Eastern & Northern Transit Ways

[SurfRail]

We already have 24/7 services on the Coast and have had them for the better part of 2 decades or more.  The 24/7 network actually used to be larger before the 2006 network changes . The old Route 1 was basically the same as the 700 from Tweed to Southport except via Pac Fair and accounting for the old Surfers road layout, then what is now Route 711 from Southport to Falkinder Ave at Paradise Pt then up to what is now the 719 terminus at the boat harbour via a slightly different route.  May also have gone via the cadino after hours. I'd have to check but the 1A may also have been 24/7 (same route as the 1 from Tweed to the intersection of the Gold Coast Hwy and Hollywell Rd, then to Helensvale via the 704 route).

If anything you'd run the 700 to Helensvale from GCUH via the 710 route, and run the 719 from GCUH to Paradise Pt, plus the 704 and 750.

[verbatim9]

We already have 24/7 services on the Coast and have had them for the better part of 2 decades or more.  The 24/7 network actually used to be larger before the 2006 network changes . The old Route 1 was basically the same as the 700 from Tweed to Southport except via Pac Fair and accounting for the old Surfers road layout, then what is now Route 711 from Southport to Falkinder Ave at Paradise Pt then up to what is now the 719 terminus at the boat harbour via a slightly different route.  May also have gone via the cadino after hours. I'd have to check but the 1A may also have been 24/7 (same route as the 1 from Tweed to the intersection of the Gold Coast Hwy and Hollywell Rd, then to Helensvale via the 704 route).

If anything you'd run the 700 to Helensvale from GCUH via the 710 route, and run the 719 from GCUH to Paradise Pt, plus the 704 and 750.

I forgot about the 24/7 700. Mainly I was referring to overall Seq services and in and around the Brisbane Municipality.

[#Metro]

We already have 24/7 services on the Coast and have had them for the better part of 2 decades or more.

The Gold Coast has a night economy. People are all over the glitter strip dining.

Brisbane goes to sleep after 7 PM.

Having 24 hour service is a 'nice to have' in my books. Plenty of places still don't have basic daytime service.

But if there were a choice, I'd vote for the main four BUZ routes: 111, 222, 333 and 444 (truncated to Indooroopilly or Kenmore).

[Cazza]

One of, if not the biggest nightlife attraction in Brisbane is Fortitude Valley, which none of those buses service. At least add the 60 or 199 to that list. And as for the 111, it looks good on paper but the route doesn't actually perform overly well outside of peak (compared to other BUZ services), particularly after dark. Caught the 2:45pm inbound 111 today and it didn't have over 10 people on it at any one time. The 1:20pm inbound 373 today had more people on it (I'm kinda comparing apples and oranges here but my point still stands). You are better off running extra 555s so Logan is serviced as well.

Just to clarify though, I'm not really up for 24/7 PT in Brisbane yet. I'd prefer the funding to go to actually getting decent services during the day, rather than at 3am on a Wednesday morning.

However, if we were to see it introduced, I do like the look of Aldonius' list, with maybe the addition of the 555 (but running a modified route after Springwood, maybe via Daisy Hill like it does currently).

[doggo]

The old Route 1 was basically the same as the 700 from Tweed to Southport except via Pac Fair and accounting for the old Surfers road layout, then what is now Route 711 from Southport to Falkinder Ave at Paradise Pt then up to what is now the 719 terminus at the boat harbour via a slightly different route.  May also have gone via the cadino after hours. I'd have to check but the 1A may also have been 24/7

The 1A was from the Airport to Helensvale and was not 24hrs.   Only the 1 was 24hrs which did go via the Casino after 6PM  until 6AM which used to be a real PITA...

[achiruel]

I think of all the routes in Brisbane to go 24/7, 199 would be the first choice. Plenty of nightlife around the Valley, and it extends somewhat into New Farm and West End.

