SEQ Bus Network Review

[ozbob]

The Lord Mayor just declared war on Rail Back on Track on 4BC.  He disagrees with a lot of our ideas and that probably explains why public transport is 8% of trips.  He says that a transfer will for force people off public transport. So his current system is working so well at 8%!!!

Memo to Lord Mayor Quirk

313543 CAPT  R B DOW (RAAMC, Retd) Unit: RAIL Back On Track

[ozbob]

Letter to the editor Queensland Times 23rd March 2013 page 17

Bus mess is Brisbane's fault

[SurfRail]

The Lord Mayor just declared war on Rail Back on Track on 4BC.  He disagrees with a lot of our ideas and that probably explains why public transport is 8% of trips.  He says that a transfer will for force people off public transport. So his current system is working so well at 8%!!!

Memo to Lord Mayor Quirk

313543 CAPT  R B DOW (RAAMC, Retd) Unit: RAIL Back On Track

I don't think they signed the Convention.  Something tells me they wouldn't seeing how it's something virtually everybody else has done...

[HappyTrainGuy]

The Lord Mayor just declared war on Rail Back on Track on 4BC.  He disagrees with a lot of our ideas and that probably explains why public transport is 8% of trips.  He says that a transfer will for force people off public transport. So his current system is working so well at 8%!!!

Memo to Lord Mayor Quirk

313543 CAPT  R B DOW (RAAMC, Retd) Unit: RAIL Back On Track

Put that on a media release under the contact part for giggles.

[ozbob]

Twitter

Jarrett Walker ‏@humantransit 9m

BRISBANE: Council's fear of transfers means more half-empty buses crowding CBD, poor access to non-CBD destinations. See Ch 7 of my book.

[somebody]

They should have sorted the governance arrangements before launching into this review.

[#Metro]

Came across this data file analysis:

Scenario Analysis to Assist Brisbane Transport in Achieving 2026
Patronage and Clean-Air Targets
Anish Patil1
and Kerry Brown2
1
Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
2
Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
1
Phone: +31 152788989
1
Email: a.patil@tudelft.nl

http://www.irspm2008.bus.qut.edu.au/papers/documents/pdf/Patil%20&%20Brown%20-%20Scenario%20Analysis%20to%20Assist%20Brisbane%20Transport%20in%20Achieving%202026%20Patronage%20and%20Clean-Air%20Targets%20-%20IRSPM%20-%202008.pdf

As shown in figure 4, Brisbane has one of the lowest (0.08 million) patronage per bus
compared to other cities. Singapore and Hong Kong are much higher. Even the patronage
per bus for Sydney (another Australian city) is higher than Brisbane by almost 20%.
Buses in American cities (cities that have demographics and economy similar to
Brisbane) such as Atlanta and New York also have 20 – 25 % higher patronage per bus
than Brisbane

[ozbob]

Yes, and this was reflected in the general data made available in the bus review.  2008 was probably at its best too, probably worse now because of the service increases without commensurate pax increases.

All in all, a grim situation, with BCC in denial, TransLink rendered ineffective, a Minister who has lost the support of many of the transport staff I would suggest.

What is not spoken about is the quantum of money TransLink were asked to 'find' with the review.  $40M has been suggested.

Very interesting situation now, the LNP Government has got the screws into everyone, but have they courage to put the screws on the BCC with the next bus review?  Has LM Quirk been told to find $30M or so in savings?  Doubt it, mates are mates ...

By any measure Brisbane Transport operates one of the worlds most inefficient systems.  That fact cannot be denied, Minister Emerson has got himself into a no win situation.   Would not be surprised if he doesn't survive as Minister for Transport.  He has played into ALP and Union hands with the back flip, a fact I am sure has not gone unnoticed within the blue camp.

A smarter Minister would have suspended the review, brought the stake holders together, directed Brisbane Transport to cooperate, make changes, roll out a proper public education campaign, and then continue ...

He panicked IMHO, and the signs were there.  Some of the first bus route changes to what was proposed where in his and the Premier's electorates ...   

[#Metro]

He has played into ALP and Union hands with the back flip, a fact I am sure has not gone unnoticed within the blue camp.

It's really not his fault at all - problem is structural and existed before he became minister. If someone else were in the same role, the same thing would happen - and indeed similar things were seen when red team were at the controls.

