SEQ Bus Network Review

[Set in train]

More BCC created confusion of division of labour:

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/city-glider-to-be-rerouted-20140813-103opj.html

Those replying have caught them out. Unsure why comments have been closed so prematurely.

"Cr Matic said council's recommendation was awaiting approval from the service operator, Translink, "

    TransLink is a division of the govt dept DTMR, responsible for some planning, approval, funding, etc, etc of public transport. The OPERATOR of the service is Brisbane Transport.

    Councillor displays a great ignorance of how public transport is planned and implemented - bravo.

Commenter
    Stuff
Location
    Brissie
Date and time
    August 14, 2014, 8:55AM



    People Power? get your facts right. BoQ paid for the bus stop relocation because the HQ is moving there in the next few months.

Commenter
    mickey
Location
    brisbane
Date and time
    August 14, 2014, 9:07AM

[ozbob]

^ My close observations over a period would suggest that there are certain ' sub editorial/editorial influences ' that come in to play on basically decent journalists trying to do the proper thing. 

[techblitz]

If you want to have a go at the Lord Mayor et al, Wednesday 27 August is your chance as I have seen advertising for a civic forum at Acacia Ridge.

These are regular forums instituted by former LM, Jim Soorley.

good opp to suggest he look after those bus services from inala-rocklea...come tender time..

else he will be experiencing some shall we say dejavu? 

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> Brisbane City Council patronage figures show this year's most and least used bus services

Brisbane City Council patronage figures show this year's most and least used bus services

    Peta Fuller
    Quest Newspapers
    August 21, 2014 12:00AM

BRISBANE City Council has released the city's most used bus routes for the first half of this year alongside their less popular counterparts.

Topping the list by weekly average patronage was the UQ Lakes to RBWH route 66 while high-frequency BUZ services made up 85 per cent of the most popular routes.

Robert Dow from public transport advocacy group Rail Back on Track said high frequency services were clearly the future for the city's bus network.

"It's pretty clear that if you have frequency, people will support it, despite the high cost fare structure because they perceive that there's value there," Mr Dow said.

"We think there also needs to be a little bit more emphasis on cross suburb connections."

The state government-funded NightLink routes made up the majority of the least popular buses.

During last year's Translink bus review the least popular service, the Sandgate Loop, was among those to be cut but the move was halted by Brisbane City Council when they took over the review.

The statistics come after Opposition Leader Milton Dick continued to push the council on a potential future bus review as the state government moves to introduce contestability measures, which include council tendering for their bus operations.

"I maintain we don't necessarily have a public transport problem, the only reason we're going down this (contestability) path is because the state government is telling us to," Cr Dick said.

However Lord Mayor Graham Quirk has repeatedly confirmed there won't be any bus reviews this financial year.

Mr Dow said while he thought Brisbane City Council's public transport arm Brisbane Transport could certainly win a tender process, they would have to reconsider Translink's 2013 recommendations to secure the contract.

Public and Active Transport chairman Peter Matic said council would be contesting the tender process once the state government announced the details of contestability plans and would be competing to win.

Highest weekly patronage, January to June 2014 (highest first)

66 Inner Busway Route (UQ Lakes to RBWH)

199 West End to New Farm BUZ

130 Parkinson BUZ

150 Browns Plains BUZ (via Garden City)

Blue CityGlider

412 St Lucia BUZ

196 Fairfield Gardens — New Farm BUZ

140 Browns Plains BUZ

100 Forest Lake BUZ (via Ipswich Rd)

444 Moggill BUZ

330 Bracken Ridge BUZ

111 Eight Mile Plains BUZ

333 Chermside BUZ

120 Tarragindi BUZ

345 Aspley BUZ

340 Carseldine BUZ

200 Carseldine Heights BUZ

222 Carindale BUZ

180 Mansfield BUZ

375 Bardon — Stafford City via City

Lowest weekly patronage, January to June 2014 (lowest first)

314 Sandgate Loop

N310 Sandgate NightLink

193 New Farm Community Route

N385 The Gap NightLink

N199 West End-New Farm NightLink

308 Chermside-Toombul (Sunday only)

N184 Cavendish Road NightLink

313 Sandgate Loop

N390 Ferny Grove NightLink

N339 Bracken Ridge NightLink

N226 Wynnum NightLink

N111 Eight Mile Plains NightLink

N100 Forest Lake NightLink

N464 Forest Lake NightLink

N200 Carseldine Heights NightLink

N130 Parkinson NightLink

P459 Centenary City Precincts

329 Bracken Ridge to Carseldine local feeder

312 Sandgate Loop

P458 Centenary City Precincts

[ozbob]

Save the 314! 

[techblitz]

I for one am glad to see the 100buz pulled from translinks grasp for another year...even more time to see it grow(which it will)....the fact that its now sitting just below the 140..ahead of behemioths like the 333,444,345...and being headed only by the uni/newfarm-westend routes is testament to the numbers its carrying...specifically at peak...

TL seriously messed up the ipswich rd communication in thier review....not only frequency wise but stopping pattern wise....left one too many ( and its a big many)...people guessing!

[ozbob]

What would be nice to know is where the bulk pax are actually being carried.  The previous data no doubt indicated the bulk was in from Moorooka, and the proposed changes would have handled that.  The failure to sell the plan was one issue, BT not cooperating in the planning another.

[James]

I for one am glad to see the 100buz pulled from translinks grasp for another year...even more time to see it grow(which it will)....the fact that its now sitting just below the 140..ahead of behemioths like the 333,444,345...and being headed only by the uni/newfarm-westend routes is testament to the numbers its carrying...specifically at peak...

TL seriously messed up the ipswich rd communication in thier review....not only frequency wise but stopping pattern wise....left one too many ( and its a big many)...people guessing!

Just because the 100 BUZ has high patronage does NOT mean that it is holy and should not be touched in any form.

I think 125 BUZ would have been a far better fit for this area - Beaudesert Rd (with its shops and 'ethnic community hub' status) deserves the service a lot more than Ipswich Rd (which is full of car dealerships south of the Ipswich/Beaudesert junction). In terms of 'sides of town', Inala/Forest Lake has a far stronger connection to Indro/Mt Ommaney than it does to Moorooka/Annerley...

[SurfRail]

I for one am glad to see the 100buz pulled from translinks grasp for another year...even more time to see it grow(which it will)....the fact that its now sitting just below the 140..ahead of behemioths like the 333,444,345...and being headed only by the uni/newfarm-westend routes is testament to the numbers its carrying...specifically at peak...

TL seriously messed up the ipswich rd communication in thier review....not only frequency wise but stopping pattern wise....left one too many ( and its a big many)...people guessing!

The only stop which would not have had high frequency service under the original proposal was Moorooka station, which now has high frequency trains on weekdays in any event (and the Moorvale stop is a much better use of the resources than Motorama).

[techblitz]

ipswich rd being my main corridor....getting birds-eye view of loadings....
think 66/29/333 levels up to annerley junction ...and were talking on the 125/110/100 altogether ozbob..its insane...from my regular obs...freq route to GC would have folded under the demand....even at 10 mins frequency....bring another 10 minute service into the picture however and things look more manageable...

My basic pm peak plan for next review of this corridor...

2 x 10 minute bus services till 7pm...one to garden city via moorvale and the other one to inala/ forest lake....as the peak failsafe for increased patronage along ipwich rd/annerley/chardons/clifton....
essentially what translink initially planned...provided that secondary is treated as a HF at peak.....caters for growing demand in between moorvale/gabba...im fairly confident they would have had no option but to upgrade it to HF at peak anyways.

Just on annerley junction..quite ironic is its distance from fairfield station...5-7 minutes walk up and over the hill.....if only people didnt have to be usain bolt to do the walk

In terms of 'sides of town', Inala/Forest Lake has a far stronger connection to Indro/Mt Ommaney than it does to Moorooka/Annerley...

i would take that comment seriously if u had left out inala.....so apparently more people head from inala to indro/mt ommanaey than acacia ridge/morooka/annerley? thanks for reminding us you know nothing about the ipswich rd/inala corridor james...
ps: i also regularly obs the 101/460 @richlands incase you wanna spruik the forest lake to mt ommaney/indro patronage....dont impress me much

[HappyTrainGuy]

Hahahahaha what a joke of a list. I'm sensing a similar bloated busway type patronage list. And where is Carseldine Heights? Is it near the Geebung flyover station?

[techblitz]

Hahahahaha what a joke of a list. I'm sensing a similar bloated busway type patronage list. And where is Carseldine Heights? Is it near the Geebung flyover station?

The list sounds about accurate 385 wiped into oblivion...courtesy of m/glider...growing patronage along the b/glider route...the 100 is the real surpise packet...and after seeing a 50+ passenger lineup today courtesy of a 5 min late 100 @ qsbs....its suddenly believable....there is still massive buz waste...mainly late night plus some counter peak weekday services....
Weve heard from the horses mouth bt will not be making changes for 12 more months...fair enough.... wont help thier rep though.....now the onus will be on translink over the next 12 months to fine-tune thier reputation for compromise and adjust timetables under thier full control accordingly. Eg: goodna services...

[James]

i would take that comment seriously if u had left out inala.....so apparently more people head from inala to indro/mt ommanaey than acacia ridge/moorooka/annerley? thanks for reminding us you know nothing about the ipswich rd/inala corridor james...
ps: i also regularly obs the 101/460 @richlands incase you wanna spruik the forest lake to mt ommaney/indro patronage....dont impress me much

I have spoken to numerous people (often friends/acquaintances of mine) who live in the Inala/Forest Lake area - primarily the latter. A lot of them catch the 100 solely because the 460 is unreliable (often runs late and has low frequency/span of hours) and the other feeder buses are totally useless.

Inala I can't speak as strongly on as Forest Lake, but there are no trip generators for Inala pax as far as I can see (aside from the PA, which does NOT warrant a direct BUZ service). Otherwise the 100 BUZ is just a fast trip to the CBD - and this trip is better served by rail feeder. I just can't see why anybody would want to go from Inala to the Ipswich Rd corridor, or vice versa. On my trips from Oxley Bunnings (last stop before Ipswich Rd) to Wooloongabba (for interchange to UQ), I did not see many passengers at all using the Ipswich Rd - Inala cross-town trip option. And before you state that I'm an example of 100 BUZ's success, I would have used the 101 + rail + 428 if the 101 didn't run hourly.

I suspect that if you improved the feeders (460 meeting every train service, scrap the useless urban safari routes, 100 BUZ feeder) that you would see a significant change in travel habits. A 100 feeder BUZ to Mt Ommaney via Oxley/Darra would directly service a major shopping centre (Mt Ommaney, which since the renovations is a major hub in its own right) and service a PRAC via connection (Indooroopilly).

Hahahahaha what a joke of a list. I'm sensing a similar bloated busway type patronage list. And where is Carseldine Heights? Is it near the Geebung flyover station?

I assume typo. Should be Carindale Heights.

[techblitz]

I just can't see why anybody would want to go from Inala to the Ipswich Rd corridor,

you cant see because you simply have no clue on ipswich rd....period....take the thing at peak for fricks sake.......sit at chardons corner and watch how popular it is for inala residents...the stop gets used well by both 100 and 110 users......the 110 will give you a plain aa day view of how many people are coming from inala/acacia ridge to shop @ moorooka/chardons/...and we havent even gotten to annerley shops yet....high demand to there on the 100/115/125/110...in both directions.

.i notice your asking for compromise from translink on an extra service to help with a full bus/long wait issue at chancellor place of whereever....whats good for you is good for 100 buz users.....compromise is what translink will need to show....come round 2 tender time...especially with certain councellors and thier strong influence down there....And a good compromise will come via retaining the 100 at HF during peak hours..6-9/4-7....keeps A lot peak commuters happy.....not exactly wasteful if its getting standing loads to the front is it?

Make no mistake....come tender time...inala is where the most noise will resonate once again....and no doubt where the most compromise will need to be made

[techblitz]

My personal thoughts on that area is that route 100 could effectively be removed quite safely, with route 110 (or a variation of that) becoming the primary citybound all day route - at least every 15mins peak, every 30mins off peak.  Those areas around route 100 could simply just have local routes connecting with trains at Richlands, Darra and Oxley.  I also think route 460 should be removed completely, with a restructure of the Mt Ommaney routes, with a BUZ route to that area.

I certainly think you can also have a crosstown route from Garden City to Richlands, which would fill in via the current route 161's area in Holmead Road (not servicing Nardie St), operating every 30mins, perhaps every 15mins at peak hour.

I'm not entirely sure of the importance of linking Moorooka with Inala, given that I know that those two areas are very culturally different, and not directly related, but if route 100 was removed with local routes instead, and route 110 being the primary route, you still wouldn't have that loss overall.  At the moment, if you think about it, there is currently 2 routes between Inala and Moorooka, routes 100 and 110, with route 100 being a BUZ, I think that's overkill.

stb has also outlined a logical/worthy enough compromise here....and the fact that hes said 15 mins peak gets my tick of approval....fixes everything bar the moorooka mile...which as surfrail highlights....is now served by HF trains...and mr bunnings at oxley occasional sightseer says demand from there is crap

Benefits for stbs plan..including but not limited to..... retaining use of archerfield north/rocklea south stops..gives far better access for granard rd residents instead of the near 2 km walks to salisbury rail/boundary rd...This pocket of housing around granard  rd btw has increased its student residential numbers due to a lot being priced out of sunnybank/salisbury/annerley..rent is well priced @ rocklea/archerfield.......they now have better access to direct services to gabba/29 or moorooka shops to griffith uni......what also takes my fancy in this plan is that because the current 110 route is slower to the CBD than the 100......people will suddenly have far more incentive to commute to city via oxley rail.....winners are grinners...
as i said..translink will need to compromise to get the backing from this area...

[HappyTrainGuy]

Hahahahaha what a joke of a list. I'm sensing a similar bloated busway type patronage list. And where is Carseldine Heights? Is it near the Geebung flyover station?

I assume typo. Should be Carindale Heights.

[James]

I just can't see why anybody would want to go from Inala to the Ipswich Rd corridor,

you cant see because you simply have no clue on ipswich rd....period....take the thing at peak for fricks sake.......sit at chardons corner and watch how popular it is for inala residents...the stop gets used well by both 100 and 110 users......the 110 will give you a plain aa day view of how many people are coming from inala/acacia ridge to shop @ moorooka/chardons/...and we havent even gotten to annerley shops yet....high demand to there on the 100/115/125/110...in both directions.

.i notice your asking for compromise from translink on an extra service to help with a full bus/long wait issue at chancellor place of whereever....whats good for you is good for 100 buz users.....compromise is what translink will need to show....come round 2 tender time...especially with certain councellors and thier strong influence down there....And a good compromise will come via retaining the 100 at HF during peak hours..6-9/4-7....keeps A lot peak commuters happy.....not exactly wasteful if its getting standing loads to the front is it?

Make no mistake....come tender time...inala is where the most noise will resonate once again....and no doubt where the most compromise will need to be made

Comparing the 100 BUZ and the 428 is comparing calculators and oranges (yes, they have that little in common). I bet pax travelling from Queen Street to Inala certainly cannot walk (or even drive!) said distance like I can from my local stop to the University of Queensland (and in fact, had I left immediately, it would have been faster to walk). And it is hardly 'compromise'... there is no ifs or buts about it, a service has to be added. It isn't like the 428 can be terminated at Gailey Fiveways and pax told to transfer to a 411/414...

Of course peak loads justify a 10-minute service, but nothing beyond that (pax going to the CBD should be going to rail, I chose 10-minute service in my own bus network in order to cover Inala/Forest Lake residents going south of the river). But off-peak, this route should definitely NOT be a BUZ and should definitely NOT be put up on a 'holy bus route' pedestal.

You are also failing to take into account the alternative - what would happen if we made all pax go via Oxley tomorrow? People would just go and shop at the Woolworths at Oxley instead of the one at Annerley. No great loss.

And to clarify - I meant demand Inala/FL - Ipswich Rd was not high. That does not mean 100 BUZ goes out empty, though (because demand for Inala/Forest Lake - City/South Bank is high).

[#Metro]

Despite James and Techblitz disagreeing with each other, I don't think there is really anything to argue about.

Just because a service is classed as high patronage... means nothing. What is the definition of 'high'? That is purely subjective.

60 minutes divided by a service every 10 minutes = 6 buses per hour x 85 pax (above average bus capacity) = 510 pax per hour. That's half of just one train.

So the fact that buses are full probably means that the vehicle capacity is too small than any thing else...

If I were advising TL, what I would do is reform and then BUZ the 125. Get rid of the 124 etc by amalgamation. Put the service on in direct competition with the BUZ 100. This will cannibalise the patronage from Moorooka-CBD.

Then you can put on the Inala BUZ rail feeder, this will cannibalise the BUZ 100 patronage even further. Now that the patronage has fallen massively, you can adjust the frequency to suit.

Look at 385 - it does not appear in the top 10 list because the competition from the Maroon WasteGlider has meant that NEITHER appears in the high patronage routes.

[techblitz]

tactics as such will be needed LD because inala bus reviews face tight opposition...not only from residents...but behemioths like milton/anastacia(isnt she being touted as the next premier?)
Lets call the 100buz the Polytical buz shall we?

That does not mean 100 BUZ goes out empty, though (because demand for Inala/Forest Lake - City/South Bank is high).

oh dear....ok mr inala/FL to southbank via ipswich rd expert who mainly uses toowong routes.
Whats the quickest/most direct way to southbank from forest lake/inala?

let me enlighten you...oh and btw this is your quote many times to LD in your counter-arugments with him...

Remember, unless trip times decrease thanks to a transfer, people will not buy it.

ipswich line...
12 mins inala to oxley
5 mins TP
23 mins rail to RS
TP 5 mins
13 mins bus or 7 mins rail from RS
= 47 mins via roma st rail or 53 mins from roma st busway to SB

beenliegh line...

23 mins inala to coopers plains
5min tp
20 mins = 48 mins total
starkingly similar....

>>>100 buz inala to southbank 35 mins 1 seat...

do us a favor james and just stop quoting that line in the future unless you actually mean it? Quit changing your points of view to suit the situation....you either support multiple transfers for cost saving benefits and resulting increased travel times or you dont 

[James]

oh dear....ok mr inala/FL to southbank via ipswich rd expert who mainly uses toowong routes.
Whats the quickest/most direct way to southbank from forest lake/inala?

let me enlighten you...oh and btw this is your quote many times to LD in your counter-arugments with him...

Remember, unless trip times decrease thanks to a transfer, people will not buy it.

ipswich line...
12 mins inala to oxley
5 mins TP
23 mins rail to RS
TP 5 mins
13 mins bus or 7 mins rail from RS
= 47 mins via roma st rail or 53 mins from roma st busway to SB

beenliegh line...

23 mins inala to coopers plains
5min tp
20 mins = 48 mins total
starkingly similar....

>>>100 buz inala to southbank 35 mins 1 seat...

do us a favor james and just stop quoting that line in the future unless you actually mean it? Quit changing your points of view to suit the situation....you either support multiple transfers for cost saving benefits and resulting increased travel times or you dont 

First and foremost, what you are telling me now is why I support the need for a direct link to South Bank on reduced frequency. Way to support my point...

Now on the note of decreasing trip times - I did mention that there were exceptions to those rules - one of those being direct services going beyond zone 4. People beyond zone 4 travelling by bus (geographical reasons excluded) should be forced to transfer to rail where available. Before you whip out 130/140/150/330 as counterarguments - totally different ballgame. The southside BUZes exist due to a total failure to adequately increase rail frequency and capacity in that area. 330 BUZ is a geographical reason - pax will want to go to Chermside, and the density along the 330 corridor north of Chermside I feel deserves BUZ (in order to put some kind of trunk route out that way). We need a BUZ Chermside - City, and so hence you combine the two routes.

100 BUZ, by comparison, runs within 1-2km of a railway station, but instead of feeding the railway line it turns right and runs all the way to the CBD, duplicating other bus routes in the process (which are far better designed to go to major trip generators - e.g. Garden City, Griffith Uni etc.).

I won't run through it now as I've been through it before, but if you are going to the CBD (which is where the majority of pax are headed), the feeder will be about the same speed as the direct service in peak hour and slightly slower off-peak. A good outcome given pax now benefit with a direct connection to other centres of interest. If pax want a direct service to the CBD on BUZ frequency, may I very politely suggest that you move closer to the CBD.

[#Metro]

tactics as such will be needed LD because inala bus reviews face tight opposition...not only from residents...but behemioths like milton/anastacia(isnt she being touted as the next premier?)
Lets call the 100buz the Polytical buz shall we?

I have to laugh at politicians.  If they want to retain waste, they will have to raise fares again - there's actually no escape from the equation costs = tax money + fare box; it HAS to add up. If they want to announce another 20% fare raise to the electorate first thing in office, I say good luck to them...

[techblitz]

Just a sidenote on the 117...which ive been able to regularly observe since the changes
Due to cannabilisation...its getting very low numbers even at peaks.
Some willawong drivers think it should be merged with another route somehow. Since its truncation @ gabba was probably a trial(clearly huge patronage drops)....perhaps start a new trial....truncate it @ moorooka shops or attempt to feed coopers plains...even though its the most ridiculous station to connect to....

[Gazza]

What makes Coopers ridiculous to connect to?

[techblitz]

The station was purpose built to NOT allow buses to pull in to the station....has a kiss n ride priority over ease of access to buses.... EASY bus-rail transfer needed...... coopers/salisbury are 2 key crosstown stations and need to be looked at for the future bus network....been living around bus transfer friendly oxley/corinda a bit too long have we gazza?
Coopers plains is far from an ideal bus connecting station....
The question we should be asking is why was coopers plains laid out the way it was....then take a look at the surrounding rds....riawena,boundary,orange grove,kessels...clearly meant for car-rail connections.....not bus....

Back on the 117...its now pure waste on wheels....patronage levels lower than the 116,112,113..truncate it further out (moorooka shops)...or delete/merge...122/115 a fair starting point...

[James]

The station was purpose built to NOT allow buses to pull in to the station....has a kiss n ride priority over ease of access to buses.... EASY bus-rail transfer needed...... coopers/salisbury are 2 key crosstown stations and need to be looked at for the future bus network....been living around bus transfer friendly oxley/corinda a bit too long have we gazza?
Coopers plains is far from an ideal bus connecting station....
The question we should be asking is why was coopers plains laid out the way it was....then take a look at the surrounding rds....riawena,boundary,orange grove,kessels...clearly meant for car-rail connections.....not bus....

Back on the 117...its now pure waste on wheels....patronage levels lower than the 116,112,113..truncate it further out (moorooka shops)...or delete/merge...122/115 a fair starting point...

Why can't we turn the Kiss n Ride into a bus stop? Surely a few thousand dollars to make it more bus-friendly would not go astray.

If the backstreets there make bus access a problem, just erect stops right next to the railway line and make pax walk about 200-300m. Not ideal, but for the number of pax transferring there at this point it isn't a big issue.

I suspect Wooloongabba termination is BCC's trial to prove that near-transferring doesn't work, and lay the groundwork to cut some of the very wasteful 11x routes entirely. Expect the 113 and 116 to be next on the chopping block when it comes to near termination. We will probably also see this on the northside too at RBWH with routes like the 346 and 334.

[techblitz]

gmaps current distances to stops:

coopers plains platorm entrance to boundary rd stops: 400-450m
coopers plains platorm entrance to boundary rd stops: 500m
car parks/kiss'n'ride 10-50m lol

fix coopers plains up and you can start properly feeding into the 4tph network....anywhere from sunnybank,salisbry,inala,acacia ridge,archerfield etc.
rookwood,rosedale or delph sts become important streets for potential reformed stop locations. Bus needs to be able to drop somewhere and exit safely of coz..

[ozbob]

Letter to the editor Queensland Times published 6th September 2014 page 51

Lobby group calls for support on bus reforms

[ozbob]

From the Sunshine Coast Daily 10th September 2014 page 14

Extra bus services not the issue

[techblitz]

Current transit times from inala plaza


101 currently takes 11 mins to richlands rail..
102 currently takes 20 minutes to oxley...
103 currently takes 12 mins to darra station...

Have to say..in terms of directness...103 wins hands down...as it bypasses traffic hotspots and hits darra where people can catch expresses....


inala plaza to oxley passong thru that embarrassment called blunder rd/ipswich moto?
Put that peakhour transit time at 25 mins....25 mins just to get to the rail station which doesnt have express trains....hmmm

[ozbob]

Media release 22nd October 2014

Bus Reform: Auckland City Council versus Brisbane City Council

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 highlights a unique natural experiment comparing bus reform in Auckland to Brisbane.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"In a unique natural experiment, we can have a taste of what could have been had Brisbane City Council not stymied bus reform. Brisbane's sister city, Auckland, is progressing well with its own bus reform revolution and the New Zealand version of our BaT/Cross River Rail tunnel."

"Auckland City Council recently announced consultation for major bus reform in West Auckland. What a contrast it is to Brisbane. A Brisbane firm with its office on Coronation Drive was hired by Auckland City Council to reform Auckland's bus network along the same lines as the TransLink bus review did. Here is a excerpt from Auckland Transport's website:



"What was the Lord Mayor and BCC's position on bus reforms?*:

'We do not, on this side, endorse the changes that are proposed and we never will.'

'There are many students of public transport, many operators of transport systems who very much support intermodal and, indeed, transfers between the same mode as part of public transport journeys. I don't.'

"The Lord Mayor says he is against connections. Is the Lord Mayor also against traffic lights, roundabouts or intersections connecting roads together? In the same way road intersections and traffic lights or roundabouts might cause motorists a brief wait, but are essential for connecting roads together to form a network, smart use of connections are essential for public transport. We know there is demand for buses to train stations because train station car parks and surrounding local streets are overflowing with cars."

"Worldwide, cities are reforming their bus networks. In the last five years a major shift in thinking has swept cities worldwide on how to run public transport. Perth runs buses to specially designed bus-rail interchanges. The Gold Coast runs buses to Light Rail with passenger connections and it has been a success. Brisbane is being left behind, clinging to yesterdays failing paradigm and falling bus patronage."

"In our opinion, TransLink should be very mindful when choosing contractor(s) for the bus network. A cheap but anti-bus reform contractor might ultimately cost the State Government significantly more money over the life of the contract if it is uncooperative and locks the bus network into a costly, redundant 'legacy mode' that is too infrequent for most purposes, thus causing fares to explode or bus driver redundancies from failing to attract patronage from car users. Patronage on the bus network is falling, bus reform is needed to reverse it."

"Fare cuts have been achieved only by 'loosening the belt', but further increasing the subsidy with no improvement to bus service quality. This is just charging us more through the back door for the same old services."

"Only genuine reform of rail and bus networks, together with fare reform will guarantee abundant and low cost public transport for all."

Contact:

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

References:

Auckland Transport, Auckland City Council, New public transport network (image) https://at.govt.nz/projects-roadworks/new-public-transport-network/

* Brisbane City Council Meeting Minutes The 4395 meeting of the Brisbane City Council, held at City Hall, Brisbane on Tuesday 12 February 2013 at 2pm

* Brisbane City Council Meeting Minutes The 4399 meeting of the Brisbane City Council, held at City Hall, Brisbane on Tuesday 12 March 2013 at 2pm

West Auckland new network consultation http://transportblog.co.nz/2014/10/21/west-auckland-new-network-consultation/

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

23rd October 2014

Passengers flee BCC Bus Cost Explosion- Are Jobs Under Threat?

Greetings.

Very concerning the latest news re: bus patronage diving. We suggested that this would happen. A pity sound advice is ignored. Are driver redundancies going to follow?

In our opinion, the greatest threat to bus driver's jobs is BCC itself. Failure to implement proper bus reform means that patronage is now diving, and as we all know, empty buses don't need drivers.

Patronage fall is actually worse than it appears as a significant number of trips are just the result of people rorting the failed go card fare structure and taking unnecessary trips to reach the 9 and free threshold early in the week!

Why did the previous and current State Governments increase fares so much? Perhaps it have something to do with BCC's increasing supply costs, a result of not reforming the bus network.

Bus reform needs to be undertaken. Across 'the ditch', Auckland City Council in New Zealand is moving forward with bus reform. Brisbane??

RAIL Back on Track calls for all parties to affirm bipartisan support for bus contracting and wholesale bus reform. BCC had its chance to show that it could do a better job than TransLink at bus reform and it comprehensively and spectacularly failed.

Only genuine reform of rail and bus networks, together with fare reform will guarantee abundant and low cost public transport for all.

Facts not spin please?

Best wishes
Robert

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

References:

Fewer commuters using Brisbane buses than previous year http://www.couriermail.com.au/questnews/fewer-commuters-using-brisbane-buses-than-previous-year/story-fni9r0hy-1227097897268

Bus Reform: Auckland City Council versus Brisbane City Council http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11016.msg147804#msg147804

Brisbane's most dangerous bus routes revealed https://au.news.yahoo.com/qld/video/watch/25305043/brisbane-s-most-dangerous-bus-routes-revealed/

Media release 22nd October 2014

Bus Reform: Auckland City Council versus Brisbane City Council

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 highlights a unique natural experiment comparing bus reform in Auckland to Brisbane.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"In a unique natural experiment, we can have a taste of what could have been had Brisbane City Council not stymied bus reform. Brisbane's sister city, Auckland, is progressing well with its own bus reform revolution and the New Zealand version of our BaT/Cross River Rail tunnel."

"Auckland City Council recently announced consultation for major bus reform in West Auckland. What a contrast it is to Brisbane. A Brisbane firm with its office on Coronation Drive was hired by Auckland City Council to reform Auckland's bus network along the same lines as the TransLink bus review did. Here is a excerpt from Auckland Transport's website:



"What was the Lord Mayor and BCC's position on bus reforms?*:

'We do not, on this side, endorse the changes that are proposed and we never will.'

'There are many students of public transport, many operators of transport systems who very much support intermodal and, indeed, transfers between the same mode as part of public transport journeys. I don't.'

"The Lord Mayor says he is against connections. Is the Lord Mayor also against traffic lights, roundabouts or intersections connecting roads together? In the same way road intersections and traffic lights or roundabouts might cause motorists a brief wait, but are essential for connecting roads together to form a network, smart use of connections are essential for public transport. We know there is demand for buses to train stations because train station car parks and surrounding local streets are overflowing with cars."

"Worldwide, cities are reforming their bus networks. In the last five years a major shift in thinking has swept cities worldwide on how to run public transport. Perth runs buses to specially designed bus-rail interchanges. The Gold Coast runs buses to Light Rail with passenger connections and it has been a success. Brisbane is being left behind, clinging to yesterdays failing paradigm and falling bus patronage."

"In our opinion, TransLink should be very mindful when choosing contractor(s) for the bus network. A cheap but anti-bus reform contractor might ultimately cost the State Government significantly more money over the life of the contract if it is uncooperative and locks the bus network into a costly, redundant 'legacy mode' that is too infrequent for most purposes, thus causing fares to explode or bus driver redundancies from failing to attract patronage from car users. Patronage on the bus network is falling, bus reform is needed to reverse it."

"Fare cuts have been achieved only by 'loosening the belt', but further increasing the subsidy with no improvement to bus service quality. This is just charging us more through the back door for the same old services."

"Only genuine reform of rail and bus networks, together with fare reform will guarantee abundant and low cost public transport for all."

Contact:

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

References:

Auckland Transport, Auckland City Council, New public transport network (image) https://at.govt.nz/projects-roadworks/new-public-transport-network/

* Brisbane City Council Meeting Minutes The 4395 meeting of the Brisbane City Council, held at City Hall, Brisbane on Tuesday 12 February 2013 at 2pm

* Brisbane City Council Meeting Minutes The 4399 meeting of the Brisbane City Council, held at City Hall, Brisbane on Tuesday 12 March 2013 at 2pm

West Auckland new network consultation http://transportblog.co.nz/2014/10/21/west-auckland-new-network-consultation/

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

24th October 2014

Bus Reform Sweeps Auckland, Falling Patronage Sweeps Brisbane

Greetings.

The petty claims of 'cuts cuts cuts', scares and BCC councillors going on revolt look all a little bit silly now hey? Auckland City Council in NZ is shaping up to be an embarrassing comparison for Brisbane City Council; Brisbane is Auckland's sister city and is making bus reform look like a walk in the park. The New Zealanders are using a Brisbane firm to completely reorganise the bus network from the ground up. While the Brisbane Lord Mayor protests connections, his NZ counterpart in Auckland City Council is getting on with the job of bus network reform, introducing connections and sending buses to train stations.

Video: How you'll need to change your travel in West Auckland

Has the penny dropped at BCC yet? Or does patronage have to fall a few million more?

Where are BCC's improved bus services to Yeronga, Bulimba, the entire Centenary Suburbs and Albany Creek? Under the 2013 TransLink review these areas would have had high quality frequent bus services by now.
Bus patronage would be 20 million more annually, not falling.  Roads less congested. Bus drivers being recruited no doubt.  Sadly, failing network design and high cost fares see the system in a downward spiral.

Auckland Transport is engaged in local public consultation, a good effort to communicate the changes and build public understanding and support. What is Brisbane doing? Spin, sugar fixes and fare gimmicks, blame games between different levels and previous governments while sky high fares and the same old services destroy patronage and threaten bus driver's jobs.

All academic really, a very sorry outcome and predicted by us and others (see article below  Courier Mail 11 April 2012)

Don't miss the bus like Brisbane!

Best wishes
Robert

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


ARTICLE: City's public transport will never improve while run by opposing sides Couriermail 11th April 2012 pages 18-19






The New Bus Network: a step change for Auckland
http://transportblog.co.nz/2012/09/19/the-new-bus-network-a-step-change-for-auckland/

Sent to all outlets:

23rd October 2014

Passengers flee BCC Bus Cost Explosion- Are Jobs Under Threat?

Greetings.

Very concerning the latest news re: bus patronage diving. We suggested that this would happen. A pity sound advice is ignored. Are driver redundancies going to follow?

In our opinion, the greatest threat to bus driver's jobs is BCC itself. Failure to implement proper bus reform means that patronage is now diving, and as we all know, empty buses don't need drivers.

Patronage fall is actually worse than it appears as a significant number of trips are just the result of people rorting the failed go card fare structure and taking unnecessary trips to reach the 9 and free threshold early in the week!

Why did the previous and current State Governments increase fares so much? Perhaps it have something to do with BCC's increasing supply costs, a result of not reforming the bus network.

Bus reform needs to be undertaken. Across 'the ditch', Auckland City Council in New Zealand is moving forward with bus reform. Brisbane??

RAIL Back on Track calls for all parties to affirm bipartisan support for bus contracting and wholesale bus reform. BCC had its chance to show that it could do a better job than TransLink at bus reform and it comprehensively and spectacularly failed.

Only genuine reform of rail and bus networks, together with fare reform will guarantee abundant and low cost public transport for all.

Facts not spin please?

Best wishes
Robert

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

References:

Fewer commuters using Brisbane buses than previous year http://www.couriermail.com.au/questnews/fewer-commuters-using-brisbane-buses-than-previous-year/story-fni9r0hy-1227097897268

Bus Reform: Auckland City Council versus Brisbane City Council http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11016.msg147804#msg147804

Brisbane's most dangerous bus routes revealed https://au.news.yahoo.com/qld/video/watch/25305043/brisbane-s-most-dangerous-bus-routes-revealed/

Media release 22nd October 2014

Bus Reform: Auckland City Council versus Brisbane City Council

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 highlights a unique natural experiment comparing bus reform in Auckland to Brisbane.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"In a unique natural experiment, we can have a taste of what could have been had Brisbane City Council not stymied bus reform. Brisbane's sister city, Auckland, is progressing well with its own bus reform revolution and the New Zealand version of our BaT/Cross River Rail tunnel."

"Auckland City Council recently announced consultation for major bus reform in West Auckland. What a contrast it is to Brisbane. A Brisbane firm with its office on Coronation Drive was hired by Auckland City Council to reform Auckland's bus network along the same lines as the TransLink bus review did. Here is a excerpt from Auckland Transport's website:



"What was the Lord Mayor and BCC's position on bus reforms?*:

'We do not, on this side, endorse the changes that are proposed and we never will.'

'There are many students of public transport, many operators of transport systems who very much support intermodal and, indeed, transfers between the same mode as part of public transport journeys. I don't.'

"The Lord Mayor says he is against connections. Is the Lord Mayor also against traffic lights, roundabouts or intersections connecting roads together? In the same way road intersections and traffic lights or roundabouts might cause motorists a brief wait, but are essential for connecting roads together to form a network, smart use of connections are essential for public transport. We know there is demand for buses to train stations because train station car parks and surrounding local streets are overflowing with cars."

"Worldwide, cities are reforming their bus networks. In the last five years a major shift in thinking has swept cities worldwide on how to run public transport. Perth runs buses to specially designed bus-rail interchanges. The Gold Coast runs buses to Light Rail with passenger connections and it has been a success. Brisbane is being left behind, clinging to yesterdays failing paradigm and falling bus patronage."

"In our opinion, TransLink should be very mindful when choosing contractor(s) for the bus network. A cheap but anti-bus reform contractor might ultimately cost the State Government significantly more money over the life of the contract if it is uncooperative and locks the bus network into a costly, redundant 'legacy mode' that is too infrequent for most purposes, thus causing fares to explode or bus driver redundancies from failing to attract patronage from car users. Patronage on the bus network is falling, bus reform is needed to reverse it."

"Fare cuts have been achieved only by 'loosening the belt', but further increasing the subsidy with no improvement to bus service quality. This is just charging us more through the back door for the same old services."

"Only genuine reform of rail and bus networks, together with fare reform will guarantee abundant and low cost public transport for all."

Contact:

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

References:

Auckland Transport, Auckland City Council, New public transport network (image) https://at.govt.nz/projects-roadworks/new-public-transport-network/

* Brisbane City Council Meeting Minutes The 4395 meeting of the Brisbane City Council, held at City Hall, Brisbane on Tuesday 12 February 2013 at 2pm

* Brisbane City Council Meeting Minutes The 4399 meeting of the Brisbane City Council, held at City Hall, Brisbane on Tuesday 12 March 2013 at 2pm

West Auckland new network consultation http://transportblog.co.nz/2014/10/21/west-auckland-new-network-consultation/

[ozbob]

^

Sent to all outlets:

24th October 2014

Re: Bus Reform Sweeps Auckland, Falling Patronage Sweeps Brisbane

Greetings,

Ok.  How to sort it.

Brisbane Transport staff to sit down with TransLink bus staff.  Go through the 2013 bus review, fine tune it in a cooperative way.

Roll out with a proper education campaign, with high quality service maps.

No need to waste more money on more reviews.

Simple.

Best wishes
Robert

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

[ozbob]

 



Extract of an item on Fairfax news yesterday ..

Brisbane's Lord Mayor GRAHAM QUIRK has renewed his opposition to 'inter-modal' connections in public transport, where busses shuttle people to railway stations or busways, rather than directly into the city.

The Rail Back on Track group's been calling for the change - and the state's Transport minister has given the idea qualified support - but COUNCILLOR QUIRK says he doesn't think that's what people want ...

Change is inevitable.  Interesting that Minister is starting to get it.

It is not a matter of what people want.  Once properly explained how a connected network works, better connections better frequency, less wait and journey times overall people start to get it.  Minister E. understands that.

LM Q. is still putting self-interest polyticks before the community in reality?  Why should every bus region other than Brisbane suffer cuts and lack of span hours to prop up Brisbane's duplication, waste and air!

Very encouraged ...   

The RAAMC (Royal Australian Army Medical Corps) motto is " Paulatim" =  Little by little ...

[ozbob]

Also worth considering.  If BT is not allowed to move towards a ' connected network ' for the competitive tendering process, BT will go down IMHO ..

[#Metro]

BCC had no less than SEVEN chances to get it right!
SIX when TL approached BCC and a SEVENTH when BCC had control of the bus review.

People who think that TL and BCC should 'just get together' over a cuppa and sort it out in the public interest: I think when you have SEVEN occasions PLUS the Lord Mayor out there saying the idea will NEVER EVER be considered, there is more than a mountain of evidence to show it will not happen like that.

We need to explain connections etc much better to the public. Maybe time to step up the Perth and Auckland material...

The Rail Back on Track group's been calling for the change - and the state's Transport minister has given the idea qualified support - but COUNCILLOR QUIRK says he doesn't think that's what people want ...

I'm sure people don't want to pay their council rates bill either... ha!!!

[#Metro]

Is is possible to get Jarrett Walker in on a speaking tour at QUT or UQ when he is next in Australia. He often presents overseas, but is a busy man.

[bcasey]

Is is possible to get Jarrett Walker in on a speaking tour at QUT or UQ when he is next in Australia. He often presents overseas, but is a busy man.

I attended his interactive course when he ran it here in Brisbane in April. It was probably a tad expensive for someone who doesn't have a professional interest in learning about Public Transport Network Design, but it was well worth the cost for me.

A public presentation at one or more of the Uni's would be a great idea. I've watched a few of his presentations on youtube, he is a very good speaker.

[SurfRail]

This is the LAST straw for me.

I do not support the idea of Council even having the ability to be in the running to get their work back.  They do not deserve it with the buttersnap sh#tf#ckery emanating from the Lord Mayor. 

The answer at this point really has to be as follows.

1. Full open competitive tenders for all 6 non-BCC regions.

2. Full open competitive tenders for the BCC regions SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDING Brisbane City Council.

3. Repeal section 91 the City of Brisbane Act to eliminate BCC's monopoly on ferry services, and introduce whatever legislation is required to compulsorily acquire/novate across to the State any interest BCC holds in the ferry services and related assets (including wharfs).

4. Compulsorily acquire the 7 bus depots and any buses not already subject to lease arrangements.

5. BCC's financial contribution to public transport is progressively lowered from nearly 25% of the cost to something closer to 10% or less (achievable through operational savings which the research indicates could be as high as 20% by kicking the public operator), so as to remove its ability to control service planning.

6. TransLink takes over full responsibility for signage and stop placement on the entire SEQ network to ensure it is consistent region-wide and we avoid the ridiculous situation where there are separate timetable brackets for the private services (because they aren't on BT's system).

7. Assign 4-digit route numbers to all formerly BT school services to avoid duplication with Gold Coast 700-series numbers and to free up the 800 and 900 series range for regional Queensland services.

[Gazza]

Extract of an item on Fairfax news yesterday ..

Brisbane's Lord Mayor GRAHAM QUIRK has renewed his opposition to 'inter-modal' connections in public transport, where busses shuttle people to railway stations or busways, rather than directly into the city.

The Rail Back on Track group's been calling for the change - and the state's Transport minister has given the idea qualified support - but COUNCILLOR QUIRK says he doesn't think that's what people want ...

Change is inevitable.  Interesting that Minister is starting to get it.

It is not a matter of what people want.  Once properly explained how a connected network works, better connections better frequency, less wait and journey times overall people start to get it.  Minister E. understands that.

LM Q. is still putting self-interest polyticks before the community in reality?  Why should every bus region other than Brisbane suffer cuts and lack of span hours to prop up Brisbane's duplication, waste and air!

Very encouraged ...   

The RAAMC (Royal Australian Army Medical Corps) motto is " Paulatim" =  Little by little ...

Do we have a link to the article?