[James]

One of, if not the biggest nightlife attraction in Brisbane is Fortitude Valley, which none of those buses service. At least add the 60 or 199 to that list. And as for the 111, it looks good on paper but the route doesn't actually perform overly well outside of peak (compared to other BUZ services), particularly after dark. Caught the 2:45pm inbound 111 today and it didn't have over 10 people on it at any one time. The 1:20pm inbound 373 today had more people on it (I'm kinda comparing apples and oranges here but my point still stands). You are better off running extra 555s so Logan is serviced as well.

Just to clarify though, I'm not really up for 24/7 PT in Brisbane yet. I'd prefer the funding to go to actually getting decent services during the day, rather than at 3am on a Wednesday morning.

However, if we were to see it introduced, I do like the look of Aldonius' list, with maybe the addition of the 555 (but running a modified route after Springwood, maybe via Daisy Hill like it does currently).

I think the 111 is a big victim of cannibalisation - you have the 111, 160 and 555 all running at 15-minute frequency during the weekday interpeak period, combining to give 5 minute frequency, plus the 130/140/150 to mop up pax from Garden City and Griffith Uni. Similar situation to OCR & Gympie Road.

If we get 24/7 travel, I would start with the CityGlider. It is already a highly branded, visible route, it covers the high density areas of Fortitude Valley and Montague Road, but isn't too long a route either.

I would follow with the 412 - UQ generates patronage 24/7 because of the odd hours Uni students study at, particularly during semester. The N413 will often pick up a few passengers on a Friday & Saturday night at Chancellors Place.

[Andrew]

The Northern Transitway is a step in the right direction but the "missing link" between Federation St and Truro St would help also.  I personally think they should bite the bullet and just build the busway all the way to Chermside.  I managed to find (with quite a bit of digging) the original plans.  I think that running the busway via Prince Charles Hospital on the way to Chermside was a mistake.  I think it would be better and possibly cheaper to run it direct to Chermside and have a spur to PCH (think Woolloongabba).  By my estimation, a direct busway to Chermside would take about 12 mins for a non stop 330 from RBWH to Chermside.  Compare that with current times of around 11 mins at night, 15 mins (avg) in off peak and anywhere from 18-25 mins in peak hour depending on traffic.  If you saved 6-8 mins a trip in peak, it would be a significant benefit and make PT a more attractive option.  It would also strengthen the case for feeder services or new/improved peak hour direct "rocket" services too.

[timh]

The Northern Transitway is a step in the right direction but the "missing link" between Federation St and Truro St would help also.  I personally think they should bite the bullet and just build the busway all the way to Chermside.  I managed to find (with quite a bit of digging) the original plans.  I think that running the busway via Prince Charles Hospital on the way to Chermside was a mistake.  I think it would be better and possibly cheaper to run it direct to Chermside and have a spur to PCH (think Woolloongabba).  By my estimation, a direct busway to Chermside would take about 12 mins for a non stop 330 from RBWH to Chermside.  Compare that with current times of around 11 mins at night, 15 mins (avg) in off peak and anywhere from 18-25 mins in peak hour depending on traffic.  If you saved 6-8 mins a trip in peak, it would be a significant benefit and make PT a more attractive option.  It would also strengthen the case for feeder services or new/improved peak hour direct "rocket" services too.

100% agree that something needs to be done about the missing link between Truro and Federation Streets. Obviously it would be pretty expensive as I'd assume most of it would be TBM tunnelled, but it needs to be done, as well as extending all the way to Chermside (or to Bracken Ridge ideally, as per the original plans)

Speaking of original plans, would you be able to link me to those? I have a few I've managed to dig up through web archives but nothing I'd consider "complete"

[ozbob]

Queensland Parliament E-Petition

https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/work-of-assembly/petitions/petition-details?id=3094

Queensland State Government to conduct extensive consultation as a part of the Northern Transitway Project

TO: The Honourable the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland
Queensland residents draws to the attention of the House to the consultation and design process for the Gympie Road Northern Transitway.

