Brisbane BCC Bus Network Review

[Arnz]

Too right, lucky they kept their grubby paws off the 524!  Crikey, they are rather liable to explosions of bus rage out this way ...

UPGRADE THE 314 to a BUZ!!!!!!!!!!!1111111!!! :

I demand a bus whenever I want from my place on the 314 route to the shops 5 mins down the street, and get there in 2 minutes   

[ozbob]

The new 314 bus ...

[HappyTrainGuy]

I'm honestly not even going to bother. A total and complete waste of time.

Good luck Brisbane. 

[SurfRail]

Likewise I'm afraid.  Brisbane has every right to be as arse-backwards as it wants.  Nothing like democracy.

At least we can still talk to QR and TransLink and get something meaningful done elsewhere.

[bagbuffy]

Talk about taking the bat and ball and going home, since we can't get our own way?

What done is done,  What are some positives moves that BCC could make?

Could the 161 turn into a hourly Shoppers Bus from Wishart LookOut-Garden City? or  Maybe Extend the 175 and introduce a 176?  175 Garden City and 176 Wishart LookOut via Garden City both run Hourly and yet still keep the 30min service along Garden City and Logan rd?

[HappyTrainGuy]

What are some positives moves that BCC could make?

Making all the routes easy to follow like the 338/357/359




More routes to the city.



Better railway feeders safari tours so you can watch the train go past.

[ozbob]

I am going to concentrate on rail feeders and cross suburban routes (nothing like a challenge    ), I would also like to see the city stop mess sorted.

Unless they actually do some CBD destination improvements  and trunk consolidation nothing will change with the bus lock and general mediocrity and inefficiency which is the hallmark of the system. 

Tinkering with coverage routes will no doubt be attempted.  Stand by for bus and petition rage ... 


Present bus route map as seen by many bus users

[ozbob]

Media release 30th March 2013



Bus Review: Will Brisbane City Council repeat TransLink's consultation mistakes?

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport commuters calls for neighbourhood planning style forums and workshops across Brisbane.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"There are a number of fundamental problems with Brisbane's broken bus network. We have covered these extensively as have others such as the Brizcommuter Blog and Alan Davies of The Urbanist (1, 2). The current Brisbane bus system is financially, operationally and politically unsustainable."

"We hope that Brisbane City Council does not repeat the same mistakes as TransLink has and do yet another internet feedback form as essentially the only means of consultation (3)."

"BCC has in the past run such community forums for neighbourhood planning and the RiverCity Blueprint (4)."

In line with BCC's Community Engagement Policy, we believe a number of community planning teams made of local residents and expertise where possible, should be set up across Brisbane, at the following suggested locations:

Albany Creek
Bulimba
Carindale
CBD & Surrounds
Chermside
Inala/Richlands
Mitchelton
Garden City
Mt Ommaney
Sunnybank
Toowong
Toombul
The Gap
Wynnum
Yeronga

Our main concerns are, and continue to be:

* Increasing operator costs and direct service network style which is putting upward pressure on fares and family budgets

* Brisbane having some of the highest fares in the world - $4.80 to travel from one end of Adelaide Street to the other.

* A disconnection between the bus network and the rail network.

* Entire suburbs without decent, frequent public transport options - Bulimba, Centenary Suburbs, The Northwest, Yeronga, Wynnum Road, for example.

* Massive complexity within the bus network making it difficult to understand.

* Difficulty getting around the city without going through the CBD due to Great Circle Line's low frequency and loop configuration.

* $400 per ratepayer household per year comes out of rates to prop up the bus system before anyone has even caught it.

"Direct service networks are the highest cost, least efficient type of bus network for larger cities. These costs mean less abundant, frequent and useful transport for many Brisbane suburbs (5, 6)."

