Cross River Rail Project

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Keeping politics out of the Cross River Rail tunnel

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Brisbane Cross River Rail: Queensland Government to announce new version to relieve train crisis

[ozbob]

Twitter

Stirling Hinchliffe ‏@StirlHinchliffe 2 minutes ago

Cross River Rail needed to increase PT capacity and reduce traffic congestion in our SEQ network. #GetOnBoard

[red dragin]

I am imagining that the yards will be much quieter once NGR's are the dominate train type. 30 sets alone go into the new stabling yards being built. It would only be the few diesel loco's, and the 160/260's I believe.

There is a tender at the moment for the "Regional Rollingstock Maintenance Shed and Electric Locomotive Provisioning Shed Facilities Upgrade" on QTenders.

The yard will probably be quieter than they are now, but its not going to become a ghost town.  It will still be very important for interpeak stabling.

Of course. The northern part of the yard (used to be freight?) is quite underutilized.

By opening day, hopefully we will see more frequent services between peaks, with less sets parked up.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

7th April 2016

Re: Cross River Rail plan number 3

Greetings,

RAIL Back On Track welcomes the announcement of the proposed route for Cross River Rail (1).  We note the northern line connection - essential, something the fantasy BaT tunnel failed to address.

We urge all Political Parties and Independents to get behind this essential project.

Best wishes
Robert

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

1. http://www.crossriverrail.qld.gov.au/

Sent to all outlets:

7th April 2016

Cross River Rail plan number 3

Good Morning,

Some exciting news.

Couriermail --> Brisbane Cross River Rail: Queensland Government to announce new version to relieve train crisis

Although this is somewhat truncated from the original plan - no Yeerongpilly connection, the core is there.  Cross River Rail will deliver mass transit capacity to the CBD, as well as enabling the entire rail network for SEQ.

It is important that consideration be given to allowing trains a smooth transition from and to the Cross River Rail alignment from the Northern Line as well.  Capacity constraints apply to the north as well as the south.

The Quirk ' Metro ' as proposed during the Council Election is simply not needed.  Bus network reform and sorting out Victoria Bridge and the Cultural Centre bus station will save many billions of dollars. Brisbane might well need a proper metro down the track but it does not need a half baked non-solution metro now.  It is scandalous that Brisbane City Council is network reform refractory - it is time TransLink was given the proper authority to sort out the festering Brisbane bus mess.

Best wishes
Robert

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

[SurfRail]

I am imagining that the yards will be much quieter once NGR's are the dominate train type. 30 sets alone go into the new stabling yards being built. It would only be the few diesel loco's, and the 160/260's I believe.

There is a tender at the moment for the "Regional Rollingstock Maintenance Shed and Electric Locomotive Provisioning Shed Facilities Upgrade" on QTenders.

The yard will probably be quieter than they are now, but its not going to become a ghost town.  It will still be very important for interpeak stabling.

Why would Mayne be any less busy than it is now?  The fleet is growing, and all of the new stabling is additional and not in lieu of anything else.  Wulkuraka is not a stabling yard either.

[ozbob]

Personally, I am happy with the core route, northern connection.  Not as comfortable with the southern arrangements.  There will be 5 tracks going into 3 at Dutton Park, and will be very tight.  Maybe when proper operational assessments etc. done it may indicate be better to actually extend the CRR further south.

We need more detail.  Hopefully this will be forthcoming sooner than later.

[tazzer9]

Why would Mayne be any less busy than it is now?  The fleet is growing, and all of the new stabling is additional and not in lieu of anything else.  Wulkuraka is not a stabling yard either.

Doesnt wulkuraka have something like 6 stabling roads for 12 6 car trains? 

[ozbob]

ARA

http://www.ara.net.au/content/rail-industry-welcomes-brisbane-cross-river-rail-announcement

Rail Industry Welcomes Brisbane Cross River Rail Announcement

2016 April 07 | 01:45pm

The Australasian Railway Association (ARA) applauds the Queensland Government's announcement regarding the multi-billion dollar Cross River Rail project today.

"The Cross River Rail project will provide the much-needed second rail crossing of the Brisbane River," said Danny Broad, Chief Executive Officer of the ARA.

"With Brisbane's population expected to approach five million people within twenty years, the Cross River Rail project will increase the capacity of Brisbane's rail network, allowing additional trains to run through Brisbane's CBD, thereby meeting the forecast demands of the city's population," said Mr Broad.

