Letters to the editor - Published

[ozbob]

Published Courier Mail February 18

Queensland Rail Citytrain has been undergoing steady and sustained increases in passenger loadings.  Many lines are experiencing chronic congestion at peak and unless more resources are made available for QR Citytrain this congestion will get worse.

We must protect the community from the looming fuel crises and environmental impacts of motor vehicles, and help ease the road, bus and ferry congestion. 

The present massive funding imbalance in favour of roads needs to be turned to the favour of sustainable public transport.  If we don?t start to turn the tide now it may be too late.

[ozbob]

Published Courier Mail February 21

The fare structure on TransLink's "Go Card" is not an incentive to use it.

The cost of travel with the Go Card is significantly more than the integrated paper ticketing for the majority of commuters.

The only fare structure announced, the frequent user scheme, is causing much concern to public transport users who face significant fare increases relative to the present integrated paper ticketing should they use the card.

Paper ticketing will be maintained for a period following  go card roll-out but surely the whole point of investing $134 million dollars or so will be to replace the present system eventually.

The Queensland Government and Translink obstinately refuse to acknowledge the facts. Spin, blunder and bluster are not good enough.

Why is the Queensland Government subjecting citizens to increases for public transport at a time when they are suffering cost of living increases and mortgage rate hikes? It is nonsense to say that commuters have a choice between the present integrated paper ticketing and the go Card.

[ozbob]

Published Courier Mail March 3

Incentives are the go

Recent correspondents to The Courier Mail have highlighted the concerns with the inequitable fare structure on the go card.

The go card itself is great, I have been using it now for a number of weeks. 

The problem is the fare structure which, for many commuters means go card-enabled travel is a lot dearer than the present integrated paper ticketing.

Translink and the Queensland Government are just not listening and ignoring the feedback from many citizens on this point.  It is a great shame that they are doing this.

The go card could be the best thing for public transport since the introduction of the integrated paper ticketing a few years ago, and if uptake of the go card is high, significant improvements in terms of efficiency (faster loading) and actual savings due to reduced cash handling and ticketing sales would be possible. 

Commuters need a real incentive to use the go card, other than spin.  At the moment, public transport users on the Translink network fall into two broad groups, those who can afford to use the go card and those who cannot afford it. Is this equitable?

[ozbob]

Published Courier Mail March 10

The further expansion of the early riser trial to include all of Melbourne's trains for free travel before 7am CBD arrival is great news for Melbourne commuters  This will further help ease congestion.

Other states are being left standing still with the community focussed public transport initiatives by the Victorian Government.
The Queensland Government should now consider introducing free travel for Go Card users that touch on by 6.30am Monday to Friday on all modes, rail bus and ferry. This would be easy to implement as there would be no change to present ticketing practices and is equivalent in many respects to arrival at the CBD by 7am. This would help ease some peak congestion.

[ozbob]

Published Courier Mail March 31

It is  welcome news for rail commuters particularly on the Gold Coast, Beenleigh, Ferny Grove and Cleveland lines that there will be new QR Suburban and Interurban train timetables and some extra services from the 31st March. It is essential to continue the upgrade momentum to all lines.

The Airtrain service is benefiting from the increased services on the Gold Coast line (C-M, March 27). The fundamental problem with the Airport railway line is the expensive fare and the lack of services early and late in the day.  The sooner the Airport railway is brought into normal Translink zones and QR suburban timetables the sooner the massive road congestion to and from the airport will be eased.

The Caboolture and Ipswich lines are suffering severe congestion problems at peak and there are still no extra services. With the increasing road congestion north of Brisbane and disorder due to the Ipswich Highway road works further pressure will be put on the rail services on these lines. The Shorncliffe line still has significant gaps in the peak timetables. Increased services are needed on the Doomben line.

[ozbob]

Published Courier Mail April 3

QR is to be applauded for its quick response to the crisis resulting from the new timetable for the Ferny Grove line (C-M Apr 2).

The outpouring on the Courier Mail's blog was further evidence of the urgent need to properly resource the rail network.

The Government needs to immediately fund the acquisition of another 50 three-car trains and crew, in addition to the 44 three-car trains being introduced.

