24 May 2011: SEQ: Review of 198 Highgate Hill bus route should be considered

[ozbob]

Media release 24 May 2011

SEQ: Review of 198 Highgate Hill bus route should be considered

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers has welcomed TransLink's latest service improvements. A review of the 198 Highgate Hill bus route should now also be considered.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"RAIL Back On Track welcomes the BUZification of the 196 New Farm-City-Fairfield and 'steam ironing' and coordination of the 104/105/108 Yeronga area bus routes. These service improvements however have made much of the 198 Highgate Hill hail and ride service redundant."

"A review of this route could look at either removal or re-routing (1) as almost all of this route is now redundant and will be better served by higher frequency BUZ services such as BUZ 196 on Gladstone Road, improved 192 services, BUZ199, CityGlider and SE Busway services. The 198 service operates as a one way loop which has inherent problems - very few people want to travel in one way circles and thus patronage is likely to never be high on this service (2,3). Travel to destinations such as PA Hospital is likely to be faster by interchanging at Cultural Centre or walking from Dutton Park once waiting time is taken into account."

"RAIL Back On Track suggests TransLink to consider opening consultation on route 198 and consider changes to it so that patronage goals are better served for the money spent on this service."

References:

1. On one way loops
http://www.humantransit.org/2009/07/on-loops.html

2. The problems with downtown shuttles
http://www.humantransit.org/2009/07/basics-short-trips-need-very-high-frequency.html

3. Route 198 thread
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=5857.0

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[ozbob]

Bus discussion --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?board=34.0