Although the creation of a statutory authority charged with delivering the project does not guarantee the project's certainty, the ARA commends the Palaszczuk Government's approach to securing the project's future.

The ARA recognises the budgetary demands facing governments across Australia in funding transport infrastructure. The use of innovative funding to deliver Cross River Rail has the full support of the ARA. The opportunity to realise value-capture opportunities through a Federal, State and Local government co-investment alongside private sector funding is a sustainable and forward-looking approach.

The Cross River Rail alignment will create significant economic benefits for the region, create thousands of construction jobs as well as ensure post-construction operational and maintenance jobs and lead to urban revitalisation and growth with the delivery of five new station precincts.

"The ARA looks forward to the finalisation of the business case and the subsequent investment decision. We urge the Palaszczuk Government to work hard towards a 2016 investment decision that facilitates construction beginning in 2018," said Mr Broad. "The ARA has been a long-time advocate for a Cross River Rail project in Brisbane and the significant economic, social and urban benefits the project will provide."

[red dragin]

Wulkuraka is not a stabling yard either.

Didn't realise this. The fact sheets etc aren't really clear either way.

I think a flat junction is inevitable at the northern end under this plan, just a matter of where exactly.

[Stillwater]

I am genuinely scared at the numbers of people crowding the platforms at Central during peak periods.  I stick to the centre of the platform until my train comes, then move to board.  I fear that the number of people gathered on the platforms waiting for their train increases the risk of someone being 'bumped' on the tracks.

As I use the concourse upstairs, I wonder what would happen if the whole place had to be evacuated in an emergency.

CRR3 will relieve Central Station crowding and improve network capacity.  Smart move to set up a statutory authority to deliver it and get politicians' sticky fingers off the plans.

[verbatim9]

The statutory authority is a similar situation to what they have done to Lightrail in CBR to get the job done

[red dragin]

I am genuinely scared at the numbers of people crowding the platforms at Central during peak periods.  I stick to the centre of the platform until my train comes, then move to board.  I fear that the number of people gathered on the platforms waiting for their train increases the risk of someone being 'bumped' on the tracks.

As I use the concourse upstairs, I wonder what would happen if the whole place had to be evacuated in an emergency.

CRR3 will relieve Central Station crowding and improve network capacity.  Smart move to set up a statutory authority to deliver it and get politicians' sticky fingers off the plans.

There was a tender recently (my work is rarely busy, so I google a lot!) for the upgrading of Central Station including platforms - will be an interesting project to achieve without closing the station (one of the requirements).

[verbatim9]

I am genuinely scared at the numbers of people crowding the platforms at Central during peak periods.  I stick to the centre of the platform until my train comes, then move to board.  I fear that the number of people gathered on the platforms waiting for their train increases the risk of someone being 'bumped' on the tracks.

As I use the concourse upstairs, I wonder what would happen if the whole place had to be evacuated in an emergency.

CRR3 will relieve Central Station crowding and improve network capacity.  Smart move to set up a statutory authority to deliver it and get politicians' sticky fingers off the plans.

There was a tender recently (my work is rarely busy, so I google a lot!) for the upgrading of Central Station including platforms - will be an interesting project to achieve without closing the station (one of the requirements).

Is Central getting upgraded too with the project!? I heard that the pub is getting upgraded and will have a glass viewing wall that overlooks the platforms.

[red dragin]

No, just a slight thread hijacking based on Stillwater's comments.

[verbatim9]

The pub though is still getting upgraded with a glass viewing wall.

[SurfRail]

Why would Mayne be any less busy than it is now?  The fleet is growing, and all of the new stabling is additional and not in lieu of anything else.  Wulkuraka is not a stabling yard either.

Doesnt wulkuraka have something like 6 stabling roads for 12 6 car trains?

They aren't stabling facilities as far as I know.  It could probably be used as such in a pinch but there is enough capacity at the existing and under construction yards to keep everything out of the way.

[#Metro]

So.

Looks like Dutton Park station will be demolished after all IMHO

I would like to see ALL Gold Coast and Beenleigh trains use the new tunnel. The current approach into Roma Street can be used for Cleveland line services.

It would be a good opportunity to untangle the network.