[ozbob]

Published Courier Mail April 8

Melbourne Metlink has just announced a number of ticketing initiatives such as free early bird travel and very cheap weekend travel.

Meanwhile, public transport in south-east Queensland is suffering severe congestion.  Innovative ticketing options are needed here urgently. The go card needs a boost.

[ozbob]

Published Brisbane mX April 8

Give answers for card to be goer

There is serious community concern with the go card,both because of the present fare structure (which is more expensive for many compared to paper tickets), and the fact that often the card simply does not work.

The end result is that many commuters are abandoning using the go card and going back to paper tickets.

The tax payer has paid over $100 million dollars for this system.  Working properly, the smart card ticketing system would be a great boon to the efficiency of public transport and would lead to cost savings.

Answers are needed. 

How many cards are actually in active use relative to total number issued?

How many refunds have been processed? 

More importantly, how many penalties have not been refunded?

It is clear that many go card users are not aware that they are copping penalties.

RAIL Back On Track calls for a delay in the touch penalty increase scheduled for July.  Until the system is working properly, the increase in the penalties should be deferred, at the least until January 2009.

[ozbob]

Published Courier Mail May 3

The ongoing problems with transport do suggest a portfolio without proper direction.  This is possibly a result of ministers who have too many areas of responsibility.  Many state governments consider transport of sufficient importance to warrant a single portfolio minister and hence the effective development of the portfolio's mission for the best outcome in terms of policy, leadership and results.

The fact that the ministerial staff seem to be acting as a good news filter is a consequence of the overload with the many portfolios Minister Mickel has ("Staff knew of train trip", C-M, May 2).

With the looming TransLink Transit Authority (TTA) clear ministerial direction is going to be even more critical, in view of the new responsibilities and powers that the TTA will have.

[ozbob]

Published Brisbane mX May 8

Go card $2000 an insult

The $2000 lucky go card promotion held in conjunction with the Inner Northern Busway 'Discovery Day' was nothing short of an insult to the go card users who have been ripped off. No wonder thousands of go cards were given away as sales have virtually stopped.

The go card system is in a major crisis on the buses and ferries as has been consistently highlighted in the mX and by reader feedback to the mX.

Ten trip tickets are scheduled to be withdrawn from Brisbane Transport mid 2008.  This will lead to chaos on the buses and ferries. Passengers will not be able to reliably use the go card based on the experiences so far, and will be forced to pay cash or somehow access railway stations to buy weekly tickets.

The Queensland Government and Translink is in denial about the ongoing go card problems. The recent time issue on the bus go card system was hidden from commuters for about two weeks.  How much excessive revenue was ripped off from go card users during this period?
Apparent secret plans to replace paper integrated ticketing with the presently unreliable go card are in tatters.

[ozbob]

Published mX June 27

Transport problem needs fresh ideas

Parking pressures around train and bus stations will only increase as more people are forced on to public transport to save on fuel.

But it's not possible or sensible to keep building more and more car parks.

We'll eventually just end up with stations surrounded by hectares of car parks.

Parking's causing problems for residents and local traffic near stations. It's also disrupting local businesses - car parks are often taken by commuters for the duration of the working day.

Stations need bus-interchange facilities.  It would've been logical to incorporate one in the upgrade of Indooroopilly station. It's a lost opportunity.

Monday to Friday, during peak times, neighbourhood buses should be introduced to provide transport for commuters to and from their homes and stations.

They could be painted bright TransLink orange and become part of the neighbourhood culture.

Routes could be chosen so that residents only have short walks to stops.

These buses would keep pressure off the present parking facilities.

And those commuters who need to travel outside peak times would be able to park without problems.

[ozbob]

Published Courier Mail July 2

D. Orford ( Letters, July 1) made an  important point.
There is a need for further incentive fares on the Go Card, especially off peak.

The new fare structure just announced does fail to cater for those used to off peak fares.
Once that is addressed there is little reason not to use the Go Card. 

I have been using it since February and have found it very convenient. A high uptake of the Go Card will lead to improved efficiency, particularly faster loading of buses and ferries. This will in turn, ease congestion.

