Gold Coast PT Patronage data from FY 12/13 to 20/21

[SurfRail]

Update for FY20/21.  More pronounced COVID-19-related drops on FY/19/20, which was an already low base - rounding up and down:

- Heavy rail is down 25%, and 40% since FY18/19.
- Light rail is down a bit further at nearly 28%, and 57% since FY18/19.
- Bus is down around 15%, and 28% since FY18/19.
- Interestingly, school bus patronage has risen about 12% to its highest figure since this series began.

[brissypete]

Update for FY20/21.  More pronounced COVID-19-related drops on FY/19/20, which was an already low base - rounding up and down:

- Heavy rail is down 25%, and 40% since FY18/19.
- Light rail is down a bit further at nearly 28%, and 57% since FY18/19.
- Bus is down around 15%, and 28% since FY18/19.
- Interestingly, school bus patronage has risen about 12% to its highest figure since this series began.

I'd guess that's an indication as to how much tourism accounts for patronage on the coast.  And pax to/from BNE airport by train.

Sent from my SM-G991B using Tapatalk

[techblitz]

Just keeps getting worse for the 740.....now dipped well below 200k from 220k.....still at 15 min frequency......and I think the highlight for this year is the next bus route up....741...which is at hourly frequency....only did 40k less patronage...
When a HF route inches closer to others at half or a quarter of the frequency....time to take action...

Other routes at similar frequency to the 740...

705 - 304k
719 - 547k
704 - 795k << this route only has 7 more services per day in each direction than the 740..
750 - 542k
765 - 446k
713 - 457k

At only 180k for the 740...these are differences too big to ignore...

The 740 is hands down the worst performing 15 min freq route in the south-east.....serving a now minimal role for such high frequency.
Even when things get back to normal....the best it will pull is 275ish.....which will still make it the worst performing HF..

Now at the other end of the spectrum for nerang we have the 746.....the worst gold coast bus route on patronage...

https://jp.translink.com.au/plan-your-journey/timetables/bus/t/746

Doing a pizzly 5k patronage per year...doesn't even operate on weekends...2 hourly frequency from 2pm...last service from nerang 4.19pm......mediocre is an understatement...
These two routes give Nerang station bus services a bad rep.....and its all on translink's reluctance to do anything about it...

It is nearing 4 years since stage 2 light rail opened at helensvale....you think TL would have made some meaningful effort to review the actual flow-on effects for Nerang by now.
Its rather embarrassing 

[Gazza]

The 740 only takes 31 mins to complete its route.

The 741 is a bit ridiculous though, absolute milk run, and takes 62 mins.

So although it uses more resources, its not as bad as you'd think.

Personally I think the 735 should be HF instead since it has more local demand.

Top priorities though for the GC should be the 760 and the 747.

In terms of worst performing HF route, that would probably be the 515.

[techblitz]

Hi @gazza

Comparing the 740/515...if you were to breakdown the 515 and its varying trip times and the mish-mash of frequency adjustments versus the core 7 day Frequent 30 min trip time of the 740...I think you will find that the 740 will come out costing more than the 515...

There is also the 13k patronage difference in favor of the 515...
I still say the 740 is hands down the worst....
Getting away from cost....the 515 serves a more important role in its local community....servicing heavy rail/university/hospital and major retail.
I'm inclined to not class it as a true money waster....however the 740....I do...

740/735/745

I question any of them needing 15 minute all-day frequency at this stage.A strict meet each train and that's it imo.....
Some actual walk-up high density residential development along any of those routes or finding walk-up patronage west of Nerang station could sway me in favor..

But that's just me......iirc surfrail has similar thoughts as you regarding the 735...

[Gazza]

There needs to be an actual frequent grid though for local travel, not just focusing on rail connections.

The problem with the 740 is that it spends about half the length going past the floodplains around Carrara and Royal Pines golf club.

The 735 doesnt suffer this problem, and in fact if you made it HF, you could truncate the 740 back to Nerang only.

The 747 would do the best IMO because it would form a central spine in between heavy rail and light rail and serve several solid destinations.

The 745 would be better than the 740 because at least the cycle time is shorter (20 min), and will make sense once stage 3 LR opens.

There is also the 13k patronage difference in favor of the 515...

Pre covid the 740 was doing better.

[techblitz]

if were talking about upgrading the 747 freq. I would support it only with a stop-in at bond uni.... the 747 currently avoids it...... which is a shame because students/staff from the north would no doubt be driving there.
It can be achieved via a new stop near the roundabout...adds in 5 mins to the trip......ducks in and back out...this covers anyone in the north wanting a quickfire trip straight to bond uni via southport-burleigh rd.

[Gazza]

The 747 avoids it because the 750 already goes there and I think the idea is there is an even distribution of routes.

That said its only 500m off the route so yeah stop here would be fine
https://www.google.com/maps/@-28.0717889,153.4151352,3a,60y,105.55h,92.38t/am=t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sBB45bi1PzcYJUSlQMPZuXg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[SurfRail]

I'd be absolutely OK with the bit of the 740 west of Nerang Station being dropped altogether and 735 going to high frequency 7am-7pm 7 days.  740 going to half-hourly would be tolerable if that is the outcome.

Other things I'd prefer to see sooner rather than later - some with rejigging priorities, some when GCLR3 comes online, some with just new funding:
- 704, 722, 725, 735, 740, 745, 760 and 765 running half-hourly until the trains stop running that often, and otherwise a connection to each train to the furthest extent possible.
- 713 and 719 every 15 minutes on weekends.
- 747, 760 and West Burleigh Road (likely an extension of the 777) to high frequency 7 days a week.
- 710, 711, 714, 722, 725, 741 and 753 to half-hourly 7 days a week (and remove the Varsity - Burleigh section of the 753 when the 777 takes over that leg)
- 7 day service on the 739, 746 and 749
- Split the 756 into 2 separate routes south of Pacific Avenue to improve coverage and reduce travel time (eg separating the Miami Village leg from the Honeyeater Drive leg, and running one down Dunlin Drive)
- Fill in all the headway gaps greater than 60 minutes (except for Route 737 - that should only be improved as part of a rejig of the Ashmore area routes, as it is just a seniors' shopper run - and as set out below)
- Regular service from North Tamborine and Eagle Heights to Oxenford and Helensvale station, which could be less than hourly (but should be 7 days).
- Last trip on all services leaving no earlier than 5:30pm from either end.
- Run the 768 down Coolangatta Road instead of Marine Parade and potentially up to Point Danger if doable (obviously not at the moment with the border being what it is).
- Extend the 705 from Seaworld to Doug Jennings Park on selected trips - initially say hourly from 6am to 6pm (ie every 4th service).

[techblitz]

Looks good @gazza

Run the 768 down Coolangatta Road instead of Marine Parade and potentially up to Point Danger if doable

yes plz..
Major apartment dev happening in the rainbow bay area and definitely needs some form of public transport available....
Coolongatta rd can get some walkup traffic from new the kirra development..