7 Apr 2010: SEQ: Go gates inadequate and unsafe

[ozbob]

Media Release 7 April 2010

SEQ:  Go gates inadequate and unsafe

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 previously called for some additional go card gates to be placed at major rail stations to safely allow go card users to touch on and off against peak flows.  After yesterdays debacle at Roma St station it is clear that the concerns of rail commuters are again ignored.  The situation is unsafe and needs urgent action.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Observations at peak times at Central and Roma Street stations have confirmed the difficulty for many go card users in attempting to touch on and off at peak times against the waves of commuters (1).  As go card usage surges this problem is one of concern to public transport commuters and is not only risky in terms of potential personal injury it is very frustrating to users as they now constantly queue to touch off and on at peak times.  The closure of the wide paper exit at Roma St station has now forced peak hour commuters into the go card equivalent of cattle chutes.  Observations yesterday again confirmed the deplorable situation with the inadequate number of go gates and the potential for injury.  It seems that rail customers are expendable (2)."

"There is a definite need for some additional go card gates to be set up that are uni-directional, that is, permit only an anti peak flow for users.  There is room at both Central and Roma Street stations for some additional gates to be set up for this purpose. TransLink does need to ensure that as we move to a 100%  go card ticketing environment there is sufficient go card equipment in place on the network to allow safe and timely use."

"A measure of the thought and planning that has been put into the go card implementation is the number of gates at the Parklands exit at Roma St station compared to the number at the main exit.  The same number as the main exit, and the number of people who transit through the main exit relative to the Parklands exit must be in the order of 50 times!  Clearly at least half of the gates at the Parklands exit need to be moved down to the main exit end.  Pending that change the wide paper exits need to be reopened to minimise the chance of injury and reduce the delays.  The no queuing advertisements for the go card are a joke, is this false advertising?"

References:

1.   http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=486.msg22916#msg22916

2.   http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=3669.0

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[ozbob]

Discussion thread --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=3669.0

[ozbob]

From the City News 8th April 2010 page 3

New go card gates pose safety risks