 |
| Springfield Central |
"Mummy, why is there a station called Springfield Central and another called Springfield. That's really silly Mummy."
Yes, even a 5 year old can see the stupidity in similar sounding station names. In fact, in BrizCommuter's trip along the Springfield Line he overhead four different groups of people talking about the lack of differentiation in station names between Springfield and Springfield Central. Typically railway naming conventions call a centrally located station by "place name" or "place name central". Surrounding stations are then called "place name east/west/north/south/parkway etc etc". However, Queensland Rail or TransLink have named one station Springfield and the other Springfield Central. Now this is based around the suburbs that the stations are actually located in, but is obviously causing great confusion to passengers. BrizCommuter would not be surprised if multiple passengers have got off at the wrong station - resulting in a 30 minute wait for the next train! Just to add to the confusion, it should also be noted that the train destination shows "Springfield" when the terminus is actually "Springfield Central".
So what should Springfield station be renamed as?
- Springfield Lakes - makes sense at that is the name of the adjacent suburb.
- Springfield North - makes sense due to geographical location.
- Springfield Middle (of Nowhere) - well it is.
- Springfield Outback - as above.
- Teenage Mum Central - accurate, but not politically correct.
- Springfield Bushfire Fodder - it's only a matter of time.
The name 'Central' can also denote the CBD of a suburb, if it's a significant suburb. Hence you'll find Wynnum (the residential suburb) is different to Wynnum Central (the commerical part of the suburb).
ReplyDeleteIt's no different with Springfield, Springfield is the residential part of the Springfield suburb, while Springfield Central denotes the commercial part of Springfield that has the shops, offices, and soon to be stadium etc, if there are two stations within the one suburb.
So, IMO, I don't find it a problem for there to be a 'Springfield' and a 'Springfield Central'.
The 'Springfield' station is in the suburb of Springfield. Not Springfield Lakes. Springfield Lakes is on the eastern side of the highway, Springfield is on the western side, which is where the railway is.
ReplyDelete'Springfield Central' station is located in the suburb of Springfield Central.
@ Anonymous 2 - this was actually noted in the blog post. However it doesn't solve the confusion that appears to be occurring.
ReplyDeleteAnd the mum should answer. Because that is the name of the two suburbs. So the problem is not with the station names, but the names of the suburbs.
ReplyDeleteThe station names are fine as they are and as soon as it is explained that they are named after the suburbs they are located in, it all makes sense. Just like every other station.
I would also challenge your conclusion about great confusion- the Springfield line is a new line with specific travel. People are travelling to a specific station for a specific reason and so will know which station to arrive and get off at. So I would hazard a guess that very few are actually confused.
It is very simple to remember. Springfield Central is end of the line. If Springfield Central and Springfield could cause more confusion if they were middle stations of a long train line, such as the listed Wynnum stations.
Springfield Central station is on the Brookwater side of the highway, so shouldn't Springfield Central be renamed Brookwater and Springfield retain its name?
ReplyDeleteIt depends on where you look at the suburb boundaries. Google Maps show the boundary between Brookwater and Springfield as being the highway. If you use the Qld Gov's 'Qld Globe' google earth plug in, they draw the suburb boundary at the north edge of the station (meaning the entire station is within Springfield Central).
DeleteAlmost anything would be better than the current naming.
ReplyDeleteThe three Wynnum stations do cause confusion to the casual passenger.
ReplyDeleteFor Springfield, it's about recognition/legibility/place-making, all those fuzzy things urban designers like to talk. At this stage, with Springfield being the collective name to everything "down the Centenary Highway", it's a problem with developing suburban areas with no real sense of identity to it. Give it time and Springfield will (may?) develop it's own identity separate to Springfield Central.
Although how many suburbs in Brisbane has this "central" distinction? Apart from Logan Central, but there's no suburb of Logan and that was more to divorce the area's name/reputation from Woodridge (and come to think about it, we have a Logan City Council, but no "Logan" suburb, Redland City Council, but no "Redland" suburb and City of Gold Coast, but no "Gold Coast" suburb?).
For all the things wrong with Public Transport in this region, arguing over what to name the two Springfield stations is really really really far down the list. It's not really that big a deal. Springfield is in the houses, Springfield Central is at their CBD. Give it time and everyone will know that.
ReplyDeleteWhen you go out there, the stations being called Springfield and Springfield Central do make sense. Springfield is near the houses and the settlements of Springfield and Springfield Lakes.
ReplyDeleteSpringfield Central is right across the road from Springfield CBD, hence the central and is south of Brookwater.
Changing Springfield to Springfield North would be rather incorrect. Springfield is north east of Springfield Central. Brookwater is 'north' of Springfield Central. If there is any need for a name change, it would be Springfield Central to Orion Springfield or CBD Springfield.
Yes, on the map, Brookwater is NNW of Springfield Central and Springfield is North East of SC, but when sitting on the station at SC, it does make sense that Brookwater feels to the north and Springfield to the East.
The naming is stupid. I got off at Springfield this morning because I thought it was the end of the line. Then found out it was an hour until the next train to go just one more stop. Thankfully I got picked up, but was late for Christmas lunch. Wont be getting off at the wrong station again!!!
ReplyDeleteWhilst it is true that the difference in the names is not a big issue, it does no harm to keep chatting along on this topic. I think it is good that there have been quite a few replies to this topic.
ReplyDeleteIt has surprised me that there have not been more replies to other topics, especially to UBAT, where Dutton Park is being proposed to be closed.
I am surprised that BzC has not put up a long blog post on another 7.5% fare increase, way above inflation and CPI and still blaming the Labor Government for it.
A complete disgrace in my opinion. Please make a blog post so we can comment on those changes :) Waiting :)
When naming things for general public use no 'prior knowledge' should be assumed. The argument that 'well you know that one is the houses and the other is the cbd' is Shitsville....Central.
ReplyDeleteI think the real mistake was them naming the line and having the destination sign as Springfield rather than Springfield Central, trippy...
ReplyDelete