References:

1. Brisbane City Council's "not broken" bus network
http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/brisbane-city-council.html

2. Is the Qld government missing the bus?
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/theurbanist/2013/03/25/is-the-qld-government-missing-the-bus/

3. BCC Bus Review
http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/traffic-transport/public-transport/buses/index.htm

4. Brisbane City Council Community Engagement Policy
http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/prdc/groups/corpwebcontent/documents/documents/038565.pdf

5. Bus boom causes council staff crunch
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/bus-boom-causes-council-staff-crunch-20100914-15atl.html

6. "Transferring" can be good for you, and good for your city
http://www.humantransit.org/2009/04/why-transferring-is-good-for-you-and-good-for-your-city.html

Contact:

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

[HappyTrainGuy]

Present bus route map as seen by many bus users

As someone that understands the mess with the 338/357/359 that makes total and perfect sense to me. Not sure many others can understand it though. 

[ozbob]

I can see the 314 in the route diagram?  Can not everyone?

[BrizCommuter]

http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/more-of-brisbane-city-councils-not.html
More on Brisbane City Council's "not broken" bus network.

[#Metro]

1. It's Great Circle Line...

2. 161 Paris Hilton runs in both directions pretty much all day long. See timetable again http://translink.com.au/resources/travel-information/network-information/timetables/100222-161.pdf

3. 416 is another one that does something similar to the 161, although the residents will scream you down if you point that out. Instead of a bus station, there is a train station with frequent services - from a network planning perspective I see no difference between busway stations and train stations.

4. The 470/475 doesn't know what bus it wants to be , it changes route in the CBD randomly
http://translink.com.au/resources/travel-information/network-information/timetables/120123-475,476.pdf

5. Route 302- just two services direct from the CBD. Why aren't these feeders? http://translink.com.au/resources/travel-information/network-information/timetables/121008-302,303.pdf

6. Does anyone have the details of the Eleanor Schonell bridge blocking of other operators, adelaide street etc?

[#Metro]

[#Metro]

^ Put that on twitter ha ha! 

[HappyTrainGuy]

5. Route 302- just two services direct from the CBD. Why aren't these feeders? http://translink.com.au/resources/travel-information/network-information/timetables/121008-302,303.pdf

The brother of the 338. Damn there are some messy timetables out there.

[techblitz]

5. Route 302- just two services direct from the CBD. Why aren't these feeders? http://translink.com.au/resources/travel-information/network-information/timetables/121008-302,303.pdf

The brother of the 338. Damn there are some messy timetables out there.

route 302

value for money HIGH average patronage HIGH
Workers from myrtletown/pinkenba/bunour use it direct to the city/valley.With near full bus loads by the time it passes bunour on the pm inbound thanks to a lot of factory workers on fison ave east.Picks up more as it passes through newstead etc.
Good thing about this route is its commencement near the queen st bus station (top of elizabeth st) and fortitude valley rail on the outbound in the morning
Serves its purpose well 

[#Metro]

Melbourne has done a bus review, more in sections though
http://corp.ptv.vic.gov.au/projects/buses/metropolitan-bus-service-reviews/

Melbourne is moving to competitive bus tendering, it's up on the PTV website, 30% of the network to go out
http://corp.ptv.vic.gov.au/projects/buses/metropolitan-bus-franchise-tender-process/

Sydney is doing the same
http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/content/sydney-bus-services-tenders

Tenders open soon for Sydney bus services

Bus companies will soon have the opportunity to bid for approximately A$1.5 billion worth of contracts to deliver bus services in the Sydney metropolitan area.

The introduction of tendering for private bus operator contract regions has been staged over two tender rounds over two years.  Stage one was completed in 2012 and Transport for NSW has now commenced stage two.

Request for Proposal (RFP) documents for the second four bus contracts will be published by Transport for New South Wales in early April 2013.

We are falling further behind...

[ozbob]

Media release 1 April 2013 (Not an April fool joke sadly ...)

Bus Review: Broken bus network reveals broken transport governance



RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport commuters declares broken the governance of Brisbane's Transport.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"BCC will conduct a bus review from 22 April, but there are larger problems than just good bus route design.

"The good governance of public transport service procurement is broken.

"Passengers, ratepayers and taxpayers can have no confidence that they are getting value for money when the supplier captures the purchaser, which is what has happened between Brisbane City Council and TransLink. With BCC ratepayers paying $400 before they even board a bus, this is paramount."

