7 Aug 2012: SEQ: Additional services on Ferny Grove line must reach Yeerongpilly

[ozbob]

Media release 7 August 2012

SEQ: Additional services on Ferny Grove line must reach Yeerongpilly or beyond

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 increased trains to run on the  Ferny Grove line to be extended to Coopers Plains or Corinda via South Brisbane.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"The Ferny Grove Line presently gets approximately 2500 off peak station passenger entries, based on the daily station entries graph (1) and the peak hour boardings (2).  Stations from Dutton Park to Yeerongpilly get approximately 1900 off peak station passenger entries with the same methodology (3)."

"While it is true that Ferny Grove is more, Roma St to Ferny Grove is longer both in distance and time than either Corinda via South Brisbane or Coopers Plains is from Roma St.  Assuming the same percentage patronage increase from the same percentage service increase, patronage Dutton Park to Yeerongpilly alone justifies running to Corinda via South Brisbane."

"These statistics ignore the patronage at South Brisbane, South Bank and Park Road which is significant especially at South Bank, and still has 17 minute service gaps.  These service gaps would be divided by the extension of the promised Ferny Grove trains and no doubt increase patronage along the South Bank stretch."

"It has never been released how much off peak patronage has increased at Oxley and Darra with the all day service frequency increases from 6 June 2011.  This sort of information should be public."

"Queensland Rail and TransLink have failed to strongly promote the improved 15 minute train frequency between Darra and Northgate. Despite this patronage increased on these sectors."

"If the Ferny Grove line's promised increase is justified, then an increase in via Yeerongpilly services is also justified."

References:

1. http://translink.com.au/resources/about-translink/what-we-do/customer-research/100501-public-transport-survey.pdf

2. http://translink.com.au/resources/about-translink/reporting-and-publications/2012-q1-passenger-load-survey.pdf

3. http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=8812.msg106225#msg106225

Contact:

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