[ozbob]

Published Courier Mail July 14

Don't shoot the carrier

Correspondent Gary Wylie (C-M Letters July 12-13) raised a number of concerns with the Go Card. The Go Card is a product of the former Translink and the Queensland Government. Rather then criticise QR for the ongoing problems with the go card it should be noted the Go Card issues are the result of the botched implementation and roll-out by Translink. QR is just an agent of the go card as are the other public transport operators. The TransLink Transit Authority took over from Translink on the July 1 and has advertised recently for a Go Card operations manager. Maybe there is hope yet for the Go Card.

[ozbob]

Published Courier Mail July 21

Future commute concerns

The article "Breaking Point" (Focus, July 19-20) highlighted the fragility of infrastructure in Queensland including transport.
Commuters squeeze on to the trains, wait as full buses pass them, and are forced to park illegally near stations because of the lack of spaces.

No clear indication as to what is being done to address the problems of over-crowding on trains, buses and ferries has been given.

TransLink, Queensland Rail, Brisbane Transport and other transport operators need to listen to the needs of commuters.  Only then can the present system be utilised to best advantage.

There are reports of school bus operations in the US being curtailed due to the high cost of fuel. Southeast Queensland with its bus-centric transport systems is particularly vulnerable to oil and emission costs.

There must be a change in emphasis to sustainable transport ? electric rail, light and heavy.  This is where the capacity for the huge demands on public transport will be achieved.

[ozbob]

Published Courier Mail August 4

It is interesting to note that the ten trip ticket equipment that is being withdrawn (Fury as tickets axed, C-M Aug 1-2) has been sold for use in Sydney. The equipment might well be failing in Brisbane but this seems little impediment to using the gear in Sydney.

Clearly the agenda in Brisbane is to move the masses on to the go card. Public transport fares are increasing in line with the CPI from today. 

The go card also has a new fare structure.  Sadly lacking from this new fare structure for the go card is an off-peak incentive fare and weekly and monthly caps, although overall the go card is now a much better option for the majority than the first failed fare structure. 

Despite the fare increases for the paper tickets, weekly and monthly tickets are still a good deal, but if people use the go card in a smart way, they can be better off.

The major issue for go card users is trying to convince the TransLink go card call centre that the fines they are accruing is due to poor design and malfunctioning equipment and not user error.

[ozbob]

Published mX 5 August 2008

So thousands of new go card users are struggling at times to learn the use the system, then copping fines for their efforts (mX, Jul 28).

Surely it would be a simple thing for the authorities to give all new users a three month amnesty period for refunds of fines while they come to terms with using the go card.

This would help neutralise the very bad public image that the go card now has, and would encourage further go card uptake.

Something needs to be done urgently to change the present poor public perception of the go card and the problem of fines new users are getting. 

The go card does have a learning curve and by offering an amnesty period it would be a sign of good faith all round.

And to complete the deal, off peak fares, weekly and monthly capping for the go card are required.

[ozbob]

Published Courier Mail August 12

The article "Terrorised by young thugs" (C-M Aug 9-10), did highlight some security issues on our rail system.

It is my experience that Queensland Rail staff do take steps where necessary when incidents arise and are pro-active in maintaining security. There have been cutbacks in station attendance. With the ongoing roll-out of the Go Card, there is clearly a temptation to further reduce station staff.

This is a false economy and will not help security and safety. It is worthwhile to note that, in Melbourne, the rail authority removed a lot of station staff a few years ago. Because of security problems, they are now starting to put staff back on stations.

QR needs to ramp up station attendance and keep guards on all suburban services, not follow stupid expedient practises for what appears to be short-term financial gain but lead to long term losses and failures.

Our public transport staff need to be supported and given some legal protection to do their jobs.

Public transport asset is the community's asset. A feeling of pride and respect must be re-established. Anti-social behaviour must be turned around for the benefit of all.

[ozbob]

Published Courier Mail August 19

The Ekka is over for another year.  Rail passengers to the Ekka were somewhat disappointed to have to pay for an additional fare to travel from the CBD to the Exhibition Station. Bus passengers were able to use their normal TransLink tickets.