Your petitioners, therefore, request the House that TMR conduct extensive consultation across the impacted area to ensure all residents have their say on the project. In addition, we request TMR consult with all local businesses affected by this project. In consideration of the affected local businesses, we request the implementation of sufficient parking to replace the existing on and off street parking being lost as a result of this project.

[City Designer]

We already have 24/7 services on the Coast and have had them for the better part of 2 decades or more.  The 24/7 network actually used to be larger before the 2006 network changes . The old Route 1 was basically the same as the 700 from Tweed to Southport except via Pac Fair and accounting for the old Surfers road layout, then what is now Route 711 from Southport to Falkinder Ave at Paradise Pt then up to what is now the 719 terminus at the boat harbour via a slightly different route.

The July 2003 timetable shows the overnight 1 terminating at Australia Fair.

http://web.archive.org/web/20030804010120/http://www.transinfo.qld.gov.au/qt/PubTrans.nsf/ReferenceLookup/Surfside%20Route1%20.pdf/$file/Surfside%20Route1%20.pdf

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> Eastern Transitway stuck in low gear with less than $2m in Budget


Shadow Transport Minister Steve Minnikin says the Eastern Transitway improvements along Old Cleveland Road are years away. Picture: Sarah Marshall/AAP

Only $3.7 million of the promised $22 million funding has been allocated for the Eastern Transitway.

THE Eastern Transitway project appears to be years away, with no substantial funding announced in the State's Budget this week.

The Budget allocated the Transitway $1.9 million for next year, following last year's initial funding of $1.8 million towards the $22 million total cost.

Announced by Labor during the 2017 State election as an interim solution to the stalled Eastern Busway project, the Transitway would provide bus priority lanes on Old Cleveland Rd between Carindale and Coorparoo to reduce bus travel times and increase patronage.

LNP Member for Chatsworth and Shadow Transport Minister Steve Minnikin slammed the Government's slow release of funding for a project that was yet to see any tangible results.

"Eastern suburb residents are putting their hands out for a full glass of water, only to receive a drop back from the Government when it comes to seeing any sort of relief for commuters," Mr Minnikin said.

"If the Transitway has less than 10 per cent of the funding allocated over two years, should we expect completion to be in 2029?

"We are yet to see a shovel hit the ground after 12 months and I strongly doubt with the funding allocated, we will see any substantial development for the next 12."

A spokesman for Transport Minister Mark Bailey said the budget shows the funding ramping up with the construction scheduled for 2020-21.

"This is a large project that involves five major intersection upgrades and we're doing the necessary preparation work to plan and deliver it in collaboration with the Brisbane City Council," he said.

Survey works for the project were completed early this year along the corridor to enable detailed design.

Mr Minnikin said the electorate was getting promises with no plan for delivery to back it up.

"Old Cleveland Road is at capacity now," he said.

"The Government needs to stop drip feeding funding for this project and get on with the job."

The Queensland Government's congestion solution for Old Cleveland Road remains years away with no substantial funding announced in the State's Budget this week.

The Budget allocated the Transitway project $1.9 million for next year, following on from last year's initial funding of $1.8 Million towards the $22 million total cost.

LNP Member for Chatsworth and the Shadow Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Steve Minnikin slammed the Palaszczuk Government's slow release of funding for a project that is yet to see any tangible results.

"Eastern suburb residents are putting their hands out for a full glass of water, only to receive a drop back from the Government when it comes to seeing any sort of relief for commuters," Mr Minnikin said.

"If the Transitway has less than 10 per cent of the funding allocated over two years, should we expect completion to be in 2029?

"We are yet to see a shovel hit the ground after 12 months and I strongly doubt with the funding allocated, we will see any substantial development for the next 12."

