Letters to the editor - Published

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 12th October 2017 page 13

Public transport is in dire need of shake-up

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 17th October 2017 page 19

Rail fail pushing people on to roads

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 3rd November 2017 page 15

Cautious backing for Greens policies

[ozbob]

Queensland Times 20th November 2017 page 15

Don't miss the bus with our travel plan

RAIL Back on Track welcomes Labor's policy announcement for Northern and Eastern transit ways.

This is informed by previous consideration of the transit ways by the former LNP government.

The transit ways were evaluated in 2013 by Infrastructure Australia (IA) and have been shown to stack up very well. They are much more cost effective than busways for extensions. In time, the bi-articulated buses of the Brisbane Metro would be able to further reach distant suburbs by transit way running.

Improving the existing bus network generally is a low-cost, high-impact initiative. Bus reform is "low-hanging fruit" and we are surprised that neither of the major parties have taken full advantage of it.

Greens candidate for Chatsworth Dave Nelson is right on the money: "By streamlining duplicate or redundant routes and reorganising the bus network, we can provide frequent, reliable services in more areas without losing any existing corridors."

Three years ago, Rail Back on Track prepared a New Bus Network proposal.

In our proposal, we reorganised the Brisbane bus network. As the total distance travelled on the network is similar to that of the existing network, we believe that it will be cost-neutral overall. Major highlights include a frequent BulimbaGlider service, formed from existing routes, a CentenaryGlider service, also formed from existing routes, and new bus services to The University of Queensland St Lucia Campus from Mitchelton, Ashgrove, and Bardon.

We urge the major parties not to miss the bus on a high impact, low-cost opportunity to promise multiple frequent bus routes in all electorates around Brisbane. — ROBERT DOW Rail Back on Track

[ozbob]

Queensland Times 24th November 2017 page 11

Killing vital rail plan will not be forgotten

THIS week, the media confirmed the LNP will ditch Cross River Rail.

This is an outcome that will be disastrous for the future of the rail network
and precipitate terminal gridlock and chronic transport failure for Southeast Queensland.

This will in turn affect all of Queensland as Southeast Queensland stagnates economically.
Cross River Rail is essential for capacity and frequency increases on the entire network.
It would enable the planned rail expansions to places such as Flagstone, Ripley, Caloundra and Coolangatta.

Remember Infrastructure Australia had Cross River Rail as the number one project in Australia a couple of years back.

There is a lot of pent-up rail demand on our network.
We have seen significant passenger-load increases on the urban rail networks throughout Australia.

To delay Cross River Rail would be a folly and would create enormous problems in the years to come.

LNP leader Tim Nicholls has said the Brisbane Metro is the answer. Wrong, it is part of the answer,
together with Cross River Rail. The Brisbane Metro is essentially bi-articulated buses running on the existing busways
with some flow improvements.The good thing about the Brisbane Metro is it will force bus network reform for Brisbane;
something our politicians have been too gutless to do otherwise.

The Brisbane Metro is not going to address the wider public transport needs. Cross River Rail is essential in this respect.

It will be difficult for many to support the LNP or One Nation for this election on the basis of killing Cross River Rail.

You make your bed, you lie in it in the end.

ROBERT DOW RAIL Back On Track

[ozbob]

Queensland Times 27th November 2017 page 19

Let's get cracking on promises

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 28th November 2017 page 15

Cross River Rail must proceed now

WE NOTE the Katter Australian Party still insists that the Cross River Rail be scrapped as a condition of support for an incoming government.

Cross River Rail (CRR) is supported strongly by Labor and the Greens.

CRR is an enabler for the rail network for southeast Queenland and will open up more train paths for freight trains to and from regional Queensland, as well enable future extensions and frequency and capacity increases.

Without CRR, the transport system will collapse in south-east Queensland, causing a massive drain on the state's finances for more and more traffic-congestion-inducing roads. It will in time mean less investment in regional Queensland.

CRR is also a key enabler for Regional Rapid Rail to the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coasts, and in time other places such as Toowoomba.

We would suggest future governments commit to the upgrade of the Sunshine Coast line between Beerburrum and Landsborough North (stage one) and then further upgrades to Nambour.

This will have a big benefit for northern Queensland as more freight train paths would open up.

— ROBERT DOW Rail Back On Track

[ozbob]

Letter to Editor Queensland Times 2nd December 2017 page 21

Transport network is now a shambles

THERE is more confirmation of the utter shambles the transport network is becoming in southeast Queensland.

Uber data has revealed Brisbane's traffic problems are as bad as Sydney's.

Fortunately it appears Cross River Rail will continue. It is fundamental public transport be improved to help with transport options for citizens. We need roads of course, but we need to sort out our rail and bus networks particularly.

It is now 427 days since the first wave of cancellations associated with rail fail (September 30, 2016).

Seriously, how much longer can this circus continue?

Aggressive attempts must be made now to get rail services back to an acceptable frequency.

The present reduced service timetables are forcing more and more onto the already overloaded and congested roads.

No doubt there will be more hard service reductions over the summer holiday period and this will compound the perception of a failed network.

The Commonwealth Games public transport for the overall network looks rather shambolic, sadly.

The New Generation Rollingstock trains are still not in passenger revenue service after 650 days since the first unit was towed out to the Wulkuraka Maintenance Centre.

Robert Dow
RAIL Back On Track

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 6th December 2017 page 12

A plea for off-peak rail fares this season

THE Queensland Rail summer service changes operating between December 18 through to January 21, 2018, have just been released.

It is very sad to see the level of service reduction Queensland Rail now delivers because of the compounding issues with rail fail.

This reduced service timetable just forces more and more on to the already dangerous and congested roads.

The Sunshine Coast has been treated very poorly once again.

At a time when we should be supporting safe rail travel, what is left is a reduced service that is anti-community.

For example, on the Sunshine Coast Line there were 359 weekly services in January 2015. This reduced to 320 in January 2017.

In the latest summer timetable, it has been further reduced to 235 services. (What a terrible outcome for southeast Queensland.)

Other lines show similar service reductions

The rail timetables from December 18 until January 21 are such a reduction in service that fares for this entire period should be off-peak only. It is essentially an off-peak service during peaks, with further service reductions out of peak, making it very difficult to use.

We call on the incoming government to direct the transport authorities to set the fare system so that only off-peak fares are charged for this rail failure for the period between December 18 and January 21.

ROBERT DOW Rail Back On Track

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/938146546243088384

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 8th December 2017 page 13

Questions raised over new carriages

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 13th December 2017 page 13

Put an end to ' public transport mediocrity '

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 15th December 2017 page 13

Looking forward to a good year for transport

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 1st January 2018 page 15

Will new trains be gutted for spares?

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 2nd January 2018 page 13

Let's hope new year brings end of rail fail

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 5th January 2018 page 11

Failing rail keeps up the delays

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 29th January 2018 page 15

Three-door buses need revisiting

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 5th February 2018 page 14

Scale of rail blunder is ' unprecedented '

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 6th February 2018 page 15

Fun and games on rail expected

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 13th February 2018 page 15

Card remains the go on network

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 21st February 2018 page 13

Games timetable gives real cause for concern




Footnote:  I was advised late yesterday (20th February 2018) that PDF timetables will be available from the 19th March 2018.

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 26 February 2018 page 15

Bumbling bureaucracies

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 5th March 2018 page 15

Rail inquiry needed

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 6th March 2018 page 15

Losing confidence in a satisfactory train fix

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 9th March 2018 page 11

Inquiry needed into NGR failure

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 13th March 2018 page 15

Call for rail project to have open public examination

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 14th March 2018 page 13

Something must be done about rail fail

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 19th March 2018 page 15

Commuters' confusion

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 22nd March 2018 page 15

Time to get our rail back on track

[ozbob]

A Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 4th April 2018 page 13

Alternative look at track failures in lead-up to the Games

[ozbob]

A Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 6th April 2018 page 13

Public transport sacrificed for Games

[ozbob]

A Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 9th April 2018 page 13

Public transport fails at Commonwealth Games

[ozbob]

A Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 20th April 2018 page 11

Bailey is off point over Coast rail duplication vow

[ozbob]

A Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 27th April 2018 page 11

We now need introduction of a weekly rail service

[ozbob]

A Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 30th April 2018 page 13

Hold account for trains

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 17th May 2018 page 15

Welcome for new bus route proposal

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 29th May 2018 page 15

Get buses up and running

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 4th June 2018 page 13

Minister, ditch Qld Rail

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 22nd June 2018 page 35

Payment system a transport victory

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 25th June 2018 page 13

Rail replacement bus timetables needed