What a sham.  The new TransLink Transit Authority had the opportunity to match the integrated ticketing rhetoric and promote the go card and the merits of integrated ticketing in a positive way by simply allowing normal zone one travel.

It is little wonder that this Government, and the TransLink Transit Authority are becoming somewhat despised. TransLink Transit Authority should have stamped its authority by allowing normal zone one travel for all.

[ozbob]

Published Courier Mail August 21

Time to ramp up rail services

David McIntyre (Letters, Aug 20) highlighted some of the peak rail congestion on the Cleveland line. 

The fact is, all lines have varying degrees of peak congestion issues and latent loading (passengers who cannot board already overloaded services).  This has come about from a failure to adequately resource Queensland Rail passenger services with trains and crew.

The recently introduced Interurban Multiple trains were the first new trains added in over seven years.  It is little wonder QR are struggling. 

[ozbob]

Published Courier Mail September 2

Work to be done on train services

Now that the party and fireworks are over, the first thing that needs to be done by the TransLink Transit Authority and Queensland Rail, preferably this week, is to add some early peak services on the Caboolture and Ipswich lines.  One additional six-car rail service will comfortably pick up 800 passengers.

Simultaneously introduce off peak and early and late peak discounts on the Go Card of 30 per cent.  This will encourage some passengers to move away from the peak overloads, and will act as a further incentive for go card uptake. 

As the Minister for Transport commented in parliament last week, the Go Card does have the potential to allow for real-time meaningful load data collection. 

This will in turn allow further fine-tuning of timetables.

We need a community education program with an emphasis on moving down aisles and away from doorways on the trains, and where possible spread travelling times. 

Get major employers on side and encourage flexible work hours for employees to reduce peak-hour congestion.

These are some immediate actions to ease the "cattle class" peak congestion crisis on our suburban railway network.

Also, Terry Sweetman is spot on ("Counting on secrecy", C-M Aug 29). On the 27th August I boarded the 5.30pm service to Ipswich at Roma Street station. It left at 5.32pm. 

I counted the passengers in the lead carriage and I was then able to calculate the passenger load as greater than 1200 passengers.

The QR Citytrain web site states the load capacity of the particular train configuration (the IMU with 6 cars) is 998 passengers.

Minister for Transport Mr Mickel was asked in Parliament the other day if QR Citytrain services are overloaded. 

Apparently the Minister was not able to answer the question, so here is an observation that the trains are overloaded, Mr Mickel.

Rail passengers are tired of the chronic congestion. 

All commuters see is ever worsening congestion with no positive indication that action will be taken to address the crisis.

[ozbob]

Published Queensland Times September 17

Ipswich needs more rail services

Letter writer J. Palmer (15/09/08) makes some good points about catching earlier or later trains to avoid the dangerous passenger congestion.

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) has been pressing the TransLink Transit Authority to introduce incentive ticketing to encourage passengers to do just that. 

The Go Card  provides an easy means of giving significant discounts for those patrons who travel early or late rather than peak.

The Ipswich railway line, as for most of the Citytrain network desperately needs more services. 

Under resourcing of QR Passenger services is now hitting us all hard. 

As far as the upgrade of the Ipswich Highway being "congestion busting", although very welcome is not the long term sustainable solution by itself.

The highway upgrade will attract more cars and lead to an increase in road congestion. 

Concurrently, the Ipswich railway line must be upgraded to a high capacity, high frequency passenger service.

This will in turn relieve some of the road congestion and then will be truly "congestion busting".

[ozbob]

Published Courier Mail September 17

Ramp up rail, not buses

The plan for City Glider buses (C-M, Sep 10) is a knee-jerk, short term, non sustainable non-solution.

Line mass transit is best provided by rail, light and heavy.

Initial cost is higher, but it will give the capacity, is sustainable and lead to long term cost savings.

If we don't do it now Brisbane is going into meltdown.

Flawed data was used to promote a cheap bus centric transport solution that has failed.

QR Passenger services has been hopelessly under resourced for years.   Our only hope is to ramp up rail, light and heavy.