A key question is how the Northern rail spaghetti will work. If Beenleigh trains are using it, then how will trains access Ferny Grove Line?

[SurfRail]

The northern end is very simple.

The main lines (Sunshine Coast, Caboolture, Kippa-Ring) get a grade separated connection into the Ekka tracks.  These run into Cross River Rail and out to Beenleigh and the Gold Coast.

The suburban lines (Shorncliffe and Airport) slide over to the main lines and use Central 5/6, then get through-routed to Ipswich/Rosewood and Springfield Central.  The slide happens inbound of where the main lines slide over to the Ekka tracks, so no flat crosses involved.

Ferny Grove uses the suburban lines through the city (platforms 1-4) and gets throughrouted to Cleveland.

Doomben is the outlier.  This would probably stay on the suburban lines all the way to the CBD, so there would be a minor flat cross between outbound Doomben trains and inbound Airport/Shorncliffe trains just north of the Ferny Grove flyover.  These services would probably continue to terminate in the city somewhere, although it might be as far south as Park Road (which would help with interchange capacity for people getting from the CRR lines to South Bank).

The southside is a bit more complicated because there are not enough tracks to separate everything out to allow for decent increases in capacity.  You need at least 4 passenger tracks between the CRR portals and around Kuraby, whether those are a combination of all on the surface or some in tunnel. 

Conceivably, you could put an end to all Beenleigh trains running via South Bank with this plan, unlike BaT which omitted a stop at Boggo Road.  I suspect there may not be enough track capacity to separate Beenleigh into an outer and inner service and still allow Gold Coast trains through.

So - possible operational plan (albeit ignoring the potential headways achievable) gives you 6 throughrouted corridors

- Nambour/Landsborough/Caboolture to Varsity Lakes via CRR (all to Petrie, then Northgate, Eagle Junction, Ekka, all to Boggo Rd, Altandi, Loganlea, Beenleigh, all to Varsity Lakes.

- Kippa-Ring to Beenleigh via CRR (all to Northgate, then Eagle Junction, Ekka, all to Boggo Road, all to Beenleigh)

- Shorncliffe to Ipswich via mains (all stations to Milton, then Indooroopilly, Darra then all to Ipswich with Rosewood connection)

- Airport to Springfield Central via mains (all stations)

- Ferny Grove to Cleveland via Merivale Bridge (all stations off-peak, express in peak)

- Doomben to Park Road via Merivale Bridge (extends to Manly in peak)

[OzGamer]

So - possible operational plan (albeit ignoring the potential headways achievable) gives you 6 throughrouted corridors

- Nambour/Landsborough/Caboolture to Varsity Lakes via CRR (all to Petrie, then Northgate, Eagle Junction, Ekka, all to Boggo Rd, Altandi, Loganlea, Beenleigh, all to Varsity Lakes.

- Kippa-Ring to Beenleigh via CRR (all to Northgate, then Eagle Junction, Ekka, all to Boggo Road, all to Beenleigh)

- Shorncliffe to Ipswich via mains (all stations to Milton, then Indooroopilly, Darra then all to Ipswich with Rosewood connection)

- Airport to Springfield Central via mains (all stations)

- Ferny Grove to Cleveland via Merivale Bridge (all stations off-peak, express in peak)

- Doomben to Park Road via Merivale Bridge (extends to Manly in peak)

This sounds good to me. The only slight downside is that the connection from Ferny Grove to the sector 1 northern lines is worse because you'd have to go all the way to Roma St, but that can't really be helped.

It would almost be worth grouping Doomben with Shorncliffe and Airport on the mains through the city just to avoid having any flat crossings.

[#Metro]

Thanks SurfRail, it is a good suggestion.

- Nambour/Landsborough/Caboolture to Varsity Lakes via CRR (all to Petrie, then Northgate, Eagle Junction, Ekka, all to Boggo Rd, Altandi, Loganlea, Beenleigh, all to Varsity Lakes.

See, what is so interesting about this pairing is that it would allow for Medium Speed Rail upgrades in the future to the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast, provided the tunnel allowed space for dual/standard gauge.

And because the stations are new, there would not be retrofit issues like the old ones.

Other pairings would block it. But not this one.

Just an observation.

[ozbob]

ABC News --> Third cross river rail plan for Brisbane unveiled

The Queensland Government has acknowledged years of frustration at the unveiling of yet another plan to expand Brisbane's inner city rail capacity.