The Palaszczuk Government's Eastern Transitway plan is to prioritise buses and install jump lanes along Old Cleveland Road at the intersections of Cavendish, Bennetts, Boundary, Gallipoli and Creek Roads.

Mr Minnikin was critical of the Government's plans for delivery of the Transitway project.

"In typical Palaszczuk Government style, we see promises with no plan for delivery to back it up," he said.

"Old Cleveland Road is at capacity now. The Government needs to stop drip feeding funding for this project and get on with the job."

[#Metro]

Seems all areas need $$.

Need to reform the bus network first.

Fastest & cheapest.

[verbatim9]

Couriermail --> State Government forges ahead with Transitway for buses and businesses are in the firing line

The State Government has revealed its proposed Northern Transitway for buses and taxis and it includes wiping out on-street parking and that has business owners up in arms.

Irate business owners claim the State Government has paid them nothing but lip service over the proposed Northern Transitway which they say will "destroy us".

The Northern Transitway (NT) is, in effect, a priority bus lane, that can be used by taxis, bicycles and limousines and replace the parking shoulder along each side of Gympie Rd, from Sadlier St, Kedron to Hamilton Rd, Chermside.

Preliminary plans for the $53 million project were distributed to residents and businesses last week and that came after a rough outline of the NT was released last November.

It has pitted the Brisbane City Council against the State Government over the proposed removal of all on-street parking and two bus stops along the 2.3km route.

A number of business owners say they are prepared to relocate after the Palaszczuk Government failed to address their concerns regarding parking and loading zones.

Yvette Cottrill, who owns Consign-A-Car at Kedron, said she will have to move when her long term lease expires in 2021.

She said the section between Kitchener Rd and Rode Rd, where her business had been located for eight years, experienced heavy traffic on Saturdays but not during the week.

She expects the end of on-street parking will all but kill off passing trade for her business and that of more than half a dozen car yards along the 2.3km strip.

"It's bottled up near Hamilton Rd Chermside. If this goes ahead this will destroy us," Ms Cottrill said.

"The traffic through here is just not enough to warrant a dedicated bus lane, 24 hours a day.

"If the traffic is so bad, why do we have speed cameras consistently here?"

Further down the road at Chermside EmbroidMe owner Daryl Ragen said his lease had expired and he was looking at relocating, possibly to Kedron, after seeing the latest plans.

He said his calls last December for a loading zone outside of peak hour had fallen on deaf ears while questions relating to the length of the construction had gone unanswered.

"The biggest issue is where the courier are drivers going to park and how long I will be without access while it's being built," Mr Ragen said.

"Why can't there be parking after 9am? Without parking courier drivers are going to have to walk a block and half or more and I doubt they are going to want to do that.

"It's going to cost me between $10,000 and $15,000 to move and they won't offer compensation. The whole thing just doesn't make sense."

A few doors up from Mr Ragen, Sasquatch Bar owner Gourav Dhiman said he may have another battle of a different kind on his hands.

Mr Dhiman said he expected the impact to be minimal although his concern was that their small car park would be placed under pressure once on-street parking ceased,

"We may have people parking here going elsewhere because the car parks have gone and we don't want to, but we may have to monitor the car park," he said.

The BCC has pushed back against the Transitway and against the removal of bus stops on a network they are responsible for running.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner called the project a stop gap measure that used existing roads instead of delivering on a promise made more than a quarter of a century ago.

"The State Government has only built 27 kilometres of the 75 kilometre busway proposed in 1992 and building of the final 48 kilometres of the Northern and Eastern Busways needs to be the State Government's focus," Mr Schrinner said.

Local councillor for the area Fiona Hammond said businesses would suffer if car parking was removed and urged locals to attend information sessions.

Besides the parking issue, the removal of a two bus stops, on either side of the Gympie Rd, at the Castle St and Strathmore St intersections will create some logistic problems for commuters, said Rail Back On Track spokesman Robert Dow.

