Public transport in the spotlight

[ozbob]

612 ABC Brisbane Mornings with Steve Austin

Public transport under the spotlight

29 February 2012 , 2:17 PM by Amanda Dell

The extensive disruption to commuters caused by a power surge on the rail network highlighted the importance of a reliable public transport system.

Steve put the issue of public transport under the spotlight.

He firstly spoke with Robert Dow from Rail Back on Track (commuter lobby group) and was then joined in studio by Annastacia Palaszczuk (Transport Minister) and Scott Emerson (LNP transport pokesperson).

--> http://blogs.abc.net.au/queensland/2012/02/public-transport-under-the-spotlight-.html?site=brisbane&program=612_morning

[ozbob]

http://www.scottemerson.com.au/

Opposition Statement

No one believes you Annastacia

LABOR'S Transport Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk was out of touch with reality if she believed Queensland "has the best public transport system in Australia", the LNP said today.

LNP Shadow Transport Minister Scott Emerson said the claim, made on ABC Radio this morning, was big, bold and baseless.

"No one believes you Annastacia," Mr Emerson said.

"No one who endured the train meltdown in Brisbane would believe a word of it.

"The stark reality is Brisbane commuters have suffered from an appalling meltdown in the rail system and at the same time suffered from astronomical fare increases.

"Yesterday commuters suffered chaos with no trains running to the CBD and today Annastacia claims that we have the best public transport system in Australia.

"The reality is that service is bad and fares are astronomical.

"Labor has imposed three fare increases on commuters and there's another two years of 15 per cent hikes to come.

"Unlike Labor, we have a real plan to give real relief to commuters by offering free trips after nine journeys– effectively back to the weekly discount ticket.

"More importantly, the LNP will fix the services," Mr Emerson said.

Mr Emerson said the independent Rail Back on Track continued to highlight the fundamental weakness with the public transport network.　

"Rail Back on Track calls it a 'House of Cards'　 and when it fails it collapses in an escalating chain reaction of failure including the road network.

　"It's time for a change. It's time to get Queensland back on track."

[#Metro]

Sigh.

Mr Emerson knows full well that service increases are not funded out of thin air! Where did he expect the money for BUZ 222, BUZ 412, BUZ 196, BUZ 180, 590 DFO - Garden City, more peak rockets, more 29 bus services etc come from?

Certainly not fare decreases!

Mr Emerson said the independent Rail Back on Track continued to highlight the fundamental weakness with the public transport network.　

"Rail Back on Track calls it a 'House of Cards'　 and when it fails it collapses in an escalating chain reaction of failure including the road network.

This is true but is a statement taken out of context. Had the context been present it would be immediately be clear that the statement related to NETWORK GEOMETRY WHICH FACILITATES THIS FAILURE which cannot be changed unless someone builds CRR.

[somebody]

"Labor has imposed three fare increases on commuters and there's another two years of 15 per cent hikes to come.

"Unlike Labor, we have a real plan to give real relief to commuters by offering free trips after nine journeys– effectively back to the weekly discount ticket.

"More importantly, the LNP will fix the services," Mr Emerson said.

But fare increases have bi-partisan support.

How will the LNP fix the services?  Extending the 393 would be a good start.

[SurfRail]

How will the LNP fix the services?

Pffft.  Who needs detail when we can have easy-to-digest "glossy" soundbites!

[Fares_Fair]

Great interview with Robert Dow, Annastacia palaszczuk and Scott Emerson this morning on ABC radio with Steve Austin.
CRR now just around $7.3 billion.

Sunshine Coast even got a mention  

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[#Metro]

Sigh.

Best is subjective, human transit went through this a while ago.
http://www.humantransit.org/2011/05/top-ten-rankings-the-1-way-to-confuse.html

ANZ region:

Darwin & Hobart - Enough said. Hobart has the worst bus system I have ever experienced.
Auckland - Worst train system I have ever been on. I actually thought it was a toy train system. Terrible buses too.

Perth- decent bus, excellent rail.

Adelaide - Worst train system in Australia, most confusing bus system in Australia, nice tram. No central PT authority. Rail patronage 5x lower than Perth despite comparable demographics, population, climate and network.

Melbourne - good rail but electrification is old, weird stopping patterns (loop and flinders st reversing), more frequent than us. Shocking bus services leave whole entire urban areas in blackspots. Tram system is good but ancient (1800s) and extremely slow (14 km/hour). Disintegrated ticketing (now changing). No central PT authority.

Sydney - Disintegrated ticketing, slow trains, but decent rail network. Buses not so bad. Super expensive. No central PT authority

Brisbane - busway, new buses, BUZ, trains, not so great. Central PT authority.


So I think on trains, Perth and Sydney and Melbourne do much better I think.
On buses Brisbane's #1 for that.
On ticketing Perth and Brisbane
Single authority- Perth and Brisbane


It's the Brisbane Rail network and poor frequency and span that's the issue.

