21 July 2009: SEQ: Buses are buses, trains are trains.

[ozbob]

Media Release 21 July 2009

SEQ:  Buses are buses, trains are trains.

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport commuters has said that media highlighting the fact that there are more bus trips than rail trips does not properly indicate the value of the respective modes.  Simple comparisons as that don't tell the full story.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"RAIL Back On Track members are delighted that more people are using public transport, particularly bus and rail.  For 2007/8 67.6 million people caught a bus while 61.7 million caught a Citytrain (1). What not is made clear in such a comparison is that in terms of passenger kilometres Citytrain figures are around three times higher than bus.  That is, rail is chocking up a lot more passenger kilometres than bus."

"This comparison in terms of passenger kilometres reflects the respective strengths of the modes.  Bus, optimum short haul flexible carrier, rail longer distance high capacity line mass transit."

"Brisbane's bus system is already under a lot of pressure and only has a limited capacity for further capacity increases.  The conga line of buses on the busways is evidence of that.  Road congestion off the busways is causing a lot of delays and problems as well.  Rather than continue to ramp up overloaded radial bus routes, more thought should be given to bus routes feeding key rail and bus stations and more lateral suburban routes."

"The Citytrain network has the capacity to double its passenger numbers easily independent of the chaos on the roads.  The trains presently on order and track improvements underway will see this achieved within 5 years if properly funded. Investment in public transport means reduced congestion costs, less environmental impacts, reduced health expenditure. Public transport users are also healthier because of the connection with active transport at the beginning and end of their journeys."

"What should be our governments and communities concerns is the continued development of a properly integrated public transport network.  All modes are necessary for an optimum system."

"Rather than continuing the sham of inappropriate road funding redirect the funds to public transport for all (2).  This is what smart government should be doing."

Reference:

1.  http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=2253.0
2.  http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=2373.0

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[#Metro]

This is good, but a few things:

IMHO, There needs to be not just more funding (higher levels), but also more efficiency in the system. Does that extra dollar get fully converted into a dollar's worth of services, or does it get lost?

You really have to think from the government's perspective as well. It has to be good for the people AND the government. If it is only good for one party, it's probably going to have a hard time to get through.

Bus numbers really took off when (i) integrated ticketing was introduced (ii) when the BCC introduced its BUZ innovation.
Trains have (i), but they are yet to get an innovation like (ii). There is a need to do something similarly innovative.

"Buslock" might sound bad, but the system really is a victim of it's own success. Busways and trains run different routes (busways were intended to "fill in the gaps" between rail lines), so an upgrade to bigger buses and eventually light rail would be the way to go IMHO.

I've read somewhere about an idea to get metro-like running every 5 minutes through the CBD. Apparently this could be achieved by making some trains only run to the city outskirts, and then turning them back (short routes). Another one was splitting the trains in half to double the frequency and give more choice. You would need an extra driver for this, but perhaps because the train is now so short, there wouldn't be a need for a guard? Finally Automatic Train Protection or something like that for an upgrade...

Trial it, and see what happens :-)

[ozbob]

Bus has been built up well over the last 10 years.  Meanwhile rail was left to languish, although we are now starting to see increases in rail resources.  It is fortunate that we have the reserve capacity on rail.  Better integration and using the modes fit for purpose is essential.  

The constant distortions re passenger trips does need to be qualified however.  I would much prefer to see balanced reports highlighting the strengths of modes eg.  trips and passenger kilometres rather than petty political point scoring which is the constant mantra between the BCC and state Government.