

[ozbob]

Thanks for the photographs verbatim9

It confirms what we know.  The rail service for SEQ is a national embarrassment and shambles. Sorry to be blunt but those are the facts.

I am really doubting if they will be able to deliver a proper service for the Commonwealth Games as frequency on the Gold Coast line increases the rest of the network will collapse into a pile of reduced service with even worse connections.  Going to be difficult to get folk to use public transport when the network is so compromised.

The upper echelons at TransLink need to go TB.  The culture in that outfit is obviously totally ratsh%t as well.  They have clearly reached the point where they actually believe the bullsh%t and spin they utter! 

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/945696008607907840

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/945697751093751809

[ozbob]

Does anyone else notice that when you spend some time away from brisBANE on other systems as I have done the past weeks that when you get back on the QR system everything seems so slow?  Speed, station approaches, dwells etc. 

The trip back from the Airport yesterday I had the usual wait at Central for the non connecting Ippy flyer, but this time wait was shortened by 5 minutes as the Goldie was late (24 cf. with usual 29 minutes, yep as you enter Eagle Junction you normally watch the Ippy service depart on the mains).

The other thing that struck me was the lack of passengers compared to my recent experiences in Perth and Melbourne.  The continue poor service has turned a lot of people away sadly.  We must now commit to recovery of the SEQ rail network.  It really is a shocking example of how things can really fail at a service level.  Compounded by the gross incompetence and negligence (IMHO) by bureaucracy with respect to the NGR project.

[BrizCommuter]

Does anyone else notice that when you spend some time away from brisBANE on other systems as I have done the past weeks that when you get back on the QR system everything seems so slow?  Speed, station approaches, dwells etc. 

The trip back from the Airport yesterday I had the usual wait at Central for the non connecting Ippy flyer, but this time wait was shortened by 5 minutes as the Goldie was late (24 cf. with usual 29 minutes, yep as you enter Eagle Junction you normally watch the Ippy service depart on the mains).

The other thing that struck me was the lack of passengers compared to my recent experiences in Perth and Melbourne.  The continue poor service has turned a lot of people away sadly.  We must now commit to recovery of the SEQ rail network.  It really is a shocking example of how things can really fail at a service level.  Compounded by the gross incompetence and negligence (IMHO) by bureaucracy with respect to the NGR project.

Completely agree. When I last came back from Perth, I had to wait 29mins (no kidding!) for the Airtrain, plus another 9 minutes as the next train was running late, then missed my connection and had to wait for what seemed like another eternity for the next service home. Not happy! 

[James]

Also completely agree. It is always a massive disappointment returning to Brisbane's PT network after spending time overseas.

The network in Brisbane feels abandoned, low frequency and generally poor. Especially when compared to 'world class' cities like Vancouver, Tokyo and Singapore, the trip from BNE feels like a time warp.

[tazzer9]

Does anyone else notice that when you spend some time away from brisBANE on other systems as I have done the past weeks that when you get back on the QR system everything seems so slow?  Speed, station approaches, dwells etc. 

The trip back from the Airport yesterday I had the usual wait at Central for the non connecting Ippy flyer, but this time wait was shortened by 5 minutes as the Goldie was late (24 cf. with usual 29 minutes, yep as you enter Eagle Junction you normally watch the Ippy service depart on the mains).

The other thing that struck me was the lack of passengers compared to my recent experiences in Perth and Melbourne.  The continue poor service has turned a lot of people away sadly.  We must now commit to recovery of the SEQ rail network.  It really is a shocking example of how things can really fail at a service level.  Compounded by the gross incompetence and negligence (IMHO) by bureaucracy with respect to the NGR project.

Yep, QR does feel slow.   But in reality it isn't.   I can sit on a train in NSW for 70 minutes but it somehow feels faster than QR. 
Sydney and melbourne have far more passengers than QR.  I was in both with a friend of mine and he kept on saying how busy the services were, and I kept reminding him that it was off-peak, and that since there was still seats available to sit on, it wasn't busy. 

The only thing keeping QR patronage numbers alive is peak hour, where they actually provide a decent service and where people are forced to use trains.