Today Tonight - Transport Investigation

[ozbob]

There was a short segment on public transport in Brisbane on Channel 7 Today Tonight this evening 10 Mar 2008.

The segment covered some of the major issues with the buses and highlighting the chronic congestion from various parts of Brisbane by road. Rail did not get much of a mention at all.  The point was made by people interviewed that it is essential to get more buses and trains, railways and busways where needed now.

The show also highlighted the better public transport access to the CBD from the southern parts relative to the rest.

If the authorities had set out  to create a better mess it is doubtful that they could have achieved a more complete shambles that much of the network is today.

The lack of timely infrastructure investment, and the continued piecemeal ad hoc approach is a disaster.

Federal funding is needed to get more rail lines down, with high frequency services.  Buses cannot cope and the evidence on a global scale is clear.  Rail - light and heavy is the solution.

[haakon]

I dunno, I reckon sydney is in front when it comes to making a shambles of it.

[ozbob]

Too true, although lately the underground railway construction has started and they have finally got the message.  The new Chatswood to Epping underground rail line has seen its first work train.

The underground CBD extensions for Brisbane will be essential as the present CBD rail axis is nearing saturation.  There are still a few tricks that can played out with the Exhibition loop  but time is slipping by ..

[mufreight]

A lot of this sounds familiar but more busses need more roads, if the can't move they are useless.
Light rail has higher capacity even if its initial set up cost is greater its operating efficiency is greater and its operating costs are less and has a lower environmemtal footprint.  Electric power can be green, Wind, Solar, Hydro or Tidal generated electricity can drive trams and trains.
Heavy rail, again if there is not sufficient track to enable them to run the extra trains there is little point in getting more once saturation point on the operating tracks is reached, when that piont is reached additional train sets simply become expensive monuments to lack of Government foresight.
The simple answer is more tracks and more train sets.
Complete the four tracks from Corinda to Ipswich
Accelerate the construction of Darra Springfield
Build Petrie Kippa-Ring possibly continue the loop through to connect at Sandgate
Build an undergroung line from Dutton Park, Wooloongabba,Gardens,Central, Spring Hill, connecting with the Exhibition Loop with a station inn the region og the Royal Brisbane Hospital.
Yes it will cost but it will cost no more than the busways and road tunnels currently being built and being electricly powered produce close to zero emissions so the ventilation systems needed would be half the size but then this is the Smart State, so smart it hurts.
Maybe in time some of out leaders may wake up.
Rattle your local politicians complacency a little, write to your local member and ask him/her what they, as an individual and as your representative they propose to do to resolve both transport and other related problems and why