There will be about 900m between stops on the eastern side of Gympie Rd while pedestrians who alight on the western side will have to wait for three sets of traffic light changes to cross the arterial road at Strathmore St.

"It's far from ideal," Mr Dow said.

A Department of Transport and Main Roads spokesman said community consultation had started and with information sessions at Chermside Bowls Club (September 19 and 28) and Kedron State School (October 10 and 12).

"These sessions enable people to find out more about the project, ask questions and provide their feedback on the proposed design," the spokesman said.

"The Northern Transitway will support high frequency and reliable bus services along Gympie Arterial Road, encourage more people to use public transport and assist in managing congestion by separating buses from general traffic."

[timh]

I still maintain that despite the massive cost, the original proper Northern busway plan was far superior to this half-arsed bullsh%t. Most of it was tunneled so you wouldn't have all these business owners whinging about the loss of onstreet parking (shall I call the wambulance?)

[SurfRail]

Bugger on street parking.  Gympie Road isn't a "street".

[achiruel]

Bugger on street parking.  Gympie Road isn't a "street".

Indeed, there's plenty of side streets that have parking permitted, for those who require it.

Perhaps the businesses would do better to appeal for more short-term parking in those streets so they're not occupied all day by people working in Gympie Rd businesses?

[City Designer]

Draft plans for the Northern Transitway are now published.

https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Projects/Name/N/Northern-Transitway

[Cazza]

Shame there's no direct connection to the busway for inbound services. The tunnel has been built for bi-directional traffic, so why not take advantage of this? The Stafford Rd intersection can be a pain to traverse and it wouldn't be hard to give buses priority to move from the left lane, cross Gympie Rd and enter the tunnel portal near Somerset Rd.

[verbatim9]

Shame there's no direct connection to the busway for inbound services. The tunnel has been built for bi-directional traffic, so why not take advantage of this? The Stafford Rd intersection can be a pain to traverse and it wouldn't be hard to give buses priority to move from the left lane, cross Gympie Rd and enter the tunnel portal near Somerset Rd.

Yeah they should of included a short tunnel in the project from Ramsay Street inbound going under Gympie road to connect with the existing two way tunnel.

[timh]

I'm still p%ssed  they've cheaped out and gone with this cop-out option. Yeah, the original tunneling/median combo was difficult, expensive and required a bunch of resumptions. But it's a Class A ROW and had much, much better long term usability/future proofing. I mean, this will help with reliability of current services sure, but I don't see it having much long term benefit.

One thing that I've harped on about a LOT and will continue to do so is the need to fix the "missing link" between Federation/Truro streets... Interesting why they haven't included Bus lanes for that section in this report considering they were supposed to be installed when the Lutwyche-Kedron Brook busway opened

EDIT: Just read the fine print section that reads "The ultimate Northern Busway between Kedron and Bracken Ridge is the long term plan, with any stages subject to fundingand government priority." . So that makes me feel a bit better I guess

[#Metro]

It is a good time to build infrastructure. Interest rates are at record lows, so many projects become viable when they otherwise wouldn't.

At just $53 million for 2.3 km (23 million/km) this is excellent value for money.

[SurfRail]

What is profoundly ridiculous is the absence of continuous bus lanes between Federation St and Truro St, which is on nobody's radar.

Also seems to put paid to the notion that you can just deliver bus priority cheaply in this State (as if the Eastern Busway hadn't already disabused everybody of that notion).  This isn't exactly an order of magnitude less than what GCLR 2 cost per km.

[AnonymouslyBad]

One thing that I've harped on about a LOT and will continue to do so is the need to fix the "missing link" between Federation/Truro streets... Interesting why they haven't included Bus lanes for that section in this report considering they were supposed to be installed when the Lutwyche-Kedron Brook busway opened

Yeah, the missing link is a shocker. Fixing this is far more important than Kedron-Chermside IMO. The amount of time buses spend getting off the busway, waiting at lights, sitting in normal traffic lanes, waiting at more lights, just to get back back on a tiny section of busway ... IMO the Lutwyche section of busway is useless, probably demonstrably slower (without the Windsor section) if it's not peak hour.

