20 Dec 2007: AirPort Congestion Task Force fails ...

[ozbob]

Media Release 20 December 2007

Brisbane:  Task Force fails to appreciate that Airtrain is the key to easing congestion on roads to Brisbane Airport

RAIL - Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community organisation for the promotion of rail and public transport throughout Australia has again called on the Queensland State Government to take over the railway line to Brisbane Airport, and bring on Citytrain services that have the same fare structure and timetable hours, and service frequency as for rest of the network (References 1, 2 and 3).  The Report of the Task Force to Improve Short Term Access into and out of Brisbane Airport Precinct has failed to fully appreciate the huge anti-congestion value of the presently under utilised railway line.

Robert Dow said:

?The service to the Brisbane Airport uses Queensland Rail Citytrains.  The cost of the travel from the City to the Airport is at a cost that actively discourages people from using it.  It should be urgently brought into the same fare structure as for the rest of metropolitan railway network.?

?The Airport effectively lies in Zone 3.  This equates to a normal fare of $3.20 from Central compared to the present $13 Airtrain fare.  It is this cost differential that results in near empty trains, and because of that a decrease in train frequency and service hours, which in turn leads to fewer passengers.  An irreversible slide.?

?Trains need to run when actually needed.  The late start and early finish of the present Airtrain services is farcical.  The keys to successful public transport are accessibility; high service frequency and extended hours of operation, and it must also be affordable for the community.?

"If the State Government took back management from Airtrain City Link Ltd, or at least subsidised the fares to normal fare structure, the trains would be well patronised and be available for not only domestic and international passengers, but also for people employed in the airport precinct. Hours of operation must be also be extended.?

?Congestion on the airport roundabout and Gateway would be eased, and give some space for decent long term solutions.  Those who do need to drive could do so in timely and safe manner, the majority will relax on rail!?

?The Task Force?s Report is very disappointing, and will not result any significant improvements to the congestion mess on roads to, from and around the airport,? said Robert Dow Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track.

References:

1. http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=31.0

2. http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=234.0

3. http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=253.0

Contact:

Robert  Dow

Administration
admin@backontrack.org RAIL Back On Track

[ozbob]

Photograph R Dow 21 Dec 2007


Travelled out to Airport on Friday last on the train (of course), 3 car unit in morning peak!  This was 7.21am service from Central, one of the busiest days of the year for airlines.

[ozbob]

From Sunday Mail click here!

Traffic chaos boosts Airtrain

Traffic chaos boosts Airtrain
Article from: The Sunday Mail (Qld)

Steve Connolly

December 29, 2007 11:00pm

TRAFFIC jams around Brisbane airport have resulted in an "astronomical" increase in patronage on the controversial Airtrain.

A one-day record of 6130 passengers rode the train on December 21, while patronage for the year is expected to exceed 1.6 million ? a 14 per cent increase of 200,000 riders on last year.

"Our numbers through this last week have been astronomical," Airtrain chairman Mike Pelly told The Sunday Mail.

"The road problems aren't getting any better and quite candidly we see ourselves as the only viable means of getting to the airport and ensuring you're on time."

Traffic problems on roads around the airport ? particularly at the Airport Drive-Gateway Motorway roundabout ? have resulted in delays of up to two hours for departing and arriving travellers in the past month.

"When there's a traffic snarl we go over the top of it ? we're the only service that does that," Mr Pelly said.

Launched in 2001, Airtrain ran at a loss until this year, when it posted an operating profit of $1.8 million.

Mr Pelly said Airtrain would negotiate with Queensland Rail for increased services next year.

"If we're getting increased numbers we should get increased bottom line," he said.

The Airtrain costs $13 one way for an adult fare for the 19-minute trip from the airport to Brisbane's central business district, and $24.70 one way to the Gold Coast.

Mr Pelly said this compared favourably with the average $45 taxi fare between the airport and the city centre.

"If you compare us with international (train fare) standards, it's quite reasonable," he said.

Airtrain's website highlights Brisbane's traffic snarls on an "Institute of crap Traffic" page and invites readers to vent their spleen at the "Missed Flight Lounge".

Here is my comment on the blog at --> http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,22984639-3102,00.html

If the airtrain was on normal citytrain fares and timetables it would be a hit 365 days of the year. Not just Dec 21st.  I travelled on the 7.21am service to the airport on Friday Dec 21, it was a 3 car unit!  Such is their forward planning. 
Air train is already subsidised by all us Queenslanders. It just uses QR Citytrains at a greatly reduced leasing rate.  Bring the fares back to normal Translink zones and it will ease the road congestion overnight!

[Mozz]

This sort of article is quite sad really. It touts the only non road solution for passengers in and out of the Brisbane airport as a great success when and only when the roads are too congested to be used in any way reliably for people to get to and from their flights - which I understand are quite time dependent

Using this logic the various levels of govt should stop spending any more money on road infrastructure, let the carpark situation become replicated across all of SEQ roads, then proclaim the only non road transport solution - rail, as a stunning success.

Of course as any regular user of brisbane airport would be aware, the air train does not run 24 x 7, it's about 14 x 7 from around 6.00am to 8.00pm - so if you need to travel outside of those times you are right out of luck. Of course I see the article does hold the tantalising proposition of running more services yet to be negotiated, so expect a few more peak period services in 12 months or so but little if any change to the spread of hours.

http://www.airtrain.com.au/timetable.php

Public transport should be positioned so that it is an attractive alternative to car use on our roads for so many reasons, not because by default it is the only solution of absolute last resort available.

[albiwan]

I have just caught the airport train from Sapporo to New Chitose Airport in Northern Japan. I do this a lot as my family in law lives there. ....1050 yen (~$12,00) 50 K trip, high speed 40 minutes, internal access to airport. It works.

Heathrow Express worked this trip as did Malpensa Express from Milan ($5.50 Euro by the way). We use them regardless of cost because of the convenience.

Would I love equitable fares on the airport train..yes.. but what I need for once every two months I use the airport is trains matching all flights at a bare minimum of 30 minutes turnaround every day.

I will pay a premium for time sensitivity. Often i take a whole day to manage the airport trip when i really don't want to. Our airport currently wastes my time and I am sure it wastes the time of business people who earn a lot more than me with its traffic jams, taxi drivers who all have a different theory on the quickest way from Moorooka, usual crap setdown restricitions and dearer long term parking prices than Melbourne.

So us regular travelers on the Southside especially, will meekly pay a premuim to offset our hourly rates of pay loss. I think Airtrain knows this.

Meantime I will continue to drop my car to a mates in Windsor, who's goodwill I abuse by then making him take me out to the airport.

But I would give this up and happily trundle my bags down to Yeerongpilly Station and jump on the train and spend the hour tapping away on my laptop, if only I can access the service at ALL the functioning times of the airport and I dont have to take that extra time of from my work.

Why do so many major airports get this, but this one does not?

[ozbob]

One of the new IMUs Brisbane International Airport



Photograph R Dow 29 Dec 2007

[ozbob]

Letter to the editor of The Sunday Mail today (Jan 13) commenting on the lack of concession travel for seniors and others on the Airtrain services.  Sydney Airtrain has concession fares and it does assist the wider community and further encourages use of the service, with the community benefits of lessened road congestion and reduction of emissions and so forth.

[ozbob]

A suggestion from the Member for Clayfield and Opposition Shadow Transport Minister  see --> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=719.0