A Cross River Rail Delivery Authority will be established to find $5.2 billion in funding for what is at least the third major version of the rail project.

The 10.2-kilometre route would run from Dutton Park to Bowen Hills, with a 5.9-kilometre tunnel under the Brisbane River and new stations at Boggo Road, The Gabba, Albert Street and the Exhibition.

Acting Premier Jackie Trad said the previous Liberal National Party government should have backed Labor's first version of the project, instead of its own Bus and Train Tunnel.

"We know that there has been a level of frustration in relation to this project. We've felt this frustration," Ms Trad said.

"I think it's important to note that if the Newman government had signed up to cross river rail, as their independent expert panel had advised more than three years ago, then we would see construction today.

"We know that there has been chopping and changing.

"It seems like every time a government is elected there's a different view."

Brisbane CBD's only cross-river-rail crossing, the Merivale bridge, is nearing capacity.

Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said a Labor government would allocate Commonwealth grant money for cross river rail, as well as funding from a $10 billion "Concrete Bank" of private investment, including superannuation funds.

"My ideal split would be that we'll try and get the private sector to contribute funds in a way which guarantees good returns for their investors," Mr Shorten said.

Transport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the cost would be split between three levels of government and the private sector, with the state not ruling out borrowing money for its share.

"Cross river rail has been a political football for far too long," Mr Hinchliffe said.

Despite that, both sides continued to trade insults over the non-delivery of the long-standing plan.

The LNP's Infrastructure spokesman Tim Nicholls said the latest version had no funding source and no start date.

"All we have is more talk," Mr Nicholls said.

"This is a 'gonna' government. They're 'gonna' do this, they're 'gonna' do that.

"If we had a dollar for every time that Labor was going to do the cross river rail, we'd probably have enough money to deliver it by now."

[ozbob]

The LNP are public transport saboteurs it does seem ...

Are the LNP's Public Transport Policies Destructive?  > http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2016/03/are-lnps-public-transport-policies.html

[SurfRail]

At State level anyway.  Whatever else Mal gets up to, he did fund GCLR.

[ozbob]

At State level anyway.  Whatever else Mal gets up to, he did fund GCLR.

The LNP only exists in QLD.  Elsewhere it is Liberal and National Parties - Coalition.  Only in Queensland is there the batshit crazy LNP - a single entity.

[tazzer9]

The northern end is very simple.

The main lines (Sunshine Coast, Caboolture, Kippa-Ring) get a grade separated connection into the Ekka tracks.  These run into Cross River Rail and out to Beenleigh and the Gold Coast.

The suburban lines (Shorncliffe and Airport) slide over to the main lines and use Central 5/6, then get through-routed to Ipswich/Rosewood and Springfield Central.  The slide happens inbound of where the main lines slide over to the Ekka tracks, so no flat crosses involved.

Ferny Grove uses the suburban lines through the city (platforms 1-4) and gets throughrouted to Cleveland.

Doomben is the outlier.  This would probably stay on the suburban lines all the way to the CBD, so there would be a minor flat cross between outbound Doomben trains and inbound Airport/Shorncliffe trains just north of the Ferny Grove flyover.  These services would probably continue to terminate in the city somewhere, although it might be as far south as Park Road (which would help with interchange capacity for people getting from the CRR lines to South Bank).

The southside is a bit more complicated because there are not enough tracks to separate everything out to allow for decent increases in capacity.  You need at least 4 passenger tracks between the CRR portals and around Kuraby, whether those are a combination of all on the surface or some in tunnel. 

Conceivably, you could put an end to all Beenleigh trains running via South Bank with this plan, unlike BaT which omitted a stop at Boggo Road.  I suspect there may not be enough track capacity to separate Beenleigh into an outer and inner service and still allow Gold Coast trains through.

So - possible operational plan (albeit ignoring the potential headways achievable) gives you 6 throughrouted corridors

- Nambour/Landsborough/Caboolture to Varsity Lakes via CRR (all to Petrie, then Northgate, Eagle Junction, Ekka, all to Boggo Rd, Altandi, Loganlea, Beenleigh, all to Varsity Lakes.

- Kippa-Ring to Beenleigh via CRR (all to Northgate, then Eagle Junction, Ekka, all to Boggo Road, all to Beenleigh)

- Shorncliffe to Ipswich via mains (all stations to Milton, then Indooroopilly, Darra then all to Ipswich with Rosewood connection)

- Airport to Springfield Central via mains (all stations)

- Ferny Grove to Cleveland via Merivale Bridge (all stations off-peak, express in peak)

- Doomben to Park Road via Merivale Bridge (extends to Manly in peak)

good plan, you dont even need the grade seperation to get from the mains to ekka/ccr either.   Only problem I see is lack of frequency between park road and roma st via merivale bridge during the off peak.  you would ideally want it at least 8 per hour, but thats a bit excessive for the ferny grove and cleveland in the off peak.  If it was me making the decisions I would probably build a small turnback or loop on the doomben line (clayfield being the obvious one, could be built within 48 hours with incredibly low level planning and costs) and you would need to add a crossover to allow trains to terminate at park rd platform 3 without going via the dual gauge.   If you kept the park rd - doomben trains captive you can run them permanently as 3 car sets. 

[kram0]

I cannot see them not directing the GC train to the airport, this would not make any sense at all considering the number of tourist using this service.

[ozbob]

Twitter

Robert Dow ‏@Robert_Dow 5 minutes ago Brisbane, Queensland

. @AusRAIL @TTFAus @CCIQLD all support CRR. @LNPQLD still live the BaT dream & are throwing stones ... #qldpol

> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=2034.msg172089#msg172089 ...

[ozbob]

http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2016/4/7/palaszczuk-government-welcomes-support-for-cross-river-rail-project

Media Release
JOINT STATEMENT

Deputy Premier, Minister for Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning and Minister for Trade and Investment
The Honourable Jackie Trad

Minister for Transport and the Commonwealth Games
The Honourable Stirling Hinchliffe

Palaszczuk Government welcomes support for Cross River Rail project

The Palaszczuk Government welcomes the bipartisan support from the Federal Government and Opposition to deliver Queensland's number one priority infrastructure project, Cross River Rail.

Acting Premier Jackie Trad said the federal response to the release of details on the Cross River Rail project was a positive sign.

"We want every level of government to have a seat at the table to support the delivery of this vital transport infrastructure and ensure the Cross River Rail project is no longer hostage to political point scoring," Ms Trad said.

"I welcome the support of the need for Cross River Rail given today by Federal Minister for Major Projects Paul Fletcher and the Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and hope that this will translate into funding commitments down the track when the business case is finalised and the model for the authority annouced."

Queensland Minister for Transport Stirling Hinchliffe said support from both sides of politics for Cross River Rail is welcome relief for Queenslanders.

"It means both sides of politics at a federal level back the project and hopefully bipartisanship and positivity will extend to state politics as well," Mr Hinchliffe said.

"The business case is being finalised by Building Queensland by mid-year and I want to see that work done as soon as possible, so all parties can make prompt funding decisions.

"The delivery authority model announced today will mean all levels of Government can partner together with private investment to truly reshape Brisbane and share in the value of that redevelopment.

"This project needs to be bipartisan and I strongly welcome the comments made from federal colleagues today."

[tazzer9]

I cannot see them not directing the GC train to the airport, this would not make any sense at all considering the number of tourist using this service.

If they are tourists they are probably better at using public transport than anyone else in this city, so i'm sure they are okay to transfer  with a small wait (15 mins max).    I find it surprising how little tourists seem to use the service to get from the airport to the gold coast.  I see just as many get off at central to transfer to an Ipswich train.   Problem is that the train line doesnt really go to anywhere touristy on gold coast.  (apart from the theme parks, but they certainly arent your first stop after getting off the plane), so most of the time one of the buses that goes direct to surfers is faster and cheaper.

Only real problem is the airtrain contact. 

[#Metro]

The Gold Coast has its own airport, and over time more services will use that, hopefully.

There is some merit to the view put forward though. It would require double transfer as the trains are nowhere near the hotels:

Airport ---> Roma St (Airtrain)
Roma St ---> Gold Coast (GC Train)
Gold Coast ---> Hotel (GC LRT or bus)

On the other hand, most international pax would write off the entire day for travels so even if time were saved, they would not
really value it IMHO.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Why would Mayne be any less busy than it is now?  The fleet is growing, and all of the new stabling is additional and not in lieu of anything else.  Wulkuraka is not a stabling yard either.

