19 Jan 2011: SEQ: Richlands rail is an instant success!

[ozbob]

Media release 19 January 2011

SEQ: Richlands rail is an instant success!

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 applauded the bringing forward of regular passenger rail services on the Richlands line. The line is an instant success (1)!

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"With Richlands line opening early people can now catch the train and forget about having to sit behind the wheel wasting petrol on the highways in the grid lock and congestion chaos. People now have more freedom to move and more choices about how they travel."

"As predicted,  the 650 space car park is already approaching full capacity. Boosting the feeder buses to frequent Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) standards will be important. There simply isn't much more room left in the car park! We also commend the provision of a busway-style bus-rail interchange."

"The loads of people being moved by the rail service is also highly encouraging. The success of Richlands confirms our views that low patronage on public transport is a supply problem resulting from a lack of access to rail stations by connecting buses and poor service frequencies which result in excessively long waits that discourage patronage. It clearly is not an issue of low demand and certainly not one of densities around stations, as anyone with the internet can see that Richlands station was sited in a paddock!"

"When you consider that it has been open for only a few days and people have to be fed into the station in buses, by bicycles or by car (as the overwhelming majority of residences are outside the 800 metre walk-up catchment area) the results achieved by this project are very commendable."

"We ask TransLink to consider a regular direct bus from Springfield to Richlands to further capitalise on the new station."

"Once again, to all at Queensland Rail, TransLink, the construction alliance and the Queensland Government, thank you for delivering this project and opening during this difficult time. We can only hope that future extensions and stations can be looked at. Projects like Richlands have the potential to become something as transforming as Perth's acclaimed Perth-Mandurah line."

"For instant public transport success, just add trains!"

References:

1. http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=639.msg45398#msg45398

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[ozbob]

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