2018 Commonwealth Games

[BrizCommuter]

https://twitter.com/7NewsBrisbane/status/978547807983251456

Bacause 50% service reductions, hourly weekend services, and axing almost an entire train line isn't a fail is it?

[achiruel]

https://twitter.com/7NewsBrisbane/status/978547807983251456

Must be the only person in Queensland who is!

[brissypete]

Have noticed 3 additional QR staff on duty at Fairfield Station in morning peak this week. Guessing they will have staff on duty during games.

Sent from my G8141 using Tapatalk

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/InclusionMoves/status/920374341325299712

[ozbob]

Well done IM!   

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/GetSet2018/status/979146178842517504

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/7NewsBrisbane/status/979248650885898240

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/979249130156343297

https://twitter.com/InclusionMoves/status/979253441745702913

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/7NewsBrisbane/status/979250171602087937

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/GetSet2018/status/980240866471284736

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/SmartState1/status/980893424587952128

[ozbob]

Gold Coast Bulletin --> Comm Games officials make eleventh hour plea to attract punters to Gold Coast

COMMONWEALTH Games boss Mark Peters and Gold Coast traders have made an eleventh hour bid to attract punters to the city's biggest party.

Transport was expected to be a major issue on the eve of the event, but today roads were clear and major Coast hubs were a virtual ghost town.

Broadbeach businesses owners are worried, but Mr Peters said it was time for anyone still deciding whether to come, to bite the bullet.

He urged Southeast Queenslanders to buy tickets, or "regret it for the rest of your life".

Mr Peters, involved in the 2011 bid team when the city won the right to host the 21st Commonwealth Games, said tickets and accommodation were still available.

"We are saying to people to look at the calibre of athletes, look at the festival program and you are just going to have a ball when you get here."

Mr Peters said just about everyone he knew who had left Sydney during the Olympics or Melbourne when it had the Commonwealth Games in 2006 regretted it afterwards.

"What I say to people is if you have mates from Melbourne or Sydney ring them up because those who did leave (during those Games) regretted it for the rest of their lives because they missed out on a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

"They are the best advocates for us. Some of our volunteers here lived in Sydney for the Olympics and didn't go, they chose to leave and they say they've regretted it for the rest of their lives."

Mr Peters said some tickets remained available to tomorrow's opening ceremony for $495 or $380, and at last count more than a million had been sold with under 150,000 left across the 11 days.

"When people hear about the opening ceremony and start to read about the athletes, we'll sell a lot of tickets in that first week so we're not concerned at all.

"We are getting a lot of inquiries still from interstate."

The Oasis Shopping Centre was empty for most of today and traders admitted they were nervous.

Nathan Smith from Boutique Meats Broadbeach, said it's "devastating", but they're trying to remain positive.

"We turned up today, and just hope they're all going to turn up today too," he said.

"We were way too prepared, buying in Easter, Commonwealth Games and school holidays — we were expecting at least double the trade. But it's lucky to be half."

A number of businesses in the Oasis Shopping Centre sharing their concerns, noting significant drops in trade.

"As soon as they closed off the roads and put the stages in, it's just dropped and become a ghost town," Maison Broadbeach's manager said.

"It's hell on earth — just chaotic."

But Steve de Maio from Koi Dining and Lounge Bar said he was confident it would pick up.

"It's typical for a tourist destination to have a trough before a peak," he said.

"A precedence is set by Easter, so it's lulled us into a false sense of security, but we've been through seven summers, seven music festival events, but never an international event of this calibre ... so in terms of what to expect next, it's like, how long's a piece of string?"

Mr Peters said the only thing keeping him awake at night was the potential for anything to go wrong

"The planning is in place, the athletes are here, so what we're thinking about is what can go wrong ... are we prepared for everything," he said.

"We are checking, rechecking. It has been great to have the two opening ceremony rehearsals but we'll have double the number at the final one ... So be patient, you might get home later than you normally would."

[aldonius]

I'm reading that a lot of the PT is cutting out before the volunteers are able to go home:

https://reddit.com/r/brisbane/comments/89iete/a_big_congratulations_to_the_sputnik_who_insisted/

Anyone in a position with more info?

[BrizCommuter]

I'm reading that a lot of the PT is cutting out before the volunteers are able to go home:

https://reddit.com/r/brisbane/comments/89iete/a_big_congratulations_to_the_sputnik_who_insisted/

Anyone in a position with more info?

It is a problem for some shifts, but volunteers have been told that they will not be left "stranded". Buses to Brisbane were added at the last minute at the Saturday dress rehearsal, though volunteers were not foretold about the existence of this option.

