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| QR Spoils Easter for SE Queensland |
As previously rumoured, failed SE Queensland rail operator Queensland Rail (QR) have sunk to a new low in customer service. Whilst the news is currently saturated with the post Cyclone Debbie natural disaster, the Deputy Premier and Minister for Transport Jackie Trad conveniently announced that Easter train services, and also the weekend before Easter (8-9th April), will only run hourly. Trains services will only run every 2 hours on the Sunshine Coast Line. Only the Airport Line will still run the usual 30 minute service. The train times will also be at a different time to the normal clock face times, which will frustrate passengers with even longer waits and missed bus/train connections.
The spin is that this will make Easter services more reliable, though QR appear to run an unreliable service irrespective of frequency. This horrendous service reduction will take QR back to era of diesel hauled services in the late 70s, early 80s. BrizCommuter is very disappointed that Neil Scales (A/CEO of QR, and D-G of Department of Transport and Main Roads) saying that the "2017 timetable would be in place for the whole of 2017" turned out to be a lie.
Quite clearly, QR do not care the slightest bit about the travelling public including those who need to travel over Easter and the weekend prior, including:
- Hospital and Emergency Service workers.
- Hospitality and restaurant workers.
- Retail workers.
- Students travelling to/from University Exams on Sat 8th April.
- People wanting to go shopping (or other amenities) in and around Brisbane CBD.
- Families wanting to get to/from various events in and around Brisbane (and there are a lot of events on over Easter).
- People wanting to travel to/from the Gold and Sunshine Coasts.
- People wanting to get to/from 5 major sporting events over the Easter weekend.
- Anyone else trying to avoid Easter road congestion.
BrizCommuter has just cancelled a restaurant reservation in Brisbane's CBD on Easter Saturday, as he can't face up to a 59 minute wait for a train home. BrizCommuter's work colleagues will struggle to get to work by train, and will have to add to road congestion on the Pacific and Bruce Highways instead. Also, at the time of writing, TransLink have failed to publish any .pdf timetables. Lets hope QR make more of an effort at informing customers about the Easter changes than the previous #RailFail changes.
QR's worsening #RailFail begs quite a few questions:
- Are there going to be any more cutbacks to the "2017 timetable". Are more weekends going to see hourly services?
- Do QR realise the damage this will cause businesses and events?
- Do QR understand the further reputational damage this will cause to Brisbane and SE Queensland?
- What is the point of the seemingly useless Citytrain Response Unit, if it does not prevent further service cuts?
Government spin:
TransLink information:
Meanwhile in Western Australia, which will be running trains every 15 minutes, there is an increase in long distance public transport services for Easter...
The extra services in WA seem to be on TransWA, not the Transperth suburban services.
ReplyDeleteThat said, Qld doesn't really have a comprehensive banner for their intrastate long distance public transport services.
The extra services are longer distance. Though QR CityTrain's longer distance services to Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast will see service reductions of up to 50%. It should be noted that Perth will run an every 15 minute frequency train service over Easter, unlike Brisbane's every 60 minute service.
DeleteYou hope for 60 mins per service. If QR decides to cancel a service, tough luck, wait another hour buddy.
ReplyDeleteI think only those who absolutely have to will catch trains during Easter. There is no certainly which services will turn up.
As QR and TransLink are currently doing a hopeless job of informing passengers of the Easter changes, then quite a few people will have the unfortunate surprise of up a 59 minute wait (or up to 119 minutes when QR inevitably cancel a service).
DeleteAt least the unemployed will no longer have to pay full fare for this underperforming service.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/act-news/brisbane-public-transport-cheaper-fares-for-job-seekers-and-asylum-seekers-20170402-gvbqdf.html
Sadly, the employed still have to pay for a terrible service. Surely free Easter public transport would lessen the pain?
DeleteHow do you suggest we pay for the $1,000,000 a fortnight overtime fee if we offer free services? We didn't make this mess but unfortunately we have to pay for it. "User pays" works just like cigarettes - the higher it goes the fewer users until you end up with the few users who have no choice but to use, and who are charged unethical amounts. Public transport is also susceptible to an economic death-spiral in that the higher the price, the fewer people use it but it runs at the same cost which means the price has to go up... so you get fewer users.
DeleteThe whole frightening thing is, Queensland Rail are now making Brisbane Transport look good, and THAT does take some work.
ReplyDeleteQuite clearly the management of QR and Translink have never had to actually use public transport or have jobs they have to get to on time, so they just don't understand the needs of people who do.
ReplyDelete