15 Apr 2012: SEQ: Core Frequent Network: 590 & The Great Circle Line Overhaul

[ozbob]

Media release 15 April 2012

SEQ: Core Frequent Network: 590 & The Great Circle Line Overhaul



RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers calls for the boosting of 590 services between Garden City and DFO Brisbane Airport.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"RAIL Back On Track asks TransLink to consider the removal of the 599/598 service between Garden City and Toombul so that the funds released can be used to upgrade the 590 Garden City - DFO Brisbane Airport service to a 10-minutes peak, 15 minutes off-peak standard. This will make connections and cross-town travel 'turn up and go'."

"The Great Circle Line (GCL) is an orbital bus route that links Brisbane suburbs and major suburban centres with each other without having to go to the CBD. The problem with the GCL is it's a 'legacy route' - low frequency, general lack of service span, extreme length which made it prone to unreliability and circular shape which meant staggered starts, inconsistent destination displays and passenger confusion about whether the clockwise or anticlockwise service was the one to get."

"In response to this, the cross-town 590 Garden City - DFO Brisbane Airport service was introduced in 2011. However, the 599/598 service was not removed, which has resulted in both routes running at low 30-minute frequencies, an irregular timetable where both routes to leave at irregular intervals, and only one route (599/598) connecting to the Cleveland line."

"Folding the 599/598 service into the 590 service within the Toombul-Carindale Garden City section would allow a high quality 15 minute all day frequency to be provided for little additional cost. By diverting the 590 service via Queensport Road South, passengers from Carindale, Cannon Hill and Garden City will now be able to access all Cleveland Line stations in both directions at Murarrie without reference to a timetable and without having to wait for the GCL bus. To cover Creek Road between Wynnum Road and Lytton Road/Metroplex we propose that some of the funding released by the removal of the 599/598 in this section be put towards extending the Cannon Hill 210 bus down Creek Road to terminate at Metroplex."

"RAIL Back On Track hopes that further improvements to make cross-town travel to improve legibility, speed, simplicity, directness and frequency are made in due course to the Great Circle Line as it is a key part of a larger minimum basic network required to properly connect Brisbane suburbs to the CBD and the suburbs with each other."

References:

1.  Building a Core Frequent Network  http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=5173.0

2.  Core Frequent Network Discussion Paper -  less is more http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/cfn_v1.pdf

3.  590 Reportback http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=7839.80

Contact:

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

Attachments:

The current setup has the GCL (orange) and 590 (blue). Bulimba 232 is also included for reference (green). As a result, both routes run at low frequency (30 minutes off-peak) and they can't be co-ordinated or have an even frequency because the GCL is a circle

http://backontrack.org/images/gcl/gcl1.jpg



By amalgamating the GCL into the 590 service, a high standard 590 service (red) can be created for little extra cost
and connections to all Cleveland Line train stations (in both directions of travel due to new 15 min frequency)
becomes possible. Extension of the 210 Cannon Hill (purple) will cover Creek Road and Metroplex previously served
by the 590.

http://backontrack.org/images/gcl/gcl3.jpg