[ozbob]

I'm reading that a lot of the PT is cutting out before the volunteers are able to go home:

https://reddit.com/r/brisbane/comments/89iete/a_big_congratulations_to_the_sputnik_who_insisted/

Anyone in a position with more info?

I have seen a bit of feedback too. Really relates to the dress rehearsals.

From now 24hour PT I think it will be fine.

[SurfRail]

I'm reading that a lot of the PT is cutting out before the volunteers are able to go home:

https://reddit.com/r/brisbane/comments/89iete/a_big_congratulations_to_the_sputnik_who_insisted/

Anyone in a position with more info?

I assume this is just bog standard Surfside timetables for the most part.  There aren't a huge amount of bus services that run after 6pm normally on weekdays, and it's not like they are adding a huge number.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/981388771739492352

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/7NewsGoldCoast/status/981435518746595329

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/7NewsBrisbane/status/981442108908277760

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/laurenmarer/status/981442627756331009

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/andydee81/status/981427405981126656

https://twitter.com/HurleyJenny/status/981432472243265536

https://twitter.com/GCBulletin/status/981444539406782464

[BrizCommuter]

I've noticed the bizarre Park n Ride location for Coomera Sports Centre. The only option is in Helensvale, so anyone from Brisbane would either have to drive past Coomera and get the bus back, or use the train and bus shuttle to get there. Strange that there isn't a Park n Ride option for this venue on the Brisbane side of Coomera.

[SurfRail]

I've noticed the bizarre Park n Ride location for Coomera Sports Centre. The only option is in Helensvale, so anyone from Brisbane would either have to drive past Coomera and get the bus back, or use the train and bus shuttle to get there. Strange that there isn't a Park n Ride option for this venue on the Brisbane side of Coomera.

I don't think they are aiming at encouraging people to drive here over intercity distances when there is a train available, as opposed to parts of the Gold Coast which aren't on the public transport system at all (and usually for a good reason).

I left town early on the 4:29 today.  The train wasn't even fully seated when it arrived at Nerang.  As I predicted, overwhelmingly most travel demand is going to be local.

[kram0]

It was a nightmare getting out of the opening ceremony and to the station. Very poor planning. 1 hour and 45min.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Commonwealth Games opening ceremony: Major public transport delays

A BIG queue of Opening Ceremony spectators have been held up from leaving Carrara after what is understood to have been a bus breakdown jamming transport flow.

Hundreds are patiently waiting at the Broadbeach-Surfers Paradise departure area as the bus area is restored to normal.

A Games Shaper volunteer told the Bulletin they believed one bus had broken down and impeded the flow of the rest.

"This didn't happen at the two rehearsals but then there were only 15,000 not 35,000.

"At least it's not raining."

Another Games shaper on a megaphone told the crowd: "we're sorry for the inconvenience. Appreciate your patience."

An hour after the event finished, the crowd started to steadily clear and a Game shaper told the crowd over megaphone: "I can see you are tired over there. I'm sorry about the wait. We will get you on your way as soon as possible."

Robina couple Judy and Bruce Harris from Robina and daughter Dimity from Brisbane were among the last to leave.

They had waited for a wheelchair for Bruce, 80, who has a pacemaker, only to get that but then be greeted by a mass queue of hundreds going nowhere at the Broadbeach-Surfers Paradise bus departure point.

"I don't understand why the shuttles aren't working. Something doesn't add up," Dimity said.

"It can't just be because one bus broke down."

Volunteers called Games Shapers have started handing out chairs and are asking if anyone needs special assistance.

One Games Shaper on a megaphone started telling jokes, including 'Why did the spectator cross the road?"

Another volunteer Games Shaper replied: "Don't tell that one! Don't upset people anymore."

The Harris', trying to get back to their car in the Oasis centre in Broadbeach, said despite the departure delays the ceremony had been spectacular.

Earlier, hundreds of Commonwealth Games opening ceremony ticketholders were stranded at a major Gold Coast bus interchange for up to two hours as the city's public transport system plunged into mayhem ahead of the start of the event.

The Broadbeach South bus interchange overflowed with hundreds of commuters trying to make their way to Carrara stadium as frustrated commuters declared 'this is torture'.

Volunteers called Games Shapers have started handing out chairs and are asking if anyone needs special assistance.

One Games Shaper on a megaphone started telling jokes, including 'Why did the spectator cross the road?"

Another volunteer Games Shaper replied: "Don't tell that one! Don't upset people anymore."

