Opposition Media Release: Free travel for Airport commuters would ease ...

[ozbob]

Tim Nicholls MP
Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party
Shadow Minister for Transport, Traffic Management,
Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations   
Member for Clayfield

9 April 2008

Free travel for Airport commuters would ease congestion

Shadow Minister for Transport Tim Nicholls today called on the State
Labor Government to wave the fare for commuters who travelled via train
to catch their plane during times of heavy congestion.

Commuters could show their e-tickets or airline tickets to qualify for
free travel, similar to the current free travel policy offered to
commuters travelling to and from major sports and entertainment events.

Mr Nicholls said the incentive could be easily implemented to help
relieve congestion caused by incidents like today's truck rollover on
Airport Drive.

"Rather than warning commuters to allow for an extra two hours on top of
their normal travel time, the Government could be offering commuters
free travel on the Airtrain," he said.

"It only takes one accident to paralyse the road network around the
Airport.  It is important we have quick and easy solutions to help to
relieve that congestion."

In a report into congestion at the Airport Roundabout last year, the
State Government promised the introduction of the Go Card on the
Airtrain line would help relieve congestion on the roads.

"Despite the Government's promise we continue to see heavy congestion to
and from the Airport while the Go Card machines have yet to be
activated," Mr Nicholls said.

"If this Government is serious about solving congestion along Airport
Drive and the Airport Roundabout they need to look at solutions that can
be done today - not tomorrow.

"This is a simple, effective solution that could be easily implemented
to help relieve congestion at one of Brisbane's traffic black spots."

[ozbob]

RAIL Back On Track has consistently called for the railway line to the airport to brought into normal QR suburban timetables and Translink fares, ie. zone 3.  By doing that the road congestion to the airport would be a distant memory.

Free travel during periods of heavy congestion would be difficult to manage, none the less is an idea with some merit.

See --> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=370.0

[ozbob]

Media Release 9 April 2008

Brisbane:  Airtrain is the key to easing congestion on roads to Brisbane Airport

RAIL - Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community organisation for the promotion of rail and public transport throughout Australia has again called on the Queensland State Government to take over the railway line to Brisbane Airport, and bring on Citytrain services that have the same fare structure and timetable hours, and service frequency as for rest of the network (References 1, 2 and 3).  The Report of the Task Force to Improve Short Term Access into and out of Brisbane Airport Precinct failed to fully appreciate the huge anti-congestion value of the presently under utilised railway line.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

?The service to the Brisbane Airport uses Queensland Rail Citytrains.  The cost of the travel from the City to the Airport is at a cost that actively discourages people from using it.  It should be urgently brought into the same fare structure as for the rest of metropolitan railway network.?

?The Airport effectively lies in Zone 3.  This equates to a normal fare of $3.20 from Central compared to the present $13 Airtrain fare.  It is this cost differential that results in near empty trains except for times of crisis, and because of that a decrease in train frequency and service hours, which in turn leads to fewer passengers.  An irreversible slide.?

?Trains need to run when actually needed.  The late start and early finish of the present Airtrain services is farcical.  The keys to successful public transport are accessibility; high service frequency and extended hours of operation, and it must also be affordable for the community.?

"If the State Government took back management from Airtrain City Link Ltd, or at least subsidised the fares to normal fare structure, the trains would be well patronised and be available for not only domestic and international passengers, but also for people employed in the airport precinct. Hours of operation must be also be extended from 4.30am to midnight.?

?As was highlighted yesterday with the congestion chaos for road access to the airport, not making the maximum use of the railway line to airport is absolute folly.

?Congestion on the airport roundabout and Gateway would be eased if it was brought into the normal network, and give some space for decent long term solutions.  Those who do need to drive could do so in timely and safe manner, the majority will relax on rail!?

References:

1. http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=31.0

2. http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=234.0

3. http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=253.0

Contact:

Robert  Dow

Administration
admin@backontrack.org

RAIL Back On Track
http://backontrack.org

[ButFli]

The problem with providing cheap public transport to the airport is that you are subsidising people who are leaving Queensland to go and spend their money somewhere else. Why should the Queensland State Government pay for people to fly either interstate or overseas and take money away from Queensland businesses and hence jobs and other income away from Queenslanders? I don't think you can argue that a cheap, high-frequency train service will encourage visitors to Queensland to compensate. I suppose the reduction in road congestion is of benefit to Queensland, but is it worth it? How much of it is actually caused by airport traffic?

I believe this is the reason that airport train links have thus far been privately funded. I don't necessarily agree with it but I can see the rationale behind it.

[ozbob]

Brisbane airport is being developed as a business and retail mega complex.