"Firstly, Brisbane Transport, a division of Brisbane City Council, declined to participate and co-operate with TransLink's review. This led to flaws in the TransLink review's route design which caused public disapproval to a report that is almost identical in it's recommendations to one that has wide public support in Auckland, NZ. Brisbane Transport is funded by state and local governments, and its public duty is to have co-operated and it has failed to do this. It is not appropriate that Brisbane City Council which owns the commercial bus operator that is Brisbane Transport draw up the bus routes and unfair on all other 15 bus operators within SEQ who, by simple virtue of their private ownership, do not have this power."

"The second failure was at State Government level. By inappropriately handing over the review, the supplier (Brisbane Transport) captured the regulator and purchaser of transport services (TransLink). In effect, the Minister has effectively abolished TransLink's bus functions within the Brisbane area and outsourced it to the BCC. He has undone a decade's worth of work to integrate Brisbane's public transport. This is unacceptable and worthy of a Queensland Auditor-General investigation in our opinion."

"It is also anti-integration and anti-public transport as BCC will never agree to having its buses running into Loganholme, the heart of Logan City Council, as was planned by TransLink's amalgamation of the 111 and 555 bus services."

"The Minister for Transport, Mr Emerson, has failed in his duty to uphold the interests of the wider people of Queensland. He should step down as Minister in our opinion."

"The first steps out of this mess is the establishment of Brisbane Transport as an arms length incorporated company with its own governing board, wholly owned but separate from Brisbane City Council."

"The State Government should move towards competitive tendering for all bus contract regions across SEQ - Sydney is saving $18 million per year as part of it's bus tendering. The Auditor General or Independent Commission of Audit should also audit Brisbane City Council and Brisbane Transport as well."

"The current Brisbane bus system is financially, operationally and politically unsustainable and is putting massive upward pressure to increase fares which are already some of the highest in the world."

References:

1. TransLink, frequent network route #20, Brisbane City to Loganholme http://translink.com.au/resources/travel-information/service-updates/seq-bus-network-review/Route-111.png

2. New bus contract tenders to drive improvements http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/media-releases/new-bus-contract-tenders-drive-improvements

3. Do you support a call for the resignation of the Minister for Transport & MR? http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=9749.0

Contact:

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

[BrizCommuter]

 http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/brisbane-public-transport-hicksville.html
Brisbane = public transport Hicksville?
A look at the irrational public feedback on TransLink's bus network review.

[ozbob]

There was a nasty rumour going around the Goodna pub about the 524 bus Briz,  along the lines they were thinking of increasing frequency!!  Heaven forbid ... 

There was even talk of a ... petition, some were very concerned that the long wait would not be as long ...

[ozbob]

http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/brisbane-public-transport-hicksville.html
Brisbane = public transport Hicksville?
A look at the irrational public feedback on TransLink's bus network review.

The sad part is having killed off any real attempts to sort it, they think they are doing so well as they all go over the cliff ...

[BrizCommuter]

Browsing many an internet forum, it seems that many looked forward to the changes. Sadly few of the positive opinions made it into the press.

The same will happen with the stage 2 rail timetables which will have consolidated stopping patterns (as per stage 1) - more irrational or selfish outbreaks of "I want an express from my stationitis".

Certainly the bus changes have been a hot topic, daily views of BrizCommuter's blog have increased by up to 1000%.

[ozbob]

What has been concerning is the lack of balance in the media.  It has all been one way essentially, some exceptions.  No real attempt to explain the positives, except a few quotes from a Ministerial statement from a Minister who obviously didn't support it the end.

One of Brisbane's major media outlets has become a real mouthpiece for BCC as well, not half obvious.

[longboi]

What has been concerning is the lack of balance in the media.  It has all been one way essentially, some exceptions.  No real attempt to explain the positives, except a few quotes from a Ministerial statement from a Minister who obviously didn't support it the end.

One of Brisbane's major media outlets has become a real mouthpiece for BCC as well, not half obvious.