The Harris', trying to get back to their car in the Oasis centre in Broadbeach, said despite the departure delays the ceremony had been spectacular.

Earlier, hundreds of Commonwealth Games opening ceremony ticketholders were stranded at a major Gold Coast bus interchange for up to two hours as the city's public transport system plunged into mayhem ahead of the start of the event.

The Broadbeach South bus interchange overflowed with hundreds of commuters trying to make their way to Carrara stadium as frustrated commuters declared 'this is torture'.

The line up of increasingly anxious commuters was finally cleared by 6.45pm — just 45 minutes from the start of the opening ceremony.

Some said they had waited for more than two hours for a bus and say that older patrons were forced to leave.

Sydney resident Leonie Curtis was "disgusted" by the lack of organisation.

"This isn't a holiday, this is torture," she said.

"This is the most disgusting organised event I could imagine."

"Disgusting," one punter declared as they raged against officials.

Officials resorted to putting patrons in taxis free of charge.

Anxiety built at the crowded Broadbeach South transport station with loud boos ringing out as a group arriving fresh off a tram jumped straight on a bus to Carrara within minutes.

Some queuing ticketholders said they had paid $380 per ticket to the opening ceremony and were starting to look up Uber prices.

One woman quit the queue while saying into her phone "we are out of here".

Another in the queue said "they have had six years to plan buses".

Tennis Gold Coast president Mike Ford who got to Broadbeach South station early told the Gold Coast Bulletin: "I arrived at Broadbeach south at 5.15pm — staff did not know why the buses weren't there.

"I got on a tram back to Helensvale, the train to Nerang, I'm nearly there (at the stadium)," he said at 6.30pm.

"...eta 7.20! Left at 5pm. Those in charge did not do their job — that's why we need journos to make them accountable when they stuff up — they're on the big salaries."

Another woman told the Gold Coast Bulletin she had been told by a crowd controller the "buses have let them down and the numbers they expected haven't arrived".

As a fleet of new buses rolled up, a loud cheer rang out.

One relieved mother with her son said she had been waiting an hour and 15 minutes: "I was starting to get nervous," she said.

It is understood buses to the sport precinct began well after crowds started pouring into the interchange with more commuters than seats available.

Another woman said she was worried she would miss the opening ceremony despite paying $380 for tickets.

She said she was worried about missing events for later in the week as well.

"Sydney is a mess of a city but it have better organisation," she said.

Buses arrived intermittently and as people got on security apologised for the delay.

Dennis, who had travelled to the Coast with his son and wife, said he had waited two hours in the queue.

"We got here and they've herded us ... I don't know what organisation they've got here," he said.

"Priority people came straight through and we just kept getting pushed further and further back."

An angry fan — who did not want to be named — told News Corp that "this was the way they told us to come".

"They tell you to plan your journey on the app and here we are," they said.

"It's a joke."

Asked if it had been a bit of a stuff up, a bus driver who dropped a load of people off from Broadbeach South outside the stadium at 6.45pm said: "yeah a little bit."

He said he didn't know what had gone wrong and whether too few buses arrived early on or more people had gone via Broadbeach South than expected.

But he had added he knew of three buses diverted from Surfers Paradise to Broadbeach South station to handle the queues there.

A Department of Transport and Main Roads spokesperson said 'A large number of spectators have travelled via public transport to Carrara Stadium, with some wait times experienced at Nerang Station and at Broadbeach South.'

"This was identified in real time at our Transport Coordination Centre. Several additional bus services were deployed within minutes to respond to this high demand at both locations.

"We were able to respond to this quickly to begin moving these spectators with wait times already reduced.

"As with any event of this size and significance, it is likely spectators will experience delays and we would like to thank them for their patience."

LNP spokesman for transport Steve Minnikin said the delays were disappointing.

"I feel for all those people stranded whose Opening Ceremony experience has been ruined. Annastacia Palaszczuk should have spent less time focusing on her ego and speeches and more time putting together an essential transport plan," he said.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/981571580940595200

[ozbob]

https://translink.com.au/service-updates/176461

Route 700 and 777 service change

Route 777 buses will change to single level buses from Midday Thursday 05/04 until the last service. Route 700 buses will then change to double decker buses to help with passenger loading for the Commonwealth Games.

[techblitz]

oh well Gold coast has just advertised itself as a public transport backwater......all the tram frequency in the world means nothing if the buses are aren't arriving to efficiently and orderly clear the backlog of people.
Reports of people jumping straight off the tram onto bus when the people already waiting should have been given priority.

From a broadbeach local...

I was with one of my friends who lives in the Ultra Highrise in George Ave, having a few drinkies and watching the games opening on TV. Looking out the balcony behind, every 5 minutes or so, a packed tram would arrive, masses of people getting off, and for well over half hour, not a single bus, with every tram adding to the masses, then a bit of rain, and more crowds

[BrizCommuter]

It was a nightmare getting out of the opening ceremony and to the station. Very poor planning. 1 hour and 45min.

I'll be using the Yatala Park n Ride for getting to the Carrara Stadium. Have heard bad things about the shuttle buses to/from Nerang (and with 3 young kids not risking it).

[BrizCommuter]

The comments on the get set for the games Facebook page are a concerning read.

[ozbob]

The comments on the get set for the games Facebook page are a concerning read.

> https://www.facebook.com/GetSet2018/

[ozbob]

I had hoped that all would be well, but maybe that was just a little too much to hope for. .  But TransLink/DTMR did not let us down in the end.  The crowning glory for me was telling folks to travel early but not starting the shuttle buses early to match.

All together now ... CLUSTERFUK ! 



Heavy rail went well. Light rail went well. As far as I can tell.

[techblitz]

So who is it going to be to step up and make an apology for the bus debacle?
Anna.p or her deputy?,mark bailey?,peter beattie?,kate jones?,tom tate?
They all essentially bragged how prepared they are for the influx of people...
One of them needs to face up to it and issue at least a guarantee that it wont be repeated for the closing ceremony.

came accros this comment on the getsetforgames page

Public transport to Broadbeach was an absolute fuking disaster. I saw the elderly collapse , people arguing fighting swearing yelling. As I sit here at 1am in the morning after waiting 1hr 45min to get there and then another 2hrs 15min to get on a bus home. Organisation on filling the buses was completely ridiculous. What a bad look for the Gold Coast. Whoever organised this should be fukin ashamed of themselves on showing the world how disorganised unenjoyable this was. I will never do that again.

they had over 6 years to plan transport for the opening ceremony. 

[red dragin]

When I went to the first AFLW grand final at the stadium last year, there was about 27,000 people I believe. We where gone and on a bus within 20 minutes of game ending. Worked perfectly.

The confusing thing is, it is no different to that event, just requires more buses as there are no taxi or personal car pickup options.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Gold Coast Commonwealth Games Day 1 traffic and fallout after opening ceremony

GAMES organisers will this morning have the chance to explain the phenomenal failure of their transport system which left thousands of people stranded on their ways to and from the opening ceremony last night.

Buses north and south were still leaving Carrara Stadium at 1am.

It was more than two-and-a-half hours after the Games opening showpiece finished at 10.35pm.

At one bus stop headed north to one of Helensvale's biggest park n ride facilities at Millaroo North, thousands of people queued as two transport stewards loaded one bus at a time.

People who required help with accessibility queued separately from the stadium, only to be merged with the general crowd at the bus stops, meaning the full queues waited as walking frames and wheelchairs were loaded piece by piece as empty buses waited behind.

The debacle came just hours after Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey declared the transport plan a huge success after the opening ceremony rehearsals.

A long queue of hundreds, and up to over a 1000, was at a standstill, at the departure point for buses to Broadbeach South from 11pm. It included pensioners with pacemakers and young children.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate this morning said organisers were working hard to ensure there was no repeat of the bedlam.

"You've gotta reflect, 35,000 attendants plus 12,000 people performing - it's full capacity first day," he said.

"Today Goldoc and Transport (Main Roads) are fine tuning it.

"It won't be to the maximum anymore and I think that will be resolved."

Volunteer Games Shapers started bringing out chairs for elderly people and continually apologised over megaphones for the "delays and inconvenience".

At one point they started trying to get a singalong happening while another told jokes. But not many were laughing.

Magistrate Donald MacKenzie was among those caught in the bus debacle on the way to last nights opening ceremony, he told solicitors in the Southport Magistrates Court this morning.

"The ceremony itself was very good, it was the five hours waiting for the bus to and from that was the problem," he said.

Just after 1am, queuing Weipa mother Sandy Aldcroft — holding onto her sleepy four-year-old daughter Mia — said:

"The show was awesome. The wait was not so awesome. You have to expect you are going to have a wait but not two-and-a-half hours.

"(Mia) has just woken up and gone 'why are we still here?'."

Visitors from Caloundra Kerry Richards, 36, and Leona Adams, 37, were the last two to get on a bus about 1.15am. Prior to the ceremony starting, they were also caught in a transport debacle at the Broadbeach South transport hub.

