Sunday, September 8, 2013

SE Queensland - this is what you voted for...

Welcome to congested Hicksville
As expected, the LNP's Tony Abbott will be Australia's new prime minister, bringing with him a "1960's" road-centric transport policy, and no funding for urban rail projects including Cross River Rail (CRR) and Melbourne's Metro Rail Tunnel. Thus a vote for the LNP was a vote against the urgently required CRR.  So for all of those who voted for the LNP, this is what you have effectively voted for:

Gold Coast Line - more than 60% of Gold Coast residents have voted against CRR, which means that the Gold Coast Line will become increasingly overcrowded after 2016. Enjoy your hour of standing!

Cleveland and Beenleigh Lines - approx. 55% of voters along the Cleveland Line corridor have voted against Cross River Rail. The majority of voters along the Beenleigh Line voted for CRR, but unfortunately this line shared tracks with the Cleveland and Gold Coast Lines. Again, enjoy the prospect of standing, not being able to board trains, and being kicked off the train at South Brisbane.

Ferny Grove and Doomben Lines - more than 53% of voters along these lines have voted against Cross River Rail. Ferny Grove Line commuters can thus expect increasing overcrowding, and Doomben Line commuters could even see their already infrequent rail line be axed to allow increased capacity for other rail lines.

Shorncliffe Line - this line has a majority of ALP voters. Unfortunately as this line shares tracks with the Doomben, Airport, and Ferny Grove Lines, there will be no room for increased train services after new timetables are introduced in 2014.

Sunshine Coast, Caboolture, and Kippa-Ring Lines - these lines mainly serve LNP strongholds, and the swung Petrie electorate. With Moreton May Rail Link (Kippa-Ring/Redcliffe Line) adding more passengers onto an already busy rail corridor running at near maximum train capacity, expect overcrowding from 2016, and severe overcrowding by the early 2020s.

Ipswich and Richland Lines - the majority of voters chose the ALP. Thank's to the majority of voters elsewhere favouring the LNP, you can expect severe overcrowding from the early 2020s. Don't expect enough train capacity to cope with rail extensions to Ripley Valley.

Flagstone Line - Greater Flagstone is in area with more than 60% LNP vote, Well, don't expect a train line to this new town, as the lack of CRR effectively prevents running trains to/from Flagstone. Enjoy your long drive to work!

Public transport fares - due to lack of CRR, BrizCommuter can only see a continuation of the high fares policy to deter commuters from using public transport, so as to avoid government public transport spending.

Tony Abbott's vision for Brisbane
Car commuters - lets not forget the majority who drive to work. You commute is directly affected by the number of people who use public transport. Less public transport users = more road users. Expect, more road congestion, more pollution, and more road trauma (i.e. deaths and injuries on the road). Roads that parallel train line corridors (such as Wynnum Road and Samford Road) may be worse off. Enhancements to the Pacific Highway and Bruce Highway will only add to road congestion in inner-Brisbane and suburbs.

SE Queensland economy - congestion and delayed commutes = poorer economy. CRR had major economic benefits for SE Queensland, sadly the majority of voters did not vote for it. The risk to the Queensland economy should a peak oil crisis occur will also rise significantly.

Thanks to Tony Abbott's retro transport policies, the Queensland state government now needs to urgently devise a plan B (such as introducing advanced signalling to allow more effective use of existing train lines). Again, with the state governments poor public transport credentials (e.g. failed bus network review), don't hold your breath.

6 comments:

  1. You've complained a lot about Newman and Abbott, but I didn't see you doing much to speak out about how shitty their infrastructure plans were prior to their elections.

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    Replies
    1. Whist you have not been reading the more recent posts. If you are going to complain about the slant a person is taking on their blog, kindly do them the favour of actually reading their blog entries rather than making an out of the blue flame. PS, use your name next time, troll.

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  2. Campbell Newman is now proposing this: http://www.news.com.au/national-news/queensland/campbell-newman-reveals-plan-for-underground-rail-and-bus-network-to-ease-traffic-woes/story-fnii5v6w-1226715541694

    The main question I have is, if we have returned to a 80/20 funding model for roads, instead of 50/50, doesnt that free up money for building CRR?

    And as we have seen already, as soon as BCC jumps up and down about Brisbane Transport, the Newman Government will cave in and go to water.

    So all this is good for is being a webpage. Seems like another page deserving a title- this site is for demonstration purposes only and reality will not be anything what is demonstrated here.

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  3. What's your views on the current plans put forward by Newman for a combined bus/light rail network including a tunnel under Adelaide Street to get more buses off the street itself (as reported in todays CM). Personally I believe any plan like this won't work whilst the network is still as shambolic as it is. I think the LNP government, sooner rather than later, will either have to force the BCC to privatise Brisbane Transport, or hand the contract over to a private operator. Contrary to the head in the sand views of both my local councilor, and the Mayor, the network is broken.

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  4. Stating that people voted against CRR is a gross over simplification. With only a few political parties to choose between there would be very few individual voters who would agree with every single policy position of a particular party. Even members of parties don’t agree with every single policy position in their party.

    Voting is a process of weighing up differences policy positions, performance, and – unfortunately - personalities.

    A vote against a party that has ONE of their policies of pro CRR is hardly voting against CRR. It is a balanced vote for all of the factors of positions, performances and personalities of one party over the same factors of another party.

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  5. Anonymous - you obviously didn't read the last 3 blog posts!

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