27 Aug 2010: SEQ: Rail network underutilised

[ozbob]

Media Release 27 August 2010

SEQ:  Rail network underutilised

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 is concerned about the lack of appropriate timetables to take advantage of recent infrastructure improvements.

"There have been four major upgrades to rail infrastructure in the last few years:

   * The Caboolture-Beerburrum duplication
   * The Mitchelton-Keperra duplication
   * The Salisbury-Kuraby triplication
   * The Varsity Lakes extension.

"Only the last change has seen any real improvement in the timetable, as one wouldn't open the station and then provide no train service.  Even that has an excessively sluggish journey time between Varsity Lakes and Robina of 5 minutes for 4.1km.

"The Caboolture-Beerburrum duplication resulted in straightened and faster track, and RAIL Back On Track applauds this.  However, we are concerned that there has been no increase in the frequency, no tightening up of journey times on the timetable to take advantage of the straighter track and also, we believe that the duplication needed to extend to Landsborough at least (1)."

"The Mitchelton-Keperra duplication would have allowed for an elimination of the dodgy crossing arrangements at Keperra, however this is still in place.  Also, it would have made possible  for a 15 minute clock face service in to all stations on this line, peak and off peak, with express workings in the peak (2).  However, no changes to the timetable were made."

"Similarly for the Salisbury-Kuraby triplication.  Roughly the same service as done at present could have been provided without it, although at a lower reliability.  There has been no real change to either the peak or off peak services."

"The public investment in rail infrastructure is considerable.  It is time we moved forward with improved train frequencies on all lines (3)."

References:

1. http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=2436.0

2. http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=4060.msg30742#msg30742

3. http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=4169.0

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[KK]

I'm a regular user of Beenleigh line last 5 years. In my opinion, Salisbury-Kuraby triplication is done for Gold Coast line improvement, not for Beenleigh line user.

Gold Coast train always got priority than Beenleigh line, make outbound Beenleigh train wait at Kuraby station to let Gold Cost line throught first.

Even within Beenleigh line, express or normal train has no difference last 5 years, only 2 miniuts different. Express train just runs slow, not stopping many stations and make customer feel faster. Obiously no improvement achived from triplication.

Another comparison, train tooks 55 min to get city from my place, but bus is only 40 min. Train network should perform much better.

[somebody]

I'm a regular user of Beenleigh line last 5 years. In my opinion, Salisbury-Kuraby triplication is done for Gold Coast line improvement, not for Beenleigh line user.

But the point is that it wasn't necessary to improve the Gold Coast timetable - you could theoretically run the current timetable without it, but it wouldn't be very reliable.  We should be getting more bang out of our infrastructure than that!