[Jonas Jade]

Remember everyone, as the clip says "We have the best public transport system in Australia"

This one's for you, Anastacia!

[somebody]

How will the LNP fix the services?

Pffft.  Who needs detail when we can have easy-to-digest "glossy" soundbites!

The challenge to the LNP is to improve train service frequency accross the whole network.

Well, they've said it will be a "two year trial" for the Ferny Grove line.  I think we need to focus our efforts on making it 15 minute frequency weekends and evenings in the trial period, rather than going for other lines.

[#Metro]

Well, they've said it will be a "two year trial" for the Ferny Grove line.  I think we need to focus our efforts on making it 15 minute frequency weekends and evenings in the trial period, rather than going for other lines.

I agree. Focused, concentrated efforts.

[#Metro]

This one's for you, Anastacia!

I have posted this to Facebook, with short notes

Brisbane - 30 minutes
Perth - 15 minutes

I reckon RAILBOT could use memes as a means of communication in the future.

[Stillwater]

People will just have to keep calling the LNP's bluff.  The alternative government can't just get away with lines like:

- an LNP government will be passenger focussed
- we will do CRR cheaper and better
- LNP will 'fix the services' (whatever that means)

without giving the detail.  Otherwise they treat voters as fools.

[somebody]

- we will do CRR cheaper and better

Quite sure they didn't say that one.  That would be a commitment to CRR.

[#Metro]

Mr Newman says a LNP government would accept federal funds, but do it better than Labor.

"We will take any money gratefully from them,'' he said. "But we will deliver the outcome more efficiently and economically.

"There are better solutions than blowing $8 billion of taxpayers' money on a big fantasy project.''

It just gets more bizzare. WHY do I think this involves some form of PPP scheme?

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/commuters-pack-free-public-transport-in-southeast-queensland/story-fnbt5t29-1226284958845

[Fares_Fair]

- we will do CRR cheaper and better

Quite sure they didn't say that one.  That would be a commitment to CRR.

I recall that he did .. though in context a type of CRR rather than the full scheme as it currently is.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[somebody]

- we will do CRR cheaper and better

Quite sure they didn't say that one.  That would be a commitment to CRR.

I recall that he did .. though in context a type of CRR rather than the full scheme as it currently is.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

I think it was something about reviewing options regarding CRR.

[SurfRail]

There is no point in doing CRR as a half-arsed job.  Half the costs, quarter of the benefit.

[Stillwater]

In the eyes of the ALP, CRR is ' a form of PPP'.  The public component is coming from the feds (hopefully), say $5 billion; a smaller portion ($2 billion) comes from the private sector for dibs and special considerations relating to blocks of land around Yeerongpilly, Woolloongabba, Gardens Point etc; and nothing from the State Government.

Without being privvy to the Business Case, LNP says it could do CRR 'more efficiently' and 'cost effectively'.

We are being treated like mugs from both sides of politics in Queensland.

Thanks go to the clamp genie for uncoupling a key component and bringing focus on public transport at a point in the campaign when transport policy needs an airing.

[Gazza]

I reckon some money could be saved off CRR. It's reportedly a billion cheaper than the estimate, so from 8 bil to 7 bil. I reckon that was honestly just the govt overestimating to play it safe (Its like how a new station costs $40 mil in Victoria, but $10 mil in Perth). The risk of course is that when you overestimate, bidders adjust their prices up to match the money the government supposedly has.
Legacy way came in a sh%tload cheaper. Springfield extension came in a sh%tload cheaper. Yeah, CRR is a tunnel so more complex (But then again, that what legacy way is). It too comes in a sh%tload cheaper.

Thanks go to the clamp

Replace the carbon rod with a clamp:

[SurfRail]

Guys, I wouldn't be so harsh on the State in their IA submission.  The fact that they have said they can't commit funds up front does not mean they won't, particularly when they have only said they can't do anything for around 2-3 years and it will be 8 years at the earliest until we see it operating.

It seems to me that all they want is for Canberra to kick-start it so they can attract investment and then tip in State funding when the budget is back up (this whole scenario is only valid until the election obviously).

Kippa-Ring costs just over $1bn from memory - around 70% from Canberra, somewhere under 10% from MBRC and somewhere over 30% from the State.  If Canberra plays nice, the money will be found to complete it.

[dwb]

Thanks go to the clamp genie for uncoupling a key component and bringing focus on public transport at a point in the campaign when transport policy needs an airing.

Are you suggesting the 'clamp genie' could be an actual person?

[Fares_Fair]

Thanks go to the clamp genie for uncoupling a key component and bringing focus on public transport at a point in the campaign when transport policy needs an airing.

Are you suggesting the 'clamp genie' could be an actual person?

Unlikely, would you like 'fried' with that?   

[Stillwater]

Nope, I was referring to the genie of fate, a metaphorical genie if you like.

[Fares_Fair]

Nope, I was referring to the genie of fate, a metaphorical genie if you like.

an ingenuine genie?