Ferny Grove line

[Golliwog]

As per the discussion in Articles: Public transport a hot state issue here is the thread for the Ferny Grove line.

Don't think I want to be the line captain, but just to get the ball rolling here are some ideas:

• Get rid of the Mitchelton short runs AND the Ferny Grove express services. They wouldn't be needed with an even frequency timetable (I believe this is planned for stage 2 timetables)
• 15 minutes off peak goes without saying
• Improved signage to connecting bus services. By this I mean more than just saying theres a bus the connects at (for example) Grovely station, but having signs at the exits directing to the bus stop that also give an idea of where the bus goes (so in this case "Ferny Hills, Mitchelton buses ==>") Also, improvements to these feeder services would be appreciated (eg: 362 and 399)
• Better cycling facilities provided at all stations, and similar to the bus point, better signage
• Work to get the points between Newmarket and Alderley functional (last I heard they weren't) to give more options when things go awry (other than those, there are no points until Mitchelton so if there are issues inbound of that there is effectively no service on the line)
• Once the FG-K duplication is completed, the limit to services on the FG line is almost entirely dependant on the capacity of the suburbans through the CBD, thus look into way to increase this (signalling, remove the bottleneck between Central and Roma St)

[somebody]

Will there be enough rolling stock to get rid of the tiered service? <ducks>

[BrizCommuter]

As per the discussion in Articles: Public transport a hot state issue here is the thread for the Ferny Grove line.

Don't think I want to be the line captain, but just to get the ball rolling here are some ideas:

• Get rid of the Mitchelton short runs AND the Ferny Grove express services. They wouldn't be needed with an even frequency timetable (I believe this is planned for stage 2 timetables)
• 15 minutes off peak goes without saying
• Improved signage to connecting bus services. By this I mean more than just saying theres a bus the connects at (for example) Grovely station, but having signs at the exits directing to the bus stop that also give an idea of where the bus goes (so in this case "Ferny Hills, Mitchelton buses ==>") Also, improvements to these feeder services would be appreciated (eg: 362 and 399)
• Better cycling facilities provided at all stations, and similar to the bus point, better signage
• Work to get the points between Newmarket and Alderley functional (last I heard they weren't) to give more options when things go awry (other than those, there are no points until Mitchelton so if there are issues inbound of that there is effectively no service on the line)
• Once the FG-K duplication is completed, the limit to services on the FG line is almost entirely dependant on the capacity of the suburbans through the CBD, thus look into way to increase this (signalling, remove the bottleneck between Central and Roma St)

Have to agree with all of this. Post duplication, anything other than a frequent "metro like" all stations peak service would be utterly ridiculous. BrizCommuter is expecting an alternating 6-9 minute am peak service pattern (8tph), based on trains running every 3 minutes through the core suburbans.

15 minute off-peak is required, but BrizCommuter is pessimistic it will happen after Geoff Wilson dropped the "extra 4 trains a day" bomb recently in the NorthWest News, and feedback from a recent QR CRG meeting.

Attractive (i.e. frequent) feeder buses are required, as car parking runs out quite quickly on the Ferny Grove Line. The Ferny Hills, Arana Hills, Upper Kedron, Samford, and Northern Suburbs (feeding Enoggera interchange) would be candidates. The latter however would have problems with the train line being slower than the buses continuing down Enoggera Rd, and Kelvin Grove Rd to the CBD.

Not so sure about getting the Newmarket points working automatically. It's not like you can find alternative public transport from Newmarket at times of train failure. Probably a more pressing infrastructure project would be building the wye from Mayne directly onto the outbound FG Line. This would make for more efficient use of staff and trains during the shoulder peaks, as out of service trains would save approx. 15 mins from travelling via Roma Street.

[Golliwog]

RE: The wye, this is true and a good point. I did see that pop up somewhere in a government thing, so sounds like they are looking into it. Not sure on the timeframe though.

RE: Newmarket crossovers, you may have a point, but don't the replacement buses tend to be Brisbane Bus Lines buses which are based on Pickering St, Enoggera? Also, getting into and out of Bowen Hills via bus is much more long winded than it needs to be. For a bus replacement service from Newmarket/Alderley you're already pretty much on Kelvin Grove/Samford Rd. From Bowen Hills you need to deal with getting across to Bowen Bridge Rd, then with the traffic on Bowen Bridge Rd.

[BrizCommuter]

If the government fails to announce a 15 min off-peak frequency on a rail line that runs through the battleground Ashgrove constituency, then there really is little hope for their rail policies. Unfortunately ALP MP Kate Jones appears to be mainly campaigning over the Samford/Wardell intersection upgrade - oh dear!. The draft phase 2 timetables will be released in Nov 2011, only 3 months to go until mass disappointment!

[ozbob]

And add a 15% fare increase January 2012 shortly before the election, in those circumstances guess they should start packing up their offices now ...  

The LNP will no doubt  promise frequency, no fare increases, and 5 car trains possibly with premium seating and high speed internet, and then when  in government fall back on the usual excuse, the financial position is worse than we thought, can't do now ...

[aldonius]

I read in the NW news recently (letters section [17/08/11]) that Geoff Wilson and Samford residents are looking at getting a 'minimum bus service' (their words) in place by 2012. So thats one sort-of positive.

[somebody]

And add a 15% fare increase January 2012 shortly before the election, in those circumstances guess they should start packing up their offices now ...  

The LNP will no doubt  promise frequency, no fare increases, and 5 car trains possibly with premium seating and high speed internet, and then when  in government fall back on the usual excuse, the financial position is worse than we thought, can't do now ...

Surely they won't fall into the trap of suggesting a variance to the number of cars again!!??

[Stillwater]

Only about 225 sleeps until the state election.  Tick, Tick, Tick.

[BrizCommuter]

http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com/2011/08/ashgrove-campaign-update-road-obsession.html
An Ashgrove pollie campaign update!

[p858snake]

• Get rid of the Mitchelton short runs AND the Ferny Grove express services. They wouldn't be needed with an even frequency timetable (I believe this is planned for stage 2 timetables)
• 15 minutes off peak goes without saying
• Improved signage to connecting bus services. By this I mean more than just saying theres a bus the connects at (for example) Grovely station, but having signs at the exits directing to the bus stop that also give an idea of where the bus goes (so in this case "Ferny Hills, Mitchelton buses ==>") Also, improvements to these feeder services would be appreciated (eg: 362 and 399)
• Better cycling facilities provided at all stations, and similar to the bus point, better signage
• Work to get the points between Newmarket and Alderley functional (last I heard they weren't) to give more options when things go awry (other than those, there are no points until Mitchelton so if there are issues inbound of that there is effectively no service on the line)
• Once the FG-K duplication is completed, the limit to services on the FG line is almost entirely dependant on the capacity of the suburbans through the CBD, thus look into way to increase this (signalling, remove the bottleneck between Central and Roma St)

1. I believe that it's already been mentioned that is going to happen
2. From my understanding from what i've heard and read that apart from the mitchy services there isn't any changes planned, although that idea may be ditched with the TT rewrite but I wouldn't be surprised
3. Any extra signage is good signage
4.
5. They do work from what I hear (but they are manual, any no one is probably around that is trained in operating them), during the current timetable if there are issues, we can already run on the other run to mitchy (At least in off peak) and i've had one or two services run like that

[#Metro]

http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com/2011/08/ashgrove-campaign-update-road-obsession.html
An Ashgrove pollie campaign update!

Insanity noun
Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Mad. Crazy.
Not learning from mistakes or feedback.

4 trains per day! While bus routes all over the city are going bonkers with BUZification to four buses PER HOUR
you get crumbs on the train network! What is wrong with this city!? Seriously!

[ozbob]

Surely they won't fall into the trap of suggesting a variance to the number of cars again!!??

I was 'jiving' Simon, but heck I wouldn't put it past them!  LOL