[Golliwog]

What is profoundly ridiculous is the absence of continuous bus lanes between Federation St and Truro St, which is on nobody's radar.

Also seems to put paid to the notion that you can just deliver bus priority cheaply in this State (as if the Eastern Busway hadn't already disabused everybody of that notion).  This isn't exactly an order of magnitude less than what GCLR 2 cost per km.

I recall asking about that back when the existing section was built at the same time as Airport Link.

The response I received that while the project did indeed propose those bus lanes between Federation and Truro, that section of road is not TMR's it's BCC's, and council determined that they didn't want them / it was bad for traffic. Not sure if I still have the email.

[City Designer]

Shame there's no direct connection to the busway for inbound services. The tunnel has been built for bi-directional traffic, so why not take advantage of this? The Stafford Rd intersection can be a pain to traverse and it wouldn't be hard to give buses priority to move from the left lane, cross Gympie Rd and enter the tunnel portal near Somerset Rd.

Yeah they should of included a short tunnel in the project from Ramsay Street inbound going under Gympie road to connect with the existing two way tunnel.

No need. The northern tunnel portal is already two lanes. The tunnel transition structure needs to be widened to two lanes and the intersection with Sadlier Street adjusted to suit.

[Cazza]

No need. The northern tunnel portal is already two lanes. The tunnel transition structure needs to be widened to two lanes and the intersection with Sadlier Street adjusted to suit.

Which is what we both said (or at least implied for the most part)... Verbatim just added that they should build a tunnel underneath Gympie Rd to connect to this current tunnel, which probably isn't really feasible.

A simple bus priority to allow buses to cross Gympie Rd from the left lane to this tunnel portal would suffice (exactly the same as the one outbound, at the Turo St bus portal just after Albion Rd). Just give the buses more priority though rather than having to wait sometimes upwards of 3 mins to cross Gympie Rd like the current situation in Lutwyche.

[James]

I recall asking about that back when the existing section was built at the same time as Airport Link.

The response I received that while the project did indeed propose those bus lanes between Federation and Truro, that section of road is not TMR's it's BCC's, and council determined that they didn't want them / it was bad for traffic. Not sure if I still have the email.

Disappointing, but not surprising. I am surprised though that BCC owns the road through there - typically TMR has had ownership of the old 'Metroads' (A3, Metroad 5, Metroad 2) with BCC owning everything else.

No need. The northern tunnel portal is already two lanes. The tunnel transition structure needs to be widened to two lanes and the intersection with Sadlier Street adjusted to suit.

I imagine this wouldn't be too difficult to do. Put in a bus slip lane on the left, have a new signal phase where the buses can move into the tunnel, problem solved. The offices at 278 Gympie Rd are currently for lease, so you'd avoid impacting businesses by doing a partial resumption now.

FWIW, I believe this Northern Busway is being done on the cheap - it is essentially a glorified bus lane paint job, with some signal priority chucked in and some kerb widening to facilitate access. I doubt we'll see anything like a bus slip lane or anything between Truro and Federation Street - but I guess these works are better than nothing. I don't think we'll see the full Class A ROW Northern Busway built between now and 2031 (or whenever the next magical planning year is).