LM obviously hasn't been to Vancouver, I mean look at it - OMG people transferring!! http://www.translink.ca/~/media/Documents/plans_and_projects/FTN/Frequent%20Transit%20Network%20Map.ashx

[ozbob]

He has played into ALP and Union hands with the back flip, a fact I am sure has not gone unnoticed within the blue camp.

It's really not his fault at all - problem is structural and existed before he became minister. If someone else were in the same role, the same thing would happen - and indeed similar things were seen when red team were at the controls.

I added this ...

A smarter Minister would have suspended the review, brought the stake holders together, directed Brisbane Transport to cooperate, make changes, roll out a proper public education campaign, and then continue ...

He panicked IMHO, and the signs were there.  Some of the first bus route changes to what was proposed where in his and the Premier's electorates ...   

He could have controlled it but chose not too, just passed the buck ...  that is not leadership ...

[ozbob]

The other sad thing, verging on comical to me is the congratulatory back slaps from union heavyweights to punters, that they have saved the buses.

LOL  nothing could be further from the truth ....

Complete failure by the Minister to successfully lead the change management process.  For that there will be a political cost I have no doubt ...

[#Metro]

He has no choice with 16 000+ feedbacks.

A smarter Minister would have suspended the review, brought the stake holders together, directed Brisbane Transport to cooperate, make changes, roll out a proper public education campaign, and then continue ...

Newsflash, Brisbane Transport will NEVER EVER EVER CO-OPERATE with ANYTHING that reduces it's service km, allows too much competition IMHO with other operators including trains, or anything that requires forced connection. PERIOD.

The fact that they wouldn't even bother to participate with TL when plans were being drawn up, so that the end plan was effectively sabotaged, I think speaks volumes. Scott Emerson has no wand to wave over BCC, except the pen that can be used to pass laws to split BT from the BCC.

[#Metro]

I'm not going to provide a link to the RBTU website, but from their latest circular:

Costello Recommends Privatisation of QR & BCC Buses

5 March 2013   

The privatisation battle is once again on the RTBU Queensland Branches agenda. The Costello report commissioned by the Queensland Government has recommended that rather than the Public Rail and Bus transport services be operated by the public sector, they should be restructured to be delivered through contestable contracts under franchise and lease arrangements.

[ozbob]

It was Emerson who directed the review.  He was not paying attention, he could have easily persuaded BT to cooperate IMO.   He just had to get BCC on side, surely not a challenge for a LNP team?

Yes, the review was sabotaged effectively, and TransLink staff left to hang out and dry ...

Re the contestable contracts, that was in the interim report I recall ..

[ozbob]

Some tweets to further highlight the tangled web  now ..

=========

Twitter

Cr Milton Dick ‏@CrMiltonDick 41m

Hundreds of people still angry & concerned re chaotic bus review @AnnastaciaMP @jackietrad & I will keep fighting @scottemersonmp $20m cuts

=========

Cr Milton Dick ‏@CrMiltonDick 41m

From the Save our Buses rally at INALA today http://t.co/aHVtysJNs4

=========

AnnastaciaPalaszczuk ‏@AnnastaciaMP 27m

Out today at Forest Lake talking to many locals who are angry about the govt taking away our local buses. http://t.co/gxi0VOCIg6

=========

BrissyRod ‏@BrissyRod 2h

@Robert_Dow @translinkseq Great to see that people had their say and solidly rejected the LNP bus cuts.

[ozbob]

Yep, the Minister for Transport has brought a lot grief onto the Government ...

I would expect a Corporal to be have acted to fix it (the bus review) in a coherent manner, let alone a team lead by a Major ...

Going to be very interesting how this plays out from here ....

[#Metro]

Yep, the Minister for Transport has brought a lot grief onto the Government ...

Which Minister for Transport? Minister Quirk or Minister (Secretary?) Emerson?

[ozbob]

[#Metro]

One of the beauties of the timing, is the perfect symmetry between two supercouncil areas that have about the same number of people and urban form, doing exactly the same task, writing identical report and coming to the same conclusions. That is a very rare thing. It is like some wonderful natural experiment.

So what are they doing in NZ given that the idea has good support over there? Well, they are having public deputations and consultations in areas, and I think that is what should happen here. Break the city up into wards, TL can go to each ward and run three consultations in a week, move to the next ward, next, next, next, next.

This idea that one person is going to do all the talking is not possible, there are just too many customers. Where are the network planners? Where is the TL board? Where is the CEO of TL? In my view, the simple act that BT/BCC were not co-operating didn't necissarily mean that the review had to be palmed off to them - it could have been spun off to be an independent review, for example.

Where is the support of Minister Emerson from his own party? There are three main reasons why it failed, one rests with the agency and its idea of engagement as a one-way web survey form, second and main one is the BCC and probably the main reason as I note that all the other councils in SEQ seemed to not mind, and the third is the minister.

If I had to cut some kind of responsibility for this debarcle into a slice of pie, it would look like this:

20% TransLink - consultation and engagement not up to scratch, set off the snowball
5% Jackie Trad, Annastacia P, Milton Dick et al. scare campaigns
10 % Minister's handling
65% BCC

http://www.aucklandtransport.govt.nz/improving-transport/plans-proposals/IntegratedTravel/Pages/regional-public-transport-plan-2012.aspx

[ozbob]

TL doesn't have a board anymore TT ...

But yes, there were ways to handle it for more effectively.  Minister failed I am afraid ...

[somebody]

ozbob,
I still don't get your entire attitude to this Minister.  What did Minister Nolan do? 
- Extended what was said to be the worst performing bus operator's contract,
- presided over the flexilink debacle,
- oversaw the slipped schedule on the sector 1 timetable review,
- one single new high frequency bus route (412, unless the 515 counts),
- brought in the massive fare hike strategy
- Oversaw 77 introduction

What did Minister Palasczuk (sp?)?
- Reversed Flexilink debacle
- oversaw BUZ 100, 120, 196, 180, 222
- continued fare hike strategy

What has Minister Emerson done?
- increased frequency on the Ferny Grove
- BUZ 330, 340
- Repealed TTA Act - A net positive, even if the baby did get thrown out with the bathwater
- Started bus review - This is still a positive.  People are talking about BT as being a problem too.

Paul Lucas?
- Oversaw truncation of the 393
- Oversaw 444 reversing its direction through the Cultural Centre and 111 separation from the 160
- Formed TTA with a governing act making it easy to prevent change and difficult to implement it.
- Oversaw a number of BUZ routes
- Started Springfield line
- Boggo Rd busway
- Perhaps some other things

I'd say that Minister Emerson is clearly the best of the last 3 and may in time be proved better than Lucas.  Obviously all ministers have to deal with Treasury and the Premier and that is a source of trouble for all of them.

[ozbob]

He has not handled this review effectively.  I was not making any reference to past Ministers, who by the way all failed too, and paid a cost politically.

Simon, just pointing out the facts re this ministry.  Matters zero what happened previously.  It is now that is important and I bet there will be a cost too.

[somebody]

But yes, there were ways to handle it for more effectively.

A smarter Minister would have suspended the review, brought the stake holders together, directed Brisbane Transport to cooperate, make changes, roll out a proper public education campaign, and then continue ...

I think that is simply not happening while the Transport Operations (Passenger Transport) Act 1994 enshrines automatic renewal of service contracts.

Minister failed I am afraid ...

In the sense I outlined above, I do agree.  Translink failed too.  The changes should have been better thought through.

[ozbob]

Fair point re contracts, but all the other operators took part ... ?

Too right Simon, TransLink did not sell it at all.  I found it rather odd there was nothing other than the web ...

At the PTAG I expressed concerns about the lack of engagement etc.   They just didn't listen to me really ...

[ozbob]

By the way, did you notice the tweet from Cr Milton Dick, he mentions $20M.  I wonder if that is the figure BCC has been told to find ...

[#Metro]

Even Kelly Higgins-Devine didn't know there were maps on the website!!     

I think that is simply not happening while the Transport Operations (Passenger Transport) Act 1994 enshrines automatic renewal of service contracts.

Well there you go. Automatic renewal?! Where are the boundaries and limits? There are none, there are no consequences for actions, toothless contracts, it's just one big party for all with all of us paying $380 in rates which is bloody colossal when you consider that somewhere like Melbourne has trams that do the job of a BUZ network and there aren't transport levies as high as that, highest fares in the world, subsidies approaching 80%, falling patronage, cr*ppest frequencies off the BUZ network, cr*p train frequency and unprecedented fare rises.

By the way, did you notice the tweet from Cr Milton Dick, he mentions $20M.  I wonder if that is the figure BCC has been told to find ...

Well let's see, that's just two maroon citygliders worth. Window dressing is what's going to happen.


What a mess!!

[ozbob]

To be fair to Kelly HD, I think she got confused with my comment re network coverage maps as opposed to route maps ..  it was difficult for people to understand what was really happening from a series of isolated route maps.  They could not see the 'network effect' ..

But nonetheless, yes it is a mess ...

[#Metro]

I wonder what Neil Scales OBE thinks of all this 

[ozbob]

Probably is thinking of the times when he could board a ferry on the Mersey ...   

[somebody]

He has not handled this review effectively.  I was not making any reference to past Ministers, who by the way all failed too, and paid a cost politically.

Simon, just pointing out the facts re this ministry.  Matters zero what happened previously.  It is now that is important and I bet there will be a cost too.

I don't think you called for any of the previous ministers to resign though - Nolan should have resigned rather than introduce Flexilink.

Too right Simon, TransLink did not sell it at all.  I found it rather odd there was nothing other than the web ...

Ok, but the marketing wasn't really my point.  Most people do have Internet access these days.

By the way, did you notice the tweet from Cr Milton Dick, he mentions $20M.  I wonder if that is the figure BCC has been told to find ...

Interesting.  BCC will call for that number to be reduced to zero.  This isn't over!

Well there you go. Automatic renewal?! Where are the boundaries and limits? There are none, there are no consequences for actions, toothless contracts,

Well technically I exaggerate - right of first offer on renewal would be more correct.  It can be refused for reasons.  I expect it would end up in the courts if the reasons were something like "refusal to sell depots to the state".

[Golliwog]

Probably is thinking of the times when he could board a ferry on the Mersey ...   

Or play on his U Boat http://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/4654561.U_Boat_story_a_hit_with_visitors_to_Wirral/?ref=rss

[ozbob]

We were promised a lot by Premier Newman et al.  The fundamental reason why I think the Minister should go is simply this.  TransLink was abandoned, left to appear culpable, whilst he tried to save himself politically.  None of the other failures did that in that manner.  I do not entertain disloyalty of that degree.

I have no great grief with the fact that it went off the rails as such, it could have and still can be saved as I said in the interview. 

[ozbob]

Probably is thinking of the times when he could board a ferry on the Mersey ...   

Or play on his U Boat http://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/4654561.U_Boat_story_a_hit_with_visitors_to_Wirral/?ref=rss

Yes, interesting no?

[doggo]

Hypothetical Scenario:
BCC come up with no change required from their review.
TL decide to run a high frequency route between say carindale and the city.
TL decide to go to tender with the new route because BCC have decided no extras needed.
TL decide to stop funding "overlapping" services.

How many times will this happen before BCC start tendering for routes like the s10 etc

[#Metro]

Ok, but the marketing wasn't really my point.  Most people do have Internet access these days.

Sigh. Point is being missed here IMHO. Filling out a (restrictive) survey is not consultation anymore than dropping a letter into a letterbox is consultation with the post office. Consultation means that you have at least two people, one person asks questions, the other gets answers in real time.

Now, tell me, where did that happen here?

Just log on to Auckland Transport website and you can see the roving consultation team and their scheduled meetings around Auckland.

Consultation process to date (bolding added by me)

In October 2012 Auckland Transport called for Aucklanders to have their say on the future of public transport in our city.

A total of 719 submissions were received on the draft Regional Public Transport Plan (RPTP).  Copies of these are available online.

Public hearings are now completed for those who wanted to present to their submissions.

The Auckland Transport Hearings Panel will make recommendations for the final content of the RPTP, and the final RPTP will be submitted to the Auckland Transport Board for approval in late March 2013. Upon gaining Board approval the RPTP will be adopted by Auckland Transport.

Paper submissions are public, fully transparent process, you can see the names of the people submitted, what they wrote etc etc. So simple, look for it yourself. There is a nice clear map of the Auckland frequent network, no funny planner numbers liks S1234 or whatever, all low drama...and almost boring.

http://www.aucklandtransport.govt.nz/improving-transport/plans-proposals/IntegratedTravel/Pages/RPTP-Submissions.aspx

What is it exactly about Queensland that sees this state stuff up bloody everything, from hospitals to transport, schools, every thing is alway always botched in some way. Lack of upper house?!?!

[ozbob]

Yes, good stuff that.  I wonder what BCC will do?

[somebody]

Ok, but the marketing wasn't really my point.  Most people do have Internet access these days.

Sigh. Point is being missed here IMHO. Filling out a (restrictive) survey is not consultation anymore than dropping a letter into a letterbox is consultation with the post office. Consultation means that you have at least two people, one person asks questions, the other gets answers in real time.

Now, tell me, where did that happen here?

Just log on to Auckland Transport website and you can see the roving consultation team and their scheduled meetings around Auckland.

Consultation process to date (bolding added by me)

In October 2012 Auckland Transport called for Aucklanders to have their say on the future of public transport in our city.

A total of 719 submissions were received on the draft Regional Public Transport Plan (RPTP).  Copies of these are available online.

Public hearings are now completed for those who wanted to present to their submissions.

The Auckland Transport Hearings Panel will make recommendations for the final content of the RPTP, and the final RPTP will be submitted to the Auckland Transport Board for approval in late March 2013. Upon gaining Board approval the RPTP will be adopted by Auckland Transport.

Paper submissions are public, fully transparent process, you can see the names of the people submitted, what they wrote etc etc. So simple, look for it yourself. There is a nice clear map of the Auckland frequent network, no funny planner numbers liks S1234 or whatever, all low drama...and almost boring.

http://www.aucklandtransport.govt.nz/improving-transport/plans-proposals/IntegratedTravel/Pages/RPTP-Submissions.aspx

What is it exactly about Queensland that sees this state stuff up bloody everything, from hospitals to transport, schools, every thing is alway always botched in some way. Lack of upper house?!?!

I disagree with you.  There was indeed consultation.  It might not have been of the form you might like, but you can't say that the people weren't consulted.  And they spoke quite loudly about what they thought (that it was poo).  It's what I think too.

[Fares_Fair]

ozbob,
I still don't get your entire attitude to this Minister.  What did Minister Nolan do? 
- Extended what was said to be the worst performing bus operator's contract,
- presided over the flexilink debacle,
- oversaw the slipped schedule on the sector 1 timetable review,
- one single new high frequency bus route (412, unless the 515 counts),
- brought in the massive fare hike strategy
- Oversaw 77 introduction

What did Minister Palasczuk (sp?)?  Palaszczuk- Reversed Flexilink debacle
- oversaw BUZ 100, 120, 196, 180, 222
- continued fare hike strategy

What has Minister Emerson done?
- increased frequency on the Ferny Grove
- BUZ 330, 340
- Repealed TTA Act - A net positive, even if the baby did get thrown out with the bathwater
- Started bus review - This is still a positive.  People are talking about BT as being a problem too.

Paul Lucas?
- Oversaw truncation of the 393
- Oversaw 444 reversing its direction through the Cultural Centre and 111 separation from the 160
- Formed TTA with a governing act making it easy to prevent change and difficult to implement it.
- Oversaw a number of BUZ routes
- Started Springfield line
- Boggo Rd busway
- Perhaps some other things

I'd say that Minister Emerson is clearly the best of the last 3 and may in time be proved better than Lucas.  Obviously all ministers have to deal with Treasury and the Premier and that is a source of trouble for all of them.

[ozbob]

Spencer Howson made an interesting comment early Friday morning on air.  He said he had explained the proposed bus changes to his son, and they were looking forward to the improvements that would occur for his trips particularly.  He pointed out there probably was a lot of people very happy with what was proposed, probably a large majority.  The only feedback that got highlighted was negative stuff.  Another way of looking at it.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Spencer Howson made an interesting comment early Friday morning on air.  He said he had explained the proposed bus changes to his son, and they were looking forward to the improvements that would occur for his trips particularly.  He pointed out there probably was a lot of people very happy with what was proposed, probably a large majority.  The only feedback that got highlighted was negative stuff.  Another way of looking at it.

Bang on!