Bringing the line into the normal suburban network makes it more equitable for all, workers, residents of Brisbane and visitors IMHO. 
I don't support giving just the airline passengers free trips.  I do support giving the whole community a fair fare and a decent service when they need it.

Trains need to run when needed, not to some restricted schedule which means it no longer becomes the mode of choice for transport to the precinct.

At the moment, there appears to be not much accountability from airports.  Their user costs are very very expensive.

The road congestion is a major issue.  By having an accessible, frequent, affordable rail service it will go a long way in helping to manage the problem, and would then allow those who do need road access a lot less of problem in doing so.

Cheers
Ozbob

[Tejas]

The problem with providing cheap public transport to the airport is that you are subsidising people who are leaving Queensland to go and spend their money somewhere else. Why should the Queensland State Government pay for people to fly either interstate or overseas and take money away from Queensland businesses and hence jobs and other income away from Queenslanders? I don't think you can argue that a cheap, high-frequency train service will encourage visitors to Queensland to compensate. I suppose the reduction in road congestion is of benefit to Queensland, but is it worth it? How much of it is actually caused by airport traffic?

I believe this is the reason that airport train links have thus far been privately funded. I don't necessarily agree with it but I can see the rationale behind it.

you are seeing this from the wrong way. as i said on 4BC today it feels like you are getting gouged the moment you get off your flight into the city.

[Mozz]

Passengers are part of the equation but so are those qlders using the area for shopping eg DFO, dropping off passengers, those many thousands of people who work in the area to support the airport and supporting businesses. Bring it back into the qld public transport umbrella I say.

[ButFli]

Passengers are part of the equation but so are those qlders using the area for shopping eg DFO, dropping off passengers, those many thousands of people who work in the area to support the airport and supporting businesses. Bring it back into the qld public transport umbrella I say.

The Airtrain is useless for shoppers because there is no station close to the shopping precinct. Similarly there aren't any stations close to any workplaces in the area apart from the terminals and related areas. I know that employees of my employer who work in the terminals get free Airtrain travel by showing their ID card and I've been made aware of the same arrangement having been made for employees of Air Services Australia. I can only assume that everyone who works in and around the terminals (i.e. everyone who could possibly use the Airtrain to get to work) can make use of this free travel.

Why would anyone use the Airtrain to "drop off passengers"? Unless you're suggesting that making Airtrain cheaper will take people off the roads and make it easier to drive and drop people off? That seems completely counter-productive.

That just leaves the passengers themselves, who as I said earlier are far from having "first dibs" on State Government funding. I'm not denying that cheap train travel to the airport would be good, I'm just being practical. I would rather see the money spent on 50 or 100 new trains to serve the whole Citytrain (or whatever it is called now) network.

you are seeing this from the wrong way. as i said on 4BC today it feels like you are getting gouged the moment you get off your flight into the city.

It feels like I'm getting gouged every time I fill my car with petrol, or every time I insure it, or every time I pay an airfare to America. But I'm not asking the State Government to subsidise these things to the point that I'm paying 25% or less of the cost. That appears to be what you want the Government to do with the cost of an Airtrain ticket.

I'm not denying that Airtrain is expensive and seems like a ripoff. All I'm saying is that it is difficult to justify Government spending on what is a non-essential service when there are supposedly thousands of people stranded every day on their way to and from work because there aren't enough trains for the regular rail network.

[ozbob]

Employees are getting some subsidised travel, not free travel.  That fact they are being offered the subsidised travel is proof positive of the excessive costs.  But very few use it.

Additional stations are planned to service the the other areas - DFO. 
BNE airport is about to undergo further expansion and new facilities. Integral to that is the plan to make the new facilities very close to the rail, airport and retail.

I look forward to the Airport line being just a part of our Translink public transport network.

Brisbane Council buses should also be running to the airport.  They run to the DFO from Toombul already, again this highlights the potential utility of the rail line for the general community.

Cheers
Ozbob

[ozbob]

There is a strategy that can done immediately to improve outcomes.

If Airtrain reduced the fare by 50% and further expanded services, the number of people using would at least double, possibly triple. The end result being more revenue and a more accessible service.

Cheers
Ozbob

[ButFli]

If Airtrain reduced the fare by 50% and further expanded services, the number of people using would at least double, possibly triple.

Might I ask where you are pulling that "statistic" from?

[ozbob]

It is an estimate of course. 

Based on my conversations with people who use the train, and feedback for over two years.
Also the experience of callers to ABC radio and 4 BC.

At the moment it is a wasted resource.

Cheers
Ozbob