Anyone noticed the relationship between

[mtbrider]

The school holidays are over and the traffic congestion still has not gotten back to where it was prior to the petrol price rises.

The peak hour run to work is easy and no delays and even managing to hit lift at least a couple of times to and from work.

Anyone else notice this or is it just a Brisvegas thing.

The commuters at work are complaining the buses and trains are busier.

[Azza]

I am noticing a slightly faster run in from the Northside (Brisbane) where it used to take me about 40 minutes to get from Murrumba Downs to Herston, I am now doing it in under 30....

I have been dubious to relate this though to petrol pricing, I was relaying it more to the push by BCC to get people on publiuc transport by closing lanes, mismatching traffic signals and making parking harder to come by.

Although if I may use this as a forum to air my issues with the Brisbane public transport system here we go.

EXAMPLE 1 - I spend 1/2 hour each way driving to and from work at an average of 50km round trip. Where my car takes $70.00 to fill 60 litres and city cycle I am getting about 500km per tank on average, my fuel costs to work are about $35.00 per week plus 5 hours travel.

With this, I can leave home at 6:30am and be at work for 7:00am. I can finish whenever I feel like it although I usually leave at about 4:30pm and am home just on 5:00pm.

Should I take public transport, the first problem I encounter is that the first bus service to leave my suburb departs at 6:20am. :(

This bus arrives at the train station at 6:30am and am required to catch a connecting bus at 6:40am. This bus arrives at Herston at 7:22am.

I then have a 500m walk to work (not that far) but allowing about 5 - 10 minutes for this, arriving at approx 7:30.

Travel Time = 1 hour 20 minutes

Travel Cost = $3.70

Return Journey

The first available bus after 4:30pm is 5:04pm departing Herston arriving Petrie at 5:58pm. The connecting bus is 6:02pm arriving in my area at 6:19pm. (If my first bus misses the connection, the next connecting bus leaves at 6:30pm).

Allowing 5 - 10minute walk from the bus stop to my house, I would then be home at around 6:30pm (assuming I make the connection).

Travel Time = 2 hours

Travel Cost = $3.70

TOTAL FOR WEEK = $37.00 + 3 hours 20 minutes...

Take the financial burden out of it, why would I spend nearly 2.5 hours extra per day to take advantage of public transport ;)

This is just one example. I know there are many examples of public transport flaws, and unfortunatly Brisbane is full of them. Lutwyche Road in Brisbane emplores a Transit Lane system where you can use the transit lane with 3 or more occupants in the vehicle. Maybe they should not only police the use of this lane where people use the lane that shouldn't, but what about policing the non transit lanes of people that should be in the T3 that aren't.

Also, why would anyone want to use the transit lane when you have to stop in it every 500m for a bus that is stopped at a bus stop. Hardly makes the T3 viable.

Carpooling in this day in age is not really an option any longer. Everyone works different hours in different locations. I am fortunate enough that some days of the week, there are 2 people from my workplace sitting at a bus stop on my way into town, so I will pick them up.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to use public transport everyday, however it is just not viable or convenient.

Anyway, this is my winge.... :)

Edited October 13, 2005 by Azza

[Azza]

My second problem with public transport in Brisbane relates to the use of transport to the airport. Brisbane Airport Corporation has announced this week that they are looking at employing a system that is used in some other countries where the closer you get to the terminal, the more you pay. This includes drop offs.

At the moment, the long stretch of road in Brisbane known as Airport Drive is a Private Road (not Government Owned) and has been designated by BAC as a 'No Standing Zone" and have been allocated authority by the Government to fine drivers for parking on the side of this road.

Airport parking starts at about $10.00 for 15 minutes or something, with this set to be increased in the near future to the system where the car park is divided into sections where if you park in Section A you would pay a fee, Section B, a lower fee, Section C - a lower fee again, and also including a fee for dropping off and picking up where this currently attracts no charge.

The Government and BAC are encouraging the use of the Airtrain Service. A Privately owned rail link utilising Queensland Rail Trains (which are not on time) and charging a massive premium.

Airtrain Quote

This is the quote achieved for the cost of 4 adults to catch the train to the International Airport, which I will need to do in February when I fly to England for my holiday. I am required to be at the Airport at 6:00am. This cost does NOT include the cost of the train travel from one of the city stations to Petrie. The cost of this is $3.70 per adult.

The cost for train travel to the airport will therefore be $74.80.

We will need to be on a train at Petrie Station at 4:30am for this service. This does not include the fact that I will need to pay about $20.00 for a taxi to the train station.

The cost involved to have a friend drive us to the airport, pay for parking and giving them fuel money (as well as buying them breakfast) would be a extremely small potion of this cost. As well as this, we wouldn't have to leave my house until 5:40am...

Go figure....

[mtbrider]

Azza I'm glad you got that off your chest.

With me it's the opposite. The BCC bus service is fantastic for me. There is a bus every 15 minutes all day everyday no time table needed.

The bus is far cheaper and faster than the Sportivo to work ( I park 15 minutes walk away from the city and still pay $8 a day - probably very cheap to Sydneysiders).

I just can't stand being seated next to people I don't know who breath over me (garlic fumes or bad breath) and cough over me and are fat and squeeze next to me and touch me YUK. I like my comforts and I'm just selfish I suppose. But that said when I need to drink after work I always catch the bus so it does come in handy plenty of times.

And I just can't get enough of driving the Sportivo.

[CAP]

My Public transport experience.

Using the bus/train it takes me 50min and $45.00 per week (5 days) and it doesn't always run on time and getting more crowded by the day ( Think Sardines in a can )

Using the Car, I spend $10 a day for parking and $8 a day for tolls + Petrol and Car wear, so either way I can't win !