The problem there is that those who work in the media aren't immune from the general public's lack of understanding. They have their own vested interests so it's not surprising they have by in large jumped on the "Yay-BCC, boo-TransLink" bandwagon.

[Jonno]

I can see the 314 in the route diagram?  Can not everyone?

Love it!!!!

Ed: fixed quotes

[Jonno]

Melbourne has done a bus review, more in sections though
http://corp.ptv.vic.gov.au/projects/buses/metropolitan-bus-service-reviews/

Melbourne is moving to competitive bus tendering, it's up on the PTV website, 30% of the network to go out
http://corp.ptv.vic.gov.au/projects/buses/metropolitan-bus-franchise-tender-process/

Sydney is doing the same
http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/content/sydney-bus-services-tenders

Tenders open soon for Sydney bus services

Bus companies will soon have the opportunity to bid for approximately A$1.5 billion worth of contracts to deliver bus services in the Sydney metropolitan area.

The introduction of tendering for private bus operator contract regions has been staged over two tender rounds over two years.  Stage one was completed in 2012 and Transport for NSW has now commenced stage two.

Request for Proposal (RFP) documents for the second four bus contracts will be published by Transport for New South Wales in early April 2013.

We are falling further behind...

We are not falling behind! We are going in the opposite direction!!!!!

[SurfRail]

Still some rays of sunshine where BCC's clutches don't reach (thanks for doing us a solid Logan).

http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=9793.0

[ozbob]

Still some rays of sunshine where BCC's clutches don't reach (thanks for doing us a solid Logan).

http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=9793.0

Ipswich is generally free of BCC incompetence as well.  The broader issue though is because the BT network is so inefficient this is starving deserving jurisdictions of service improvements ...  for example Springfield will be left to hang out dry  no doubt ...

An example the 640 bus Bribie <-> Caboolture was to get peak improvements and a possible extension.  Will this now still happen?  Probably not ...

[ozbob]

Letter to the editor Queensland Times 2nd April 2013 page 9

Transport review about more than just bus cuts

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> Donna Toussaint is taking matters into her own hands, one purl at a time

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

4th April 2013

Bus Review: Broken bus network reveals broken transport governance

Greetings,

What is going to happen for the bus regions outside BCC?  Will the proposed improvements still occur as outlined in the TransLink SEQ Bus Review?  Or will they continue to suffer because of the broken  bus network that is BCC and the weak leadership that has failed to address the core issues?

The situation is a crisis but they still fiddle as it all burns ...

More bus meltdowns last evening, but remember " the bus network is NOT broken "  ....



Goodness, they are really delusional ...

Best wishes
Robert

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

Media release 1 April 2013 (Not an April fool joke sadly ...)

Bus Review: Broken bus network reveals broken transport governance



RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport commuters declares broken the governance of Brisbane's Transport.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"BCC will conduct a bus review from 22 April, but there are larger problems than just good bus route design.

"The good governance of public transport service procurement is broken.

"Passengers, ratepayers and taxpayers can have no confidence that they are getting value for money when the supplier captures the purchaser, which is what has happened between Brisbane City Council and TransLink. With BCC ratepayers paying $400 before they even board a bus, this is paramount."

"Firstly, Brisbane Transport, a division of Brisbane City Council, declined to participate and co-operate with TransLink's review. This led to flaws in the TransLink review's route design which caused public disapproval to a report that is almost identical in it's recommendations to one that has wide public support in Auckland, NZ. Brisbane Transport is funded by state and local governments, and its public duty is to have co-operated and it has failed to do this. It is not appropriate that Brisbane City Council which owns the commercial bus operator that is Brisbane Transport draw up the bus routes and unfair on all other 15 bus operators within SEQ who, by simple virtue of their private ownership, do not have this power."

"The second failure was at State Government level. By inappropriately handing over the review, the supplier (Brisbane Transport) captured the regulator and purchaser of transport services (TransLink). In effect, the Minister has effectively abolished TransLink's bus functions within the Brisbane area and outsourced it to the BCC. He has undone a decade's worth of work to integrate Brisbane's public transport. This is unacceptable and worthy of a Queensland Auditor-General investigation in our opinion."