Doesnt wulkuraka have something like 6 stabling roads for 12 6 car trains?

They aren't stabling facilities as far as I know.  It could probably be used as such in a pinch but there is enough capacity at the existing and under construction yards to keep everything out of the way.

Holding roads would be the better use.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Thanks SurfRail, it is a good suggestion.

- Nambour/Landsborough/Caboolture to Varsity Lakes via CRR (all to Petrie, then Northgate, Eagle Junction, Ekka, all to Boggo Rd, Altandi, Loganlea, Beenleigh, all to Varsity Lakes.

See, what is so interesting about this pairing is that it would allow for Medium Speed Rail upgrades in the future to the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast, provided the tunnel allowed space for dual/standard gauge.

And because the stations are new, there would not be retrofit issues like the old ones.

Other pairings would block it. But not this one.

Just an observation.

There will never be dual gauge. So get that annoying idea out of your head.

[SurfRail]

I cannot see them not directing the GC train to the airport, this would not make any sense at all considering the number of tourist using this service.

Vast majority are going to Brisbane CBD from the airport.

It isn't possible to run trains this way without massively compromising reliability or capacity for the rest of the system, not without building yet another grade sepped connection between the airport line and the mains which I doubt is even physically possible given the water table and all the tunnels nearby.

Transfer at Roma St - it won't be that hard.

[#Metro]

Vast majority are going to Brisbane CBD from the airport.

It isn't possible to run trains this way without massively compromising reliability or capacity for the rest of the system, not without building yet another grade sepped connection between the airport line and the mains which I doubt is even physically possible given the water table and all the tunnels nearby.

Transfer at Roma St - it won't be that hard.

Agreed. A bit of walking never killed anyone!!


https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/Gama2_crop.jpg

[BrizCommuter]

http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2016/04/cross-river-rail-back-on-track.html
Cross River Rail Mk3 - Back on Track?

[#Metro]

Brizcommuter, where has LM Graham Quirk come out and said that CRR MkIII was not going to be funded by BCC?

Do you have a link for this? My understanding is that there has not been public comment from the LM so far on CRR MkIII.

[#Metro]

BCC funding of CRR

BCC should fund part of it (perhaps GCCC as well?) but it comes down to negotiation.

It would be unfair for BCC to put money in but not then have a say in CRR aspects and design.

Especially when we are talking about 500 million etc. No taxation without representation.

Now BCC is more concerned about its bus network than it is about CRR.

A mutually beneficial arrangement is to have BCC tip in funds (say 750 million to 1 BN) and package its metro with CRR.

Build it as double deck.  That way all parties can be happy.


Criticism re: future proofing provisions

There was some criticism (though unspecific) in the previous posts about leaving some breathing room for the future possibility

of standard gauge for the QR section should the possibility ever arise for 200-250 km/hour trains to the GC and SC.


However, as the metro would have to be standard gauge, and given that a combined tunnel would be made by 1 boring

machine, it would also automatically mean that this room for a future upgrade possibility is already included in the QR

component as a side effect.

[kram0]

Brizcommuter, where has LM Graham Quirk come out and said that CRR MkIII was not going to be funded by BCC?

Do you have a link for this? My understanding is that there has not been public comment from the LM so far on CRR MkIII.

He said to channel 7, the council will not and have never funded state rail projects.

[#Metro]

Busway capacity

If the busway handles 12 000 pphd currently and we convert all buses to superbuses, that implies:

12 000 pphd / 150 pax per vehicle = 80 vehicles per hour

60 minutes / 80 vehicles = 1 bus per 0.75 minutes

0.75 minutes x 60 seconds / minute = a bus every 45 seconds.

Remember, that is absolute perfect case, in reality it would be closer to a bus every 30 seconds down the busway.

Throw in future growth, and you still have a problem in the medium term with buses.


Ideally, one would want to say double the capacity of the busway from 12 000 pphd to 24 000 pphd over the long term.

Using similar calculations, that implies 160 vehicles per hour, or a superbus every 22 seconds.


Conclusion: Bus reforms will provide near-term relief, however my position currently is that a metro (NB: Not necessarily

Quirk's one) along the SE Busway is ultimately the most efficient and effective solution in the longer term. Nobody has yet

demonstrated any alternative corridor anywhere that would reach 12 000 pphd currently.