[ozbob]

Published Courier Mail September 22

Last June, a spokeswoman for the Minister for Transport said Queensland Rail will introduce timetable changes in September that would focus on the heavily patronised Ipswich line. We are more than half way through September but there have been no announcements of extra services.

We still have time to ramp up our rail networks, light and heavy for a sustainable transport future. Rail properly resourced will easily cope with the increasing passenger loads.  Line mass transit is best provided by high capacity rail fed by local integrated buses.

[ozbob]

Published Courier Mail October 10

Start digging

Correspondents (Letters, CM 9 Oct) were critical of the under-ground railway plans announced by the Government as part of the Inner City Rail Capacity study. 

They are missing the point of the study. The Brisbane rail network is a radial network that will be choked by a lack of a capacity through the CBD axis in a few years. These constraints impose a limit on the increases in services that can be made on all lines.

Plans for phase 1 effectively will double the inner city rail capacity with the extra benefit of rail services to new areas for plans A and B. This will help ease pressure on the overloaded bus system. 

By increasing local bus feeders to railway and bus stations, and introducing more lateral bus routes, much of the congestion on the roads and public transport can be eased. Public transport becomes first choice not last choice.

We should start digging today.

[ozbob]

Published Courier Mail October 13

Three more 'early-bird' services have been added to the Queensland Rail Citytrain weekday timetables from today.
The times are not ideal but at last it signals some tangible evidence of innovation and attempts to manage peak over-loads.

Why not encourage more early travellers through early traveller ticket discounts?

These additional services are a start.  Lets get on board!

[ozbob]

Published Courier Mail October 27

The RACQ has claimed that the Government is struggling to ensure that the fuel subsidy is passed on to motorists (C-M, Oct 25-26).  Comparison of prices between the states suggests that Queenslanders do not get the value of this subsidy as they should.

It would make a lot more sense to put the money into easing the road gridlock and further improvements in public transport throughout Queensland.  Both measures will help to ease traffic congestion and will in turn lead to fuel savings as there would be fewer delays on the roads.

[ozbob]

Published Courier Mail November 8

Transport Minister John Mickel yesterday said that the present rail livestock arrangements will only stay in place till March 2009. I think the Queensland Government and Queensland Rail should increase the transport of livestock, grain and general freight on the entire network, not the other way around.  For a change let's look after the entire community including our farmers.  Who wants all our roads ruined?

[ozbob]

Published Courier Mail November 11

Why is it the rail commuters on the Gold Coast generally have trains with toilets, but people on the long haul rail on the north coast have to sit on toilet-less trains for up to three hours?

[ozbob]

Published Courier Mail December 1

Stop, look and listen

Vague promises of road overpasses and boom gates are not going to make safe the dangerous level crossings on our railway network today.  As an emergency interim measure it is necessary for the Queensland Government to require all heavy vehicles; buses and trucks, to stop at all railway level crossings and then for drivers to look and listen for trains approaching from either direction and to cross only when it is clearly safe to do so.

Other jurisdictions implement these safety procedures as routine.  Is it not time that rail crew, passengers and road users are afforded some common sense protection?

These actions would allow time for the authorities and the rail unions to identify those crossings where there is active safe protection, including warning lights prior to the crossing and fail safe railway signalling, and the visibility is such for road users and train crews that road vehicles can cross when safe without stopping at no more than 50Km/h.

Further secondary warning lights are needed several hundred metres before the crossings, this is where traffic lights could be useful.  Red when the crossing lights flash, a yellow in a warning period when a train is within 2km of the crossing.  Green when crossing open and train not in the vicinity.

For other unprotected crossings an absolute requirement for heavy vehicles to stop is essential.

[ozbob]

Published Courier Mail December 26

[ozbob]

Published Courier Mail December 29

The article on the $130m subsidy for Traveltrain (C-M Dec 27) highlights subsidies to Queensland long distance trains. 

Support of the rural community by the Queensland Government in maintaining these services is to be applauded. 

It should also be noted that public transport in South East Queensland is also heavily subsidised.  So is health, electricity, water, education and other transport modes.  Rarely is the true cost of road and air infrastructure, and their environmental  penalties costed  into those transport modes.

If it was, it too would show such distortions of cost and subsidies.

Governments are there to support their communities. Governments of late have lacked the long term vision of our pioneers who laid down our basic rail network. 

For example, the short term myopia demonstrated when the Gold Coast and Tweed Heads railways were closed during the 1960s and right of way lost, is now hitting home in exorbitant infrastructure costs to re-establish those lines.

In 20 or 30 years it is highly likely that the only viable transport mode will be rail. 

Air and road will be subject to extreme fuel and environmental costs. Rather than pontificating about possible cutbacks, governments need to be thinking of long term needs and expanding and continuing support for rail networks. 

Rail is the sustainable and environmentally friendly transport solution for Queensland and the nation.

The long distance passenger trains in Queensland are unique.  Providing a quality tourist travel experience they are also important transport communication links for many remote towns throughout Queensland.

The Sunlander, the Spirit of the Outback, the Westlander, the Inlander and the Tilt train services all value add to the economy of Queensland, directly and indirectly.

[ozbob]

Published Courier Mail January 3

Vague promises of road overpasses and boom gates are not going to make safe the dangerous level crossings on our railway network today. 

As an emergency interim measure it is necessary for the Queensland Government to require all heavy vehicles; buses and trucks, to stop at all railway level crossings and then for drivers to look and listen for trains approaching from either direction and to cross only when it is clearly safe to do so.

Other jurisdictions implement these safety procedures as routine.  Is it not time that rail crew, passengers and road users are afforded some common sense protection?

Secondary warning lights are needed several hundred metres before the crossings, this is where traffic lights could be useful.  Red when the crossing lights flash, a yellow in a warning period when a train is within 2km of the crossing.  Green when crossing open and train not in the vicinity.

[ozbob]

Published Courier Mail January 5

Trains to tennis centre

The opening of the new tennis centre at Tennyson is very welcome.  Sadly, the public transport arrangements have been found wanting.

There is a railway station adjacent to the tennis centre and it is a major failing to have not included that in the public transport plan. 

The walk for many from Yeerongpilly railway station is difficult.  Car parking is restricted. Shuttle buses are limited from Yeerongpilly and Corinda railway stations and add complexity to what could be a seamless rail journey.

Tennyson railway station even in its present neglected state has the capability of accepting three car electric trains.  A three-car train can transport 500 passengers. A shuttle between Corinda and Yeerongpilly would be an immediate logical addition to the present public transport options.

Not only would it allow patrons to be transported to the centre itself by rail, it would also allow direct access from the western (Ipswich - Rosewood) line.

People from suburbs like Toowong could travel direct by rail via Corinda rather than having to travel via Roma St and  then catching trains on the Beenleigh line.

In time an upgrade of Tennyson rail station should be considered.

[ozbob]

Published Courier Mail January 12

New Darra train service welcome

A new weekday Citytrain service commences today from Darra at 6.35am.  This service will pick up much of the inner city overload ahead of the presently congested 6.14am service from Ipswich.

This new service will run a few minutes ahead of the 6.14am service ex Ipswich from Darra and will help ameliorate the gross overloading that has been occurring on the later service inbound from Indooroopilly. It will help to make the daily commute more comfortable and give more overall capacity.

As more rolling stock and crew is made available to the Citytrain network, additional services need to be constantly added to ease the congestion bottle necks.  The Caboolture line must be next on the list.

[ozbob]

Published Brisbane mX January 20

Big stink at station

There is a problem in the subway at Indooroopilly station.

At the Coonan Street end, water and sewerage leakage permeates the last 20 meters or so.  Is this healthy?

School is to resume soon and there will be a lot of school children tracking through this putrid mess. 

Indooroopilly station is the busiest station outside of the CBD.

It is a pity that the high quality standard of Indooroopilly railway station is spoilt by this section of subway.
The seepage needs to stopped and  the subway cleaned up.  It is a blight on our public transport facilities.

[ozbob]

Published Westside News 4th February 2009

Council should act now to fix dirty subway

RAIL Back On Track publicly raised the matter of the problems with the Indooroopilly Railway station subway on January 19 because we were, and we are still, concerned about the obvious health issues and, of course, the failure to have the subway completed as part of the overall station upgrade.