[ozbob]

Northern Transitway

https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Projects/Name/N/Northern-Transitway

Northern Transitway factsheet September 2019 ( External PDF, 3.18 MB)

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/TransLinkSEQ/status/1176994827155791872

[Gazza]

Car yard owners complaining about lack of parking is the funniest thing ever.
Just mark proper bays on your lot instead of displaying the cars in a jumbled cluster f****. Then you'd find you'd have space for onsite visitor parking.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Consign+A+Car/@-27.3986671,153.0313,71m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x6b91583c3a9efbb3:0x2db396dd90f4d924!8m2!3d-27.3986375!4d153.0309711

[verbatim9]

Car yard owners complaining about lack of parking is the funniest thing ever.
Just mark proper bays on your lot instead of displaying the cars in a jumbled cluster f****. Then you'd find you'd have space for onsite visitor parking.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Consign+A+Car/@-27.3986671,153.0313,71m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x6b91583c3a9efbb3:0x2db396dd90f4d924!8m2!3d-27.3986375!4d153.0309711

I reckon!  Potential customers can just pull up into the car yard if they want to have a look at cars. Car yards will be disappearing in the inner suburbs anyway, This is a result from  a 7 day auto alley at the airport opening soon, as well as car sales online via Kogan and 7 day shopping centre sales.

[Cazza]

Plus, look at how empty the side streets are too. Not only is it safer to park in side streets than on the main road, but you can also fit more cars into a closer vicinity of your business down these side roads. So why can't NIMBYs look at the positive side of things and just p!ss right off?

[verbatim9]

Plus, look at how empty the side streets are too. Not only is it safer to park in side streets than on the main road, but you can also fit more cars into a closer vicinity of your business down these side roads. So why can't NIMBYs look at the positive side of things and just p!ss right off?

Hopefully TMR will look past all those unreasonable requests. Community consultation is just a process in most circumstances.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> 'Gobsmacked' business owners slam MP for failing to show at Northern Transitway meeting


An artist impression of the Northern Transitway which will run along the parking shoulder of Gympie Rd from Kedron to Chermside. It includes banning right-hand turns out of five side streets and the removal of Strathmore St and Castle St bus stops. Picture: The Courier-Mail

Hundreds of carparks will be lost to the new $53 million Northern Transitway, with business owners claiming many will be forced to close. But attempts to voice their concerns to their local MP ended in a frustrating no-show.

INCENSED business owners have accused Mines Minister Dr Anthony Lynham of going into "hiding" after he failed to attend a meeting over a proposed 'busway' that threatens their livelihoods.

Business leaders Yvette Cottrill and Peter Lincoln were "gobsmacked' to find local MP Dr Lynham was a no-show last Friday when they arrived at his Stafford electoral office to express their concerns over the $53 million Northern Transitway (NT).

Instead of getting an audience with their local member, Ms Cottrill and Mr Lincoln were greeted by Department of Transport and Main Roads personnel they had already spoken to about the project.

Ms Cottrill said she had tried for weeks to meet with Mr Lynham and his absence did not fill her with any confidence that businesses would receive a fair hearing.

"We were gobsmacked to walk in and find out that he wouldn't be attending," Ms Cottrill said.

"It was the same people we had seen before and he was the person we wanted to speak to tell him how we feel.

"Again our concerns just falls on deaf ears.

"It feels as he is hiding from the project completely."

Mr Lincoln said Dr Lynham's staff said he was unable to attend because his 'ministerial calendar' had changed on Thursday.

"Why didn't he tell us beforehand or at least reschedule. It was just a waste of time," Mr Lincoln said.

Dr Lynham told The Courier-Mail that "a last minute diary change to fulfil a Ministerial duty" resulted in diary appointments be rearranged.

"This is not unusual," Dr Lynham said.

"However, to ensure that concerns were noted, the meeting was not cancelled and I requested that four senior officers from the Department of Transport and Main Roads be present to address concerns.

"My electorate office staff also took detailed notes of the issues raised."

Dr Lynham said he was in the process of arranging another appointment although Ms Cottrill and Mr Lincoln both said had yet to hear from him.

The NT is, in effect, a priority bus lane, that can be used by taxis, bicycles and limousines.

It will replace the parking shoulder along each side of Gympie Rd, from Sadlier St, Kedron to Hamilton Rd, Chermside.

