SEQ Bus Network Review

[#Metro]

The video is the first time it has been mentioned that there are more buses through the Cultural Centre in the less intensive PM peak.  I'd suspected that for a long time, but it's confirmed now.

Simon, I'm curious as to what the significance of this is. I would have thought morning might be more of an issue as the time is tight, in afternoons people can stay back, so it's kinda curious. 220 buses per hour shows that the CC is waaaaaay over capacity now. Anyway, they have known that since the Lord Mayors Transit Report in 2007, released 6 years ago.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Then you haven't used the 77 before compared to the alternatives. The trip generator is from region to region. Northside to Southside. Express past the CBD. Its not an express to the city bus. Before saying its a waste of money try using it for once compared to the express buz of the 330+130/140/150 or the host of other buz and bus routes liek the 66, 88, 111, 331, 332, 333, 340, 341, 555 etc. The 77 doesn't have the best frequency but it still manages to put the highly aclaimed buz services to shame to the point where you can leap frog onto the earlier buz services. With the 77 usually running 5 minutes ahead and the late running of outbound services in peak hour there's also the chance to leap frog onto multiple earlier running services.

[#Metro]

http://translink.com.au/resources/travel-information/network-information/timetables/100726-77.pdf

It takes 38 minutes from 8 Mile Plains to Chermside Interchange
Add 15 minutes for waiting time

= 38 + 15 = 53 minutes maximum journey time.

Let's say I catch any bus from 8 Mile Plains to the CBD. I'd wait say 5 minutes.

5 minutes (wait)
24 minutes (bus trip)
5 minute wait (interchange)
30 minutes (bus trip)

= 64 minutes max

64 - 53 = 11 minutes difference

(of course, car is the fastest of all at just 22 minutes, PT is almost twice as slow)

Route 77 is faster, so you have a point, by about 11 minutes. But the main issue is that it doesn't combine markets well.
In peak hour when there are buses every few seconds, the time difference between interchange and route 77 evaporates.

In peak:

5 minutes (wait)
24 minutes (bus trip)
5 minute wait (interchange)
30 minutes (bus trip)

= 54 minutes

It's good as a peak hour service, beyond that it doesn't have much catchment and also very few people would work on one side of the city and commute past the cbd to the other side. Which is another factor.

UQ is the drawcard here. Send it to UQ and I think there will be quite a change - UQ is the second largest trip generator after the CBD. Universities and Hospitals are large agglomerations that aren't equally available across the urban landscape - so there would be quite a bit of demand from other parts of the city.

[Golliwog]

TT, sure in peak there are lots of buses, but not all of them are going where you want. Route 77 is a useful service, I haven't had much need for it due to where I live compared to UQ, but I know of UQ students who do use it and change at the PA. It's not hard to do.

As for what was announced on 7 News, Ozbob's right and the devil is in the detail. What got my interest piqued is that they keep connecting the savings made from the bus review, to the fare system changes (i.e. lower fares). I'd always assumed that if they were going to cut services back to Carindale, etc that at least some of the savings would go into turning that bus that now terminates outside the CBD around and making another peak hour run and increasing the frequency. That may still be happening, but they made no mention of increasing frequencies.

[Set in train]

Channel 7 News

Bus fares could be dropping

--> http://au.news.yahoo.com/video/queensland/watch/c2f21661-9109-302b-b971-d09d305cd999/bus-fares-could-be-dropping/

More disgrace - the way the Minister or the news producers construct the story, they have the audience believing it is the 250 that is causing all the congestion at the CC.

Garden City will not work as an interchange point for Clarks as there is no turn around, would be a lot of dead running up to GU and back. 8MP is more sensible.

Quirk looked, as usual, completely out of his shallow depth as he mumbled along to make up a sound grab.

Summary of the story, looks like Quirk and his BT cronies get their way pushing more 'foreign' services out of 'their' city. Sell this off, now. 

Also, comforting news for those east of Norman Creek and in the Centenary suburbs, not a word mentioned of improving services, none of the 'missing' BUZs that need adding mentioned.

Finally, is the Minister looking more chubby around his neck than previously? Ministerial high life of over indulgence showing?

[HappyTrainGuy]

22 mins.... That's very very generous. I assume that has to be using both the Clem7 and Airport Link toll roads? Otherwise you're looking at a good 30 mins going via the Riverside Expressway/Gregory Tce or 35 mins via The Story Bridge. As I said earlier. Catch it and experience it for yourself. Its good and all throwing numbers at it but its totally different when you actually use it.

In peak hour when there are buses every few seconds, the time difference between interchange and route 77 evaporates.

Yep, you have never used the 77 in peak hour. Chermside-8MP are already constantly running around 32-34 mins between the two terminuses. Its somewhat true for 8MP-Chermside because of how they stuffed up the Chermside leg (all the time is lost just travelling along Hamilton road - State Govt seriously have to get rid of the ped crossing on the southern side of Gympie Road). Sending it into the interchange directly can easily knock out 5 mins from the timetable along with making it more known. To speed it up even more send it via airport link and I honestly would not be suprised to see 25 min trips on offer between Chermside and 8MP.

A typical example. From all the times I have used it it's been roughly about 30 minutes from Chermside to Upper Mt Gravatt Station.
07:00 AM    'Chermside (Hamilton Road)' Hamilton Road    07:26 AM    Griffith University Station

The 6.40 340 + 111 is the best option to get to get to GUBS (with the multiple express/feeder routes to the busway) by 7.30 or to 8MP if you wanted to interchange in the city. Even the 6.49 330 buz from Chermside is pushing it to get to CCBS to be able to interchange and get to GUBS by 7.30 as it usually gets held up by a 345 Roma Street-CCBS. The 6.46 333 is useless as the 330 usually overtakes it around RBWH-QUT. The same is repeated throughout morning peak hour to a varying degree due to the different stages in the busway bunching the services. The 77 needs to be advertised better. Just try to find it on a network map.

[ozbob]

From the Couriermail click here!

Major changes to bus routes to be announced by Transport Minister Scott Emerson

Major changes to bus routes to be announced by Transport Minister Scott Emerson

    by: Robyn Ironside
    From: The Courier-Mail
    March 07, 2013 12:00AM

THE days of bus services existing to ferry one or two people around are about to end as the State Government seeks to get more value out of its $560 million worth of transport contracts.

Transport Minister Scott Emerson will shortly announce which services will stay and which ones will go following a detailed bus review by Translink.

The six-month review found 52 per cent of services - or more than 230,000 a month - carry fewer than seven passengers.

Of those, 27,241 (six per cent) have one or no passengers on board. In contrast, 13,756 services are full to the point where people are forced to stand.

Route 679 between North Lakes and Griffin Lakes is the worst patronised in south-east Queensland with an average load of 1.1 passengers, followed by the 328 from Boondall to Carseldine, which rarely has more than two people on board.

The review also found Brisbane City Council buses which can carry up to 50 people - averaged just 8.65 passengers across all services.

Mr Emerson said he believed people would be shocked to learn that although bus funding had increased by 22 per cent over the past three years, patronage had improved just 0.5 per cent.

"I want to see more high-frequency routes going to more areas, but we need to change or remove the routes that people aren't using," Mr Emerson said. "I also want a more efficient network and find savings to deliver better fares."

A total of 29 routes are expected to be axed, 87 changed and 102 "improved".

Those routes in line for more buses include those that service the universities including the 130 and 412, the 345 from Aspley to the City, and the 385 running between the CBD and The Gap.

Fares have increased more than 60 per cent in the last four years.

BUSIEST routes

130 - City to Griffith University, Sunnybank and Parkinson (107 full buses a month - unable to stop to pick up passengers)

412 - City to Toowong and University of Queensland St Lucia (102 full buses a month)

345 - City to Aspley (100 full buses a month)

385 - City to The Gap (73 full buses a month)

66 - Gabba, Cultural Centre, Roma St, QUT Kelvin Grove, RBWH (73 full buses a month)

WORST patronised routes

679 - North Lakes to Griffin (average load 1.1 passengers)

681 - North Lakes and Mango Hill (1.1 passengers)

678 - Warner to Petrie (1.2 passengers)

639- Nambour town service

328 - Boondall to Carseldine (1.4 passengers)

Total bus services - 443,229 (month)

Services with standing passengers - 13,756 (3.1 per cent)

Services with an average load of fewer than seven - 243,267 (52.85 per cent)

Services with an average load of one or fewer - 27,241 (6.15 per cent)

[ozbob]

... Mr Emerson said he believed people would be shocked to learn that although bus funding had increased by 22 per cent over the past three years, patronage had improved just 0.5 per cent ...

I wonder why?   

[#Metro]

Wow, 52% air! There is a phenomenal amount of community service obligation / routing going on here. I think the focus is unduly on outer operators, when it should be on BT which just recently heaped more waste recently with wasteglider.

[BrizCommuter]

... Mr Emerson said he believed people would be shocked to learn that although bus funding had increased by 22 per cent over the past three years, patronage had improved just 0.5 per cent ...

I wonder why?   

Commuters who have experienced more than 50% fare hikes are not shocked by the news!

[SurfRail]

Garden City will not work as an interchange point for Clarks as there is no turn around, would be a lot of dead running up to GU and back. 8MP is more sensible.

Huh?  What's wrong with the perfectly good interchange upstairs which is way under capacity (particularly the "on-line" stops on Macgregor Street)?  Currently all the PRT and LCBS services which go there share a common stop.  I can't see why they can't be given another 2 or 3, there are several which are not in use.  BT vehicles can layover in their perfectly good depot around the corner if they need to.

[somebody]

How come the 199 has dropped off the "busiest routes" list?

The review also found Brisbane City Council buses which can carry up to 50 people - averaged just 8.65 passengers across all services.

Latest performance report for STA's Sydney Buses puts that figure at 36.58

For fun, I compared it to Newcastle buses, which is 35.7

Source: http://www.statetransit.info/performance-information/quarterly/2012%20-%203RD%20QUARTER.pdf

Garden City will not work as an interchange point for Clarks as there is no turn around, would be a lot of dead running up to GU and back. 8MP is more sensible.

Huh?  What's wrong with the perfectly good interchange upstairs which is way under capacity (particularly the "on-line" stops on Macgregor Street)?  Currently all the PRT and LCBS services which go there share a common stop.  I can't see why they can't be given another 2 or 3, there are several which are not in use.  BT vehicles can layover in their perfectly good depot around the corner if they need to.

Fair point, you can use the portal that the 150 and 160 use and stop upstairs.  But if you want to stop on-line, there is no turnaround.  Given that a transfer at the same stop should be provided, you might as well terminate at 8mp.

[SurfRail]

^ I'd suggest in that case that you should still be terminating at Garden City.

The situation is analogous to only running the 761 from Tweed to Varsity Lakes but not to (at least) Robina Town Centre.  People do need to get to Garden City and forcing a single stop transfer is pointless, particularly when Eight Mile Plains itself isn't the best place to reverse buses from the south anyway.

Just encourage people to transfer at 8MP, they will learn.

[ozbob]

Queensland Parliament  Transport Minister is making a statement now

--> http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/work-of-assembly/broadcast-chamber/live

[ozbob]

Speaking on bus review.  Will be released today ...

Simpler, more frequent,  19 to 26 high frequency routes  (go network).

Consolidates CBD bus stops.

[somebody]

^ I'd suggest in that case that you should still be terminating at Garden City.

The situation is analogous to only running the 761 from Tweed to Varsity Lakes but not to (at least) Robina Town Centre.  People do need to get to Garden City and forcing a single stop transfer is pointless, particularly when Eight Mile Plains itself isn't the best place to reverse buses from the south anyway.

Just encourage people to transfer at 8MP, they will learn.

That would be a fair option out of peak.

[Gazza]

Latest performance report for STA's Sydney Buses puts that figure at 36.58

You're saying STA has 36.58 averaged across all services 
That's impressive.

[techblitz]

Simpler, more frequent,  19 to 26 high frequency routes  (go network).

looks interesting

up to 26 high frequency routes?

End of the buz system perhaps?

[Gazza]

I think the "go network" will be what will feature on a frequent network map. Not necessarily BUZ standard, but still what a reasonable user would consider a decent service.

[somebody]

Latest performance report for STA's Sydney Buses puts that figure at 36.58

You're saying STA has 36.58 averaged across all services 
That's impressive.

Correct.  And 139 bus trips per capita in their contract areas, excluding school students, with much less bus specific infrastructure.  Puts BT's 77 or so to shame if you ask me, and you can't completely blame density.  I think the BT figure probably includes school students.

The 8.65 pax per bus trip figure isn't right though.  When I trawled through some BCC annual reports last year, I got 25-27.

[ozbob]

Twitter

Robyn Ironside ‏@ironsider

The full bus review report about to go online at http://www.translink.com.au  111 routes going, hi frequency routes increasing from 19 to 26.

[techblitz]

Twitter

Robyn Ironside ‏@ironsider

The full bus review report about to go online at http://www.translink.com.au  111 routes going, hi frequency routes increasing from 19 to 26.

drum roll...................

[Mr X]

They're scrapping 111 routes? wow

[nathandavid88]

For a moment there I thought you said they were scrapping the Route 111! LOL!

Have to say I'm getting a little nervous though, I hope that this isn't just a straight slash and burn... The increase in high frequency routes I'm betting is the existing BUZ network being inflated to include near-BUZ frequency routes like the 555.

[techblitz]

They're scrapping 111 routes? wow

hehe i actually took that as `buz 111 targeted for deletion` as well 

[Mr X]

Nah I took it as 111 different bus routes being scrapped, which I thought was quite a lot!

[ozbob]

Update http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/major-changes-to-bus-routes-to-be-announced-by-transport-minister-scott-emerson/story-e6freoof-1226591902935

THE number of bus routes across southeast Queensland will be slashed from 446 to 335 following a detailed review of services which found more than half carry fewer than seven people.

Transport Minister Scott Emerson has on Thursday released the results of the review designed to get better value out of the government's $580 million worth of transport contracts.

Although 111 routes will disappear, the number of high frequency routes will increase from 19 to 26.

Mr Emerson said under the plan, almost 800,000 Brisbane residents would be living within 800m of a high frequency bus service.

"Areas in Mt Ommaney, Toombul, Grange, Salisbury, Albany Creek, Riverhills, Morningside and Yeronga will receive a high frequency bus service for the first time," said Mr Emerson.

The changes will be phased in from mid-year until the end of 2014 ...

[Mr X]

It's up!

[Fares_Fair]

TransLink SEQ‏@TransLinkSEQ

SEQ Bus Review - report now live! http://bit.ly/WUlT5C

[Mr X]

Death to the 198!!

What's this uni glider which is replacing the 192?

199 to use Ivory St!

[Gazza]

It's up!

http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/4205/brisfreqnetwork.jpg

[ozbob]

Bus Review

--> http://translink.com.au/travel-information/service-updates/seq-bus-network-review

[Gazza]

444 spites Moggil and goes to Mt Ommaney instead!

Simon has had a big win. Talk of having Indro services go through to UQ 

[nathandavid88]

Looks like the 555 joins the 140 and 150 in using the Captain Cook Bridge, rather than the Mater Hill – Cultural Centre stretch of the busway.

[ozbob]

Many positive moves in this.  Your input has been valuable, well done all.

[Gazza]

200 and 222 to be amalgamated 

Webster Rd BUZ too

This is actually really good so far!

385 will do what I said in the other thread and go down Musgrave Rd, which I guess means a loss for those on Coopers Camp Rd.

The Uni Glider is the 66 and 109. I guess since the Maroon Glider does the 66s role to the Gabba they could send the 66 to UQ instead.

[HappyTrainGuy]

FINALLY A STRATHPINE TO SANDGATE ROUTE! About f**king time!

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

7th March 2013

SEQ Bus Review

Greetings,

The TransLink SEQ Bus Review has been made publicly available here -->  http://translink.com.au/travel-information/service-updates/seq-bus-network-review

The creation of a GoNetwork: network of high frequency bus, rail and ferry across SEQ. Services will operate from 7am–7pm with a 15minfrequency, 7 days a week is a very positive move.

Brisbane has reached the point where a direct service network needs to be improved into a high efficiency frequent connected network.

Initial impressions of the review are very positive.  There has been extensive consultation with the public, and our members have also contributed significantly.  Motivated by transforming the aging network into a network that will drive patronage increases, this review is an excellent outcome.  There will be a further period of public consultation from the 11 - 24 March, to fine tune the proposed changes.

We look forward to a similar process for the fare review.

Best wishes
Robert

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

[Golliwog]

Yet to see the span frequency stuff for my local routes but some interesting developments. 367 is being scrapped and the 397 and 398 are both being extended to different parts of Upper Kedron (though not that different). 362 is also being scrapped and replaced with 2 routes. One going Mitchelton to The Gap staying on Samford Rd and Settlement Rd, the other is Mitchelton to Ferny Grove using Samford Rd, then doing the loop through the Kings Park part of Keperra, and onto FG station. No change to 399.

[HappyTrainGuy]

I'm impressed at the amount of east-west routes for the northside. Still would have liked to see something running between Aspley bus interchange and Geebung railway staion.