"It is also anti-integration and anti-public transport as BCC will never agree to having its buses running into Loganholme, the heart of Logan City Council, as was planned by TransLink's amalgamation of the 111 and 555 bus services."

"The Minister for Transport, Mr Emerson, has failed in his duty to uphold the interests of the wider people of Queensland. He should step down as Minister in our opinion."

"The first steps out of this mess is the establishment of Brisbane Transport as an arms length incorporated company with its own governing board, wholly owned but separate from Brisbane City Council."

"The State Government should move towards competitive tendering for all bus contract regions across SEQ - Sydney is saving $18 million per year as part of it's bus tendering. The Auditor General or Independent Commission of Audit should also audit Brisbane City Council and Brisbane Transport as well."

"The current Brisbane bus system is financially, operationally and politically unsustainable and is putting massive upward pressure to increase fares which are already some of the highest in the world."

References:

1. TransLink, frequent network route #20, Brisbane City to Loganholme http://translink.com.au/resources/travel-information/service-updates/seq-bus-network-review/Route-111.png

2. New bus contract tenders to drive improvements http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/media-releases/new-bus-contract-tenders-drive-improvements

3. Do you support a call for the resignation of the Minister for Transport & MR? http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=9749.0

Contact:

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

[longboi]

Still some rays of sunshine where BCC's clutches don't reach (thanks for doing us a solid Logan).

http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=9793.0

Ipswich is generally free of BCC incompetence as well.  The broader issue though is because the BT network is so inefficient this is starving deserving jurisdictions of service improvements ...  for example Springfield will be left to hang out dry  no doubt ...

An example the 640 bus Bribie <-> Caboolture was to get peak improvements and a possible extension.  Will this now still happen?  Probably not ...

The caveat is that funding to BT won't increase.

If their review is cost-neutral then nobody is affected financially. If their costs increase then Brisbane ratepayers will foot the bill. The regions will still receive appropriate remuneration for any extra km they perform which are brought about by the TL-led review.

If BT don't adequately address issues such as overcrowding etc. then I can envision a "cooling off" period and then eventually a watered-down, slower implementation of the original review recommendations put forward by TL.
I can also foresee some other options on the horizon but am legally bound not to disclose what they could possibly be.

[ozbob]

Media release 5th April 2013

SEQ: Broken bus network now in death spiral



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 is very concerned that the failure to drive the bus network in principle as proposed properly by TransLink, will now lead to a stalemate to sort out the fare system for TransLink south-east Queensland (1, 2).

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Our members are very unhappy with the current state of affairs, and failure to sort out the bus network and conflict of interest that is Brisbane Transport/BCC. Enormous upward pressure on the cost of living and family budgets for bus commuters are now almost certain next year. Fares and subsidies are now among the highest in the world and there is little further room to expand either."

"We want TransLink to form a work group with industry and academia to begin scoping out a framework for the introduction of region-based competitive bus tendering by looking at other Australian states and overseas. We also want a guarantee that any savings resulting from the opening of contract regions to be re-invested into high frequency bus and rail services for Brisbane suburbs such as Bulimba, Centenary, Yeronga and the Northwest that currently do not have access to high frequency bus or rail services."

"The problems with the bus network cannot be ignored because they will set the stage for an even larger public relations catastrophe. Peak hour bus volumes to the CBD are set to double within the next 8 years, and fares just seem to be going up, up and up! Further increases to fares will just compound the 'death spiral', pushing more people off public transport and deepening an ever greater need for yet even more fare rises and state subsidy to fill in the shortfall. No amount of referencing the previous government will fix this. We are all tired of hearing about the previous government; the election was over a year ago."

"The absolute rot with the poor governance, lack of leadership, conflicts of public, commercial and political interests at Brisbane Transport/BCC, extreme fares, extreme subsidies, extreme waste, regulatory capture, buses running air around the city, spaghetti-style legacy bus network routings, and entire Brisbane suburbs disconnected from frequent buses, all feed into and re-enforce each other."

"If the Minister is unable to drive difficult change and sort out this mess, he should stand aside."

References:

1. 31 Mar 2013: SEQ: TransLink fare review now off the rails?
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=9786.0

2. 18 Jan 2013: SEQ: Review of fare system needed urgently
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=9518.msg117513#msg117513

Contact:

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

[BrizCommuter]

One of BrizCommuter's readers has printed out part of the "rebuke" blog post and stuck it up at a bus stop in question. Take a look at the results (bottom of post).
http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/brisbane-public-transport-hicksville.html

[#Metro]

A nice campaign to run during the BCC bus review. Happy to put up some cash for printing

[SteelPan]

385 BUZ rerouted Via waterworks road, an inner city arterial such as this needs a BUZ

The above would be a bad move, as already noted, Waterworks Rd already enjoys a high-frequency service and A LOT of traffic on it, so BUZ would not be very BUZ if it was stuck in it.  #385 is a VERY successful BUZ because of the way it's routed, changing it to Waterworks Rd would be just plan dumb - like stopping buses coming in from Moggill at Indooroopilly, so "they" could watch a material percentage of customers switch back to private transport.   

[somebody]

385 BUZ rerouted Via waterworks road, an inner city arterial such as this needs a BUZ

The above would be a bad move, as already noted, Waterworks Rd already enjoys a high-frequency service and A LOT of traffic on it, so BUZ would not be very BUZ if it was stuck in it.  #385 is a VERY successful BUZ because of the way it's routed, changing it to Waterworks Rd would be just plan dumb - like stopping buses coming in from Moggill at Indooroopilly, so "they" could watch a material percentage of customers switch back to private transport.   

Wow, that's a bit of a delayed comment!

[newbris]

385 BUZ rerouted Via waterworks road, an inner city arterial such as this needs a BUZ

The above would be a bad move, as already noted, Waterworks Rd already enjoys a high-frequency service

Right, but the plan was to remove that wasn't it....so those 380, 381 buses could be used elsewhere and the glider take up the slack in the high density inner parts of the 385 route.

and A LOT of traffic on it, so BUZ would not be very BUZ if it was stuck in it.  #385 is a VERY successful BUZ because of the way it's routed, changing it to Waterworks Rd would be just plan dumb - like stopping buses coming in from Moggill at Indooroopilly, so "they" could watch a material percentage of customers switch back to private transport.   

Is there that much in it? Waterworks has bus lanes and they were re-routing the end of the route through the busway so this would chop the times down considerably. From what I can tell the main difference is caused by the stop spacing.

For example in morning peak route 379 takes 28mins to service 18 stops from West Ashgrove to Roma St. The 385 only services 6 stops in its 18 min journey from West Ashgrove to Roma St? Maybe spacing on the new frequent service would be different?

The benefits I saw were:
- Better spaced buses. The 379, 380, 381 running from different places never seem spaced well. All arrive at once.
- Proper buz that fills in non frequent holes and sundays.
- Better legibility for the casual user
- Better routing of the 379, 380, 381 route through the busway into KGS.
- Super stops. Other Waterworks routes like the new frequent service to Mitchelton also running from the same KGS stop so passengers spread more evenly across route numbers + more frequency available.
(Currently to Ashgrove 379, 380, 381 leave from Adelaide, 350 from Ann, Glider from KGS etc)
- Main bus on trunk route through more dense parts.
- Best use of glider.
- Better network geography for cross linking routes if each major trunk road has frequent route.

[ozbob]

Going to be interesting to see if the BCC review supports any of the TL review proposals.  Clearly the number of buses running to and from the CBD needs to be reduced and optimised.  I wonder if they will achieve that with increased transfers?

They might just leave the mess as it is, tinker with a few routes and hope to build a case for a bus tunnel, which is not going to do much really.

Bring it on!

[#Metro]

BCC is a total conflict of interest and is acting like a private profit-seeking company which ALSO has the taxation and planning powers of a government. A combination of the worst aspects of private and public ownership right there. Of course it supports a bus tunnel, doesn't want to look at rail, too busy focused on it's navel!