It includes the removal of two bus stops and hundreds of on-street car parks along the 2.3km route.

Ms Cottrill said the NT could be the death knell for dozens of businesses with customers having nowhere to park, even on weekends, along Gympie Rd.

"Everybody feels the same way, I have yet to find anyone who is positive and wants it to go ahead," Ms Cottrill said.

Transport and Main Roads has held two information meetings on the Northern Transitway with another two set down at Kedron State School on October 10 and 12.

Ms Cottrill said she attended the sessions and even handed out flyers, highlighting anomalies of the project which included the Brisbane City Council opposing the project and weekly speed cameras being set up outside her business which contradict congestion concerns.

"They kept trying to hide them, but at least some people did take them and look at them," Ms Cottrill said.

"Why have speed cameras if it's so congested?"

Mr Lincoln said the pain the Northern Transitway would cause businesses, including during the construction phase, was disproportionate to getting a bus to Chermside two minutes quicker.

"It's doesn't add up," he said.

The project has also pitted the Brisbane City Council against the State Government.

Bus stops, on either side of the Gympie Rd, at the Castle St and Strathmore St intersections will create some logistical problems for commuters.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner has previously called the project a stop gap measure that used existing roads instead of delivering on a promise made more than a quarter of a century ago.

"The State Government has only built 27km of the 75km busway proposed in 1992 and building of the final 48 kilometres of the Northern and Eastern Busways needs to be the State Government's focus," Mr Schrinner said.

Marchant Ward councillor Fiona Hammond said businesses would suffer if carparking was removed and urged locals to attend information sessions.

[#Metro]

Is it possible to put the bus in the median?

Sydney's M2 busway does this. Buses cross on to the wrong side of the road stop at a station and then cross back to the correct side of the road after departure.

[timh]

Is it possible to put the bus in the median?

Sydney's M2 busway does this. Buses cross on to the wrong side of the road stop at a station and then cross back to the correct side of the road after departure.

The existing median is not wide enough to accommodate 2 bus lanes, and even then there are some stretches where there isn't a full sized median. Maybe one buslane could work in some bits? but I can't see how that would work in practicality

[#Metro]

The existing median is not wide enough to accommodate 2 bus lanes, and even then there are some stretches where there isn't a full sized median. Maybe one buslane could work in some bits? but I can't see how that would work in practicality.

Gympie road had two tram lines- dedicated row- in the median. Maybe they can recover the middle lanes for bus.

[James]

The existing median is not wide enough to accommodate 2 bus lanes, and even then there are some stretches where there isn't a full sized median. Maybe one buslane could work in some bits? but I can't see how that would work in practicality.

Gympie road had two tram lines- dedicated row- in the median. Maybe they can recover the middle lanes for bus.

It takes up less space to have two bus stops on the side of the road (in the same area as the road verge) than in the middle of the road.

There's only two options for building the Northern Transitway (remembering tunnelling & structures are off the cards with the current budget):
1. Build a bus lane in the shoulder and remove parking.
2. Build a bus lane in the outer (slow) lane on either carriageway and remove a lane of traffic.
In terms of road capacity, #1 is by far the superior option. Parking lanes - particularly on main roads, where you're talking about people reversing in & out of spots, are terrible uses of road space.

Politically, #1 is much better. You think the screeching is bad now? Imagine how bad it'll be when you propose taking away 1/3 of the road capacity heading north on an already congested section of road.

[timh]

The existing median is not wide enough to accommodate 2 bus lanes, and even then there are some stretches where there isn't a full sized median. Maybe one buslane could work in some bits? but I can't see how that would work in practicality.

Gympie road had two tram lines- dedicated row- in the median. Maybe they can recover the middle lanes for bus.

Trams take far less room than buslanes as you can have two trams pass within literally inches of each other, and they tend to be not as wide as buses as well.

There's also no way they'd take away a lane of general traffic for this, it'd be political suicide

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk