Ministerial Statement: Shop around with route 590

[ozbob]

Transport and Multicultural Affairs
The Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk
25/08/2011

Shop around with route 590

Bargain hunters and people looking to get to the airport DFO will be the big winners when a new cross town bus service kicks off on Monday.

From Monday (August 29), keen shoppers and cross town travellers will find a bargain on the new route 590 bus service (Garden City - Number One Airport Drive), which will service four of Brisbane's major shopping centres.

Transport Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk said new route 590 buses would prove to be a valuable service for bargain-hunters as well as locals, connecting to the Airport Direct Factory Outlet, Cannon Hill, Westfield Carindale and Westfield Garden City shopping centres.

"The new route 590 offers people a fast, frequent and reliable cross town connection between the Northern and Eastern suburbs," Ms Palaszczuk said.

"This is a great step forward for public transport, recognising that not everyone needs to go in and out of Brisbane.

"For the first time people can go from Mt Gravatt to the airport DFO on the bus without having to go through the city.

"Buses will run every 15 minutes during peak periods and half hourly off peak.

"The 590 also gives residents along Creek Road, Carina buses on Sunday for the first time."

Acting TransLink CEO Matthew Longland said the new route would provide a great link for shoppers and workers, also servicing key industrial hubs including the Metroplex Gateway office park at Murarrie and the Australia Trade Coast and Aviation training precinct.

He said the new 590 bus services were vital in helping to expand the growing Australian Trade Coast precinct and surrounding suburbs.

"The new service will improve access and encourage future growth in the precinct and will help reduce traffic in the area by providing a reliable alternative to private travel.

"New route 590 buses will work to complement our existing Great Circle Line (routes 598 and 599) and route 308 (Toombul Interchange - Number One Airport Drive) buses."

The introduction of the new 590 bus service coincides with the release of a new bus package for the eastern suburbs which includes the opening of the $466 million Eastern Busway extension linking Buranda to Coorparoo.

The bus package is delivering 12 new bus stops and five new bus routes, including another high frequency bus routes - route 222 (Carindale - Roma Street).

The first route 590 services will start as part of the new eastern suburbs bus package from Monday, August 29.

Timetable and service information is available at www.translink.com.au.

==============================================================

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

26th August 2011

Concerning ' Shop around with route 590'

Greetings,

RAIL Back On Track welcomes the commencement of the route 590 bus.  At last some real movement with cross suburban bus routes.

The disappointing thing is that the bus should run through to connect with Toombul.  This would further enhance the utility of the bus route considerably.

Unfortunately it is difficult for transport planners in Brisbane to actually get things right.  Part of the reason is the apparent scant disregard given  to public feedback and consultation.

Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

========================

Transport and Multicultural Affairs
The Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk
25/08/2011

Shop around with route 590

Bargain hunters and people looking to get to the airport DFO will be the big winners when a new cross town bus service kicks off on Monday.

From Monday (August 29), keen shoppers and cross town travellers will find a bargain on the new route 590 bus service (Garden City - Number One Airport Drive), which will service four of Brisbane's major shopping centres.

Transport Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk said new route 590 buses would prove to be a valuable service for bargain-hunters as well as locals, connecting to the Airport Direct Factory Outlet, Cannon Hill, Westfield Carindale and Westfield Garden City shopping centres.

"The new route 590 offers people a fast, frequent and reliable cross town connection between the Northern and Eastern suburbs," Ms Palaszczuk said.

"This is a great step forward for public transport, recognising that not everyone needs to go in and out of Brisbane.

"For the first time people can go from Mt Gravatt to the airport DFO on the bus without having to go through the city.

"Buses will run every 15 minutes during peak periods and half hourly off peak.

"The 590 also gives residents along Creek Road, Carina buses on Sunday for the first time."

Acting TransLink CEO Matthew Longland said the new route would provide a great link for shoppers and workers, also servicing key industrial hubs including the Metroplex Gateway office park at Murarrie and the Australia Trade Coast and Aviation training precinct.

He said the new 590 bus services were vital in helping to expand the growing Australian Trade Coast precinct and surrounding suburbs.

"The new service will improve access and encourage future growth in the precinct and will help reduce traffic in the area by providing a reliable alternative to private travel.

"New route 590 buses will work to complement our existing Great Circle Line (routes 598 and 599) and route 308 (Toombul Interchange - Number One Airport Drive) buses."

The introduction of the new 590 bus service coincides with the release of a new bus package for the eastern suburbs which includes the opening of the $466 million Eastern Busway extension linking Buranda to Coorparoo.

The bus package is delivering 12 new bus stops and five new bus routes, including another high frequency bus routes - route 222 (Carindale - Roma Street).

The first route 590 services will start as part of the new eastern suburbs bus package from Monday, August 29.

Timetable and service information is available at www.translink.com.au.

==============================================================

[Gazza]

Yeah this route confuses me. DFO is sort of isolated, and its sort of "Falling short of the finish line" to not run all the way to Toombul with all its Bus & Train interchange opportunities.

There is of course the 308 which would get you from Toombul to DFO, which does the same routing at the 590. But why overlap the two routes over that airport industrial area? Why not cut the 308 back to Toombul, and just have the 590 now serving that area?

[O_128]

Yeah this route confuses me. DFO is sort of isolated, and its sort of "Falling short of the finish line" to not run all the way to Toombul with all its Bus & Train interchange opportunities.

There is of course the 308 which would get you from Toombul to DFO, which does the same routing at the 590. But why overlap the two routes over that airport industrial area? Why not cut the 308 back to Toombul, and just have the 590 now serving that area?

for the same reason the 29 was named the 29 ( so that it doesn't look like the 209 is cut). People see it as a drop in service and no one has the balls to put there foot down and order a brisbane wide rewrite.

[Gazza]

Well, I've emailed them just asking why.

The second point to follow then...If they do insist in overlapping both, then why does the 590 need to do that silly sharp triangle around the aviation precinct?

[ozbob]

Yeah this route confuses me. DFO is sort of isolated, and its sort of "Falling short of the finish line" to not run all the way to Toombul with all its Bus & Train interchange opportunities.

There is of course the 308 which would get you from Toombul to DFO, which does the same routing at the 590. But why overlap the two routes over that airport industrial area? Why not cut the 308 back to Toombul, and just have the 590 now serving that area?

Indeed!  I have raised this directly with TransLink as well.  I think they need to do exactly what you are suggesting Gazza.  Toombul <-> Carindale, one transit hub to another.

[ozbob]

Presently onboard bus C1875  590 boarded at Carindale, and ontime too.  Few pax on board but all seem to heading to the DFO for the shop till you drop.

Started off at Goodna, my local 524 was 16 minutes late (problem for a lot of folks miss train connections), and the the 8.37am 222 showed and went on the PIDs platform 2 Roma St but didn't actually turn up in the flesh.  Travelled on a 222 from Roma St at 8.49am, not sure it was the late bus or the next a couple of minutes early.

Whilst at Roma St a sparks terminated at platform 2 with a full load of pax. Announcements advising pax as 2 past go card gate cordon to touch off on the platform readers.

Just going over the river now, nice view!

[ozbob]

Caught a 308 bus from the DFO back into Toombul.

The locals on the 590 seemed pleased with its introduction.  I noted TransLink helping hands at Carindale and DFO.  I expect some TL staff might have been at the new busway stations as well.  It is interesting run around the backblocks of the airport on both bus routes. 

[ozbob]

Yes, it does seem now to be a bit of unnecessary duplication and overlap with the 308/590.  Be a better route if the 590  continued onto Toombul, no need for the 308.

[somebody]

I'd wonder if the GCL should have been diverted into DFO instead and increased in frequency.  But it seems that they are reluctant to do such things.

[SurfRail]

I'd wonder if the GCL should have been diverted into DFO instead and increased in frequency.  But it seems that they are reluctant to do such things.

I expect the GCL will cease to exist eventually.  Overlapping slightly is a reasonable way of transitioning people over.

[ozbob]

Photographs from my travels today ..

Goodna, foggy morning ..







Roma St











Suburban  trains using platforms 2 (gauntlet dual gauge) platform 3 (3 rail dual gauge) Roma St















Tram tracks, the last remnant of the Brisbane tram network ...





























Photographs R Dow 29th August 2011

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

29th August 2011

Re: Concerning ' Shop around with route 590'

Greetings,

Headed out as planned.  Photographs here --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=6610.msg66977#msg66977

The 590 bus route is a very very welcome improvement.  A true cross suburban bus route, helping to break the radial transport fixation!

There was another massive bus jam inbound morning peak this morning on the inner South East Busway, buses in a conga line from the cultural centre to southbank station.  This is a sign of radial overload ...

Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

On 29/08/2011 4:00 AM, RAIL Back On Track Admin wrote:
Greetings,

The Eastern busway open day on Saturday went well.  Congratulations to all involved with construction and now the operation.

Photographs -- http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=6571.msg66752#msg66752

This morning I plan to head out on a 222 bus and then go for a run on the 590 bus!

The Couriermail has this morning highlighted the problem with full buses (very common in Brisbane) and school age children.  http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/translink-rules-prompted-by-daniel-morcombe-case-force-full-bus-to-wait-until-25-schoolchildren-are-collected/story-e6freoof-1226124039710

A blanket policy cannot work.  Commonsense is needed. for example school age children are regularly left waiting on the INB, as are others for up to 30 minutes as full buses pass by.  Without commonsense the INB would never run.

Again the issue highlights yet more policy blunders.

Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org


On 26/08/2011 3:32 AM, RAIL Back On Track Admin wrote:
Greetings,

RAIL Back On Track welcomes the commencement of the route 590 bus.  At last some real movement with cross suburban bus routes.

The disappointing thing is that the bus should run through to connect with Toombul.  This would further enhance the utility of the bus route considerably.

Unfortunately it is difficult for transport planners in Brisbane to actually get things right.  Part of the reason is the apparent scant disregard given  to public feedback and consultation.

Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org


========================

[Golliwog]

Yes, there were Translink Helping Hands at the two new busway stations, 2 at each handing out leaflets about which services were using the busway and which were.

There did appear to be some confusion with the drivers as to where to go. My 209 driver wasn't sure which exit to take (O'Keefe St, or the new busway) He guessed right though. Also noticed a 270 still going along on Logan Rd, I thought they were meant to be using hte busway now?

The PIDs at the busway stations are different from normal. Instead of showing the time the bus is mean to arrive, they have a count down. From what I could work out, if the bus ran late, they gave it a new due time, and put a dot next the the route number. Though they still disappear sometimes from the screen after that a bit.

[ozbob]

Flyer handed out at Carindale re changes there