[Azza]

Maybe we all need to work from home....

GO INTERNET HOME BUSINESSES :P

[SILVABULLIT]

Azza you got it easy ;)

Well the traffic is definately a lot thinner with the high price of fuel and I'm loving it.

I used to have to leave home at 6am to be at work at 7am but now can leave at 6.15 am and still make work by 7am no problems.

My costs for travelling to work a week are;

Toll- $23

Fuel $70

Trip from home to work and back again is 110km. That's 550km's a week.

If I could catch a train to work that i didn't have to change at a Station in town I would. But to get to the train station nearest to my work i would have to catch a train at 5.23am to be in town by 6.14am. Catch the connecting train at 6.19am to be at the station near work at 6.55am for the 15 minute walk to work. <_< The closest station to my house is about a 7 minute drive or 45 minute walk.

Hence why I drive as I would otherwise have to be up at 4.30am and wouldn't be home till just before 7pm.Stuff that :P

[Buddha]

The way things are looking for us, I don't think we'll ever use Brisbane public transport again if we can help it.

Our closest bus takes almost an hour to get from our stop to the City, is unreliable (I've averaged it out to be 5 mins late every day, on more than one occasion it just hasn't turned up) and the buses are cramped, uncomfortable and mechanically suspect.

The car takes us 20 mins tops, that's in the worst of peak hour, we can leave whenever we want both ways, and the overall cost works out the same.

Although, if mtbrider wouldn't mind PM'ing me with his $8 parking place, that'd be sweet! :)

We can catch trains, too, but they're worse than the buses in most ways! :P

Edited October 14, 2005 by Buddha

[Mintos]

Damn, keep going Azza, write a letter to the Queensland state Transport minister, tell that clown how it is!

It sounds like all you guys have some nasty transport to endure. Teach you for living in citys I have to travel about 35km each way and couldnt imagine being dependant on public transport :( Dont know why, but in recent years i have trusted other people's driving skills less and less (especially bus drivers...), I like to be the driver, makes me feel more secure. Besides, my situation would be similar to Azza - public transport would probably cost me more and take longer.

[sportiv]

meh.. come live out on the west side - bellbowrie.. we dont have street lights and from my house its a 2km ++ hike to the nearest bus stop.

[SILVABULLIT]

meh.. come live out on the west side - bellbowrie.. we dont have street lights and from my house its a 2km ++ hike to the nearest bus stop.

←

Out west eh? Isn't that the other side of Toowoomba? Almost takes that long to get there :P

[Azza]

meh.. come live out on the west side - bellbowrie.. we dont have street lights and from my house its a 2km ++ hike to the nearest bus stop.

←

Yeah Grag - But once you get into Moggill or Jindalee or one of them big suburbs where there is busses, you get more busses leaving in the morning to the CBD than what we get in a whole week.

MINTOS: I have written to bothe the State Government Transport Minister and the Brisbane City Council Transport Representative but they both have neglected to write back and respond. I am sure you will find many Brisbane-ites agreeing with me when I say that we live in a city where the authorities are more interested in getting people off the road unless they are in a Bus/Taxi/Train...

Another example of the stupidity of the Transport authorities. For 20 years there has been plans to extend the northern suburbs rail link. Currently there is a northern running line theat after splitting at Eagle Junction for the Sandgate/Shorncliffe line, extends north to Caboolture then onto Nambour.

The plans to extend this link were for a link to split off at Petrie, then run along the back of Kallangur through Murrumba Downs, Mango Hill then through to Rothwell and the Redcliffe Peninsular.

This link has been a 'Proposed Rail Link' in Brisbane Street Directories for 20 years and the land has been put aside for this link...

Redcliffe Rail Link Campaign

Last year the State Government cancelled plans for the link because the felt that the link would not be used. Please show me one person that lives on this catchment that has said they would not use it.

Another example - at the highway near my house, we have a southbound on ramp to head towards the city, and a northbound off ramp heading towards the Sunshine Coast. Should anyone of the 5,000 odd households inthe estate that I live (as well as any of the other 20,000 households in the area) want to head north on the highway to the Coast, it requires back streets for about 5km though suburban streets past 2 schools & 4 sets of lights adding 10 minutes to a trip which wouldn't be there if the northbound on ramp and southbound off ramp were built.

Again, show me anyone that lives here that doesn't want them. I have spoken to people that live in an area that backs onto the land where these ramps would be built and they want them there.

The local government (Pine Rivers Shire Council) want them and are pushing, but can't do anything because it's a State Government road.

The State Government won't do anything because the road falls under funding of the 'Federal Highway Campaign' and reckon their hands are tied.

The Federal Government won't do anything because they reckon there is no demand... ;)

Bring on a civil revolt :P

[Northy]

i did think about using public transport once, it lasted abut as long as it took me to find my keys, anyone that has been to singapore/hong kong will know how public trantsport should be run.

PS azza pick me to take you to the airport lol i could handle the drive with all the given "benifits" :P

[SILVABULLIT]

That'd include a stop over at my house guaranteed

[Buddha]

Another example - at the highway near my house, we have a southbound on ramp to head towards the city, and a northbound off ramp heading towards the Sunshine Coast.  Should anyone of the 5,000 odd households inthe estate that I live (as well as any of the other 20,000 households in the area) want to head north on the highway to the Coast, it requires back streets for about 5km though suburban streets past 2 schools & 4 sets of lights adding 10 minutes to a trip which wouldn't be there if the northbound on ramp and southbound off ramp were built.

Agreed that Azza's nearest on/off ramps are crap. :P