It was pleasing to note that some attempt has been made to clean the subway section. It is still dirty and seepage is still occurring though.

It is now clear from the comments made by the Minister for Transport that Queensland Rail have tried repeatedly to have this issue fixed up but due to a reluctance by Brisbane City Council nothing was done.

One of our members has suggested that leaking sewage and pipes is in fact a maintenance issue. This is correct and is sufficient justification for Brisbane City Council to fix it forthwith in our opinion.

The subway is an important thoroughfare for not only rail commuters but local residents and Brisbane Transport bus passengers! It makes the failure of the council to move forward with a permanent solution even more puzzling.

It is apparent too that there has been misinformation put forward during the week about this situation. Statements blaming Queensland Rail, when in fact Queensland Rail has been attempting to fix the problem, are not well received by our members and, I suggest, the community.

Can someone show some leadership and organise a fix urgently please?

Robert Dow, Rail Back On Track

[ozbob]

Published Courier Mail February 19th

Warning: bridge ahead

Last week, yet another heavy vehicle was jammed under the rail bridge - this time, a bridge crossing Oxley Road at Corinda. 

Clearly, the current system of drivers theoretically knowing the height and width of their vehicle before they start a journey is not working.  Warning signs are ignored.

Warning devices on the approaches to over-bridges should be mandatory, and with today's electronic and satellite navigation systems further on-board warning alerts are possible.

It is farcical that these bridge strikes are allowed to occur month after month with seemingly little action to address the fundamental issues. The serious risk is that eventually a major incident may occur with possible loss of life.

The disruption to the transport network that follows these bridge strikes is costly for the community. Time for action.

[ozbob]

Published Brisbane mX March 27

Car parking is a major problem in most Brisbane suburbs.

The solutions to this crisis touted during the recent election by the ALP and the LNP are doomed to failure.

Some increase in parking space is needed, but it is not working now nor will it the future unless sustainable solutions are put in place.

Yellow lines and restricted parking in the streets near stations will only push the parking overload further out from the stations.

A solution would be to introduce local "station" buses that provide convenient public transport from suburban residences to key stations. 

These station buses would be separate from the normal bus services, although some integration and variation of the normal routes would be possible if station buses were introduced. The Brisbane City Loop buses are a good model for the concept.

A community education campaign would also be needed including promotion of active transport, and consideration of the introduction of parking fees at car parks at stations at peak times.

These fees could offset the cost of the buses. 

The station buses would be part of the normal TransLink ticketing.

It is time we moved forward with solutions, other than just knocking down houses and building more and more car parks, which just encourage the masses to drive.

[ozbob]

Published Courier Mail April 13

Today is the 40th anniversary of the end of trams in Brisbane.  The last Council tram ran on the April 13, 1969.  Some of Brisbane's trams are preserved at the Tramway Museum at Ferny Grove.

Brisbane trams were consigned to oblivion on the highly questionable basis of a pro-freeway car transport non-solution.  Herein lies the root cause of the present transport problems in Brisbane.

In Brisbane during 1944-45 trams carried around 160 million passengers.  In the final year of operation there were 65 million passengers. 

Today, an under-resourced rail system, and an overloaded and inadequate bus system, struggle to meet the considerable public transport demands. 

Clearly sustainable light rail, and the proper resourcing and expansion of the heavy rail network is required to gain the sustainable mass transit capacity that is needed now and in the future.

The rest of the world is moving ahead with sustainable modern light rail and efficient metro rail transport solutions.  Transport in Brisbane is still transfixed on a failing transport paradigm.  Bus rapid transport has reached its limit.  Time to move forwards with systems that will gain the capacity that will work.

[ozbob]

Published Courier Mail June 1

Get cracking on Go Card

TRANSPORT Minister Rachel Nolan recently made a statement in parliament which confirmed only 29 per cent of public transport trips overall are by Go Card.

It's time to get cracking with a more equitable fare structure for the Go Card, capping and fares that matches paper tickets.  The automatic top-up feature needs to be implemented.  Administrative support needs to be improved, more points of sale and the placing of ticket machines in the major bus stations is also needed to facilitate top-ups and ticket sales.