Despite arriving at 5pm, they waited almost two hours before getting on a bus to the stadium.

"The logistics could have been a lot better," Mr Richards said.

"They knew this was going to be huge. Let's see how the next 11 days go, I wouldn't want to judge on this alone but it is hard not to.

"Let's just hope it gets better," he said, adding they had tickets to the marquee swimming racing.

Ms Adams, in Australia 15 years after moving from Czech Republic, said on the Gold Coast "everything is perfect except for the transport".

Asked what they would do when they got back to Broadbeach, Mr Richards said he planned to go to sleep.

But Ms Adams had other ideas: "I'm going out in Surfers Paradise, that's why I'm here."

Earlier on, as the true extent of the transport departure delays started to emerge, it filtered through the crowd that a bus had broken down, interrupting the normal flow.

But Brisbane visitor Dimity Harris — waiting with her father Bruce who is in his 80s and has a pacemaker — disagreed: "I don't understand why the shuttles aren't working. Something doesn't add up.

"It can't just be because one bus broke down."

Many complained there were not more access points to get onto buses that were waiting at the stadium as everyone spilled out.

The queuing system appeared to create the bottleneck, with many buses seemingly ready but no way for people further back in the queue to access them.

Robina's Zan Bond said after a "pretty good" opening ceremony the post-event transport was "terrible".

"Who organised the buses?"

She later posted to Facebook: "It's now 1am and we are still lining up for a bus to get to Broadbeach South. There has been lots of waiting for buses and loading each one has been slow.

"This has put a dampener on an interesting event."

Husband Keith said: "I knew we would need patience. We have never handled 35,000 people before and I just hope a lot of lessons are learned by this."

Last night LNP Shadow Transport Minister Steve Minniken said: "This is so disappointing and I feel all those people stranded whose opening ceremony experience had been ruined.

"(Premier) Annastacia Palaszczuk should have spent less time focusing on her ego and speeches and more time putting together an essential transport plan."

The driver of the final bus told passengers over the speaker system he only had authorisation to get people to Broadbeach South station.

"However, because it is way to early in the morning, if you have a stop you want me to stop at if you come up, I will pretend I didn't see it and let's all get home as quickly as possible."

One passenger yelled out "Coolangatta!" and everyone laughed — except for the person who said it.

"everything is perfect except for the transport".

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/981690235703603200

[techblitz]

"Today Goldoc and Transport (Main Roads)." are fine tuning it...

more like a full service...

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Commonwealth Games boss Mark Peters says to expect more delays

THE Gold Coast Commonwealth Games boss says anyone expecting perfect public transport during the event is 'a lunatic'.

Mark Peters was speaking after thousands of angry spectators heading to last night's opening ceremony at Carrara Stadium were left stranded at Broadbeach by a lack of buses.

As Transport Minister Mark Bailey apologised for the debacle, Mr Peters admitted more public transport delays during the Games were inevitable.

"If anyone thinks we're going to be perfect, then you're a lunatic," he said.

"When you plan, you plan to be successful ... (but) there will be delays."

Mr Bailey refused to rule out more chaos but said 'adjustments' had been made to bus scheduling.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/981712370568282112

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/981712997885202433

[BrizCommuter]

Couriermail --> Commonwealth Games boss Mark Peters says to expect more delays

THE Gold Coast Commonwealth Games boss says anyone expecting perfect public transport during the event is 'a lunatic'.

Mark Peters was speaking after thousands of angry spectators heading to last night's opening ceremony at Carrara Stadium were left stranded at Broadbeach by a lack of buses.

As Transport Minister Mark Bailey apologised for the debacle, Mr Peters admitted more public transport delays during the Games were inevitable.

"If anyone thinks we're going to be perfect, then you're a lunatic," he said.

"When you plan, you plan to be successful ... (but) there will be delays."

Mr Bailey refused to rule out more chaos but said 'adjustments' had been made to bus scheduling.

Punters are not "lunatics" for expecting what other venues manage on a weekly basis with no issues. Getting people to and from a (relatively small) 35,000 capacity venue is not rocket science, and should be achievable with limited queuing.

[Stillwater]

QUOTE: As Transport Minister Mark Bailey apologised for the debacle, Mr Peters admitted more public transport delays during the Games were inevitable.
"If anyone thinks we're going to be perfect, then you're a lunatic," he said.

The State of Queensland - 'tries to be perfect one day, because that is the spin ... looney the next.'

It is official now, the Games boss said it.  Mark Bailey must have been eating too much fairy floss, causing his sugar levels to rise before tweeting.