Unfortunately, in todays Brisbane Times article it has been stated that "The fleet will include 35 trains for long distance services on the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Rosewood lines which will have two toilets and these will be made disability-accessible, while the remaining 40 trains will have no toilets, like QR's existing urban fleet".
This is the first that BrizCommuter was aware that more than half of the supposedly toilet equipped NGR trains will now not have toilets. When was this change made? Was it a cost saving exercise? Was it due to the toilets on the first batch of NGR trains being too small for wheelchairs? With urban train services to Cleveland, Beenleigh, Caboolture, Ipswich, and Kippa-Ring having journeys times of approximately an hour from Brisbane's CBD, the lack of toilets is a disgrace. This will also reduce operational flexibility by having two classes of NGR, increasing the likelihood of non-toilet equipped NGR trains running on the longer distance services to Rosewood, Gold Coast, and Sunshine Coast. The lack of amenities for basic human requirements on trains, is yet another reason why the majority of SE Queenslanders avoid using Queensland Rail's train services, and prefer to use their car instead. BrizCommuter backs calls by Rail Back on Track for a Commission of Inquiry into the massively botched NGR project. It is also time that the DG of Transport and Main Roads - Neil Scales was "flushed down the toilet", having presided over so many project failures.
The toilets will become guards compartments. This is essential on unmanned platforms for disabled boarding assistance.
ReplyDeleteMy understanding is that the toilet equipped trains are currently confined to the Ipswich to Caboolture/Sunshine Coast & Airport-GC corridors in a 6-car IMU or 6-car SMU/IMU hybrid configuration.
ReplyDeleteThe problem also are the toilets may be out of order on certain trains (due to them requiring decanting), especially on the Hybrids where there's only 1 toilet instead of 2 on the 6-car IMU config.
Chances are the "older" IMUs (100/120/160) will mostly find themselves on the Ipswich to Caboolture/Sunshine Coast line as hand-me-downs whilst the Airport-GC corridor gets mostly the 'newer' toilet-equipped NGRs.
I do feel for those that may require toilets on the Springfield to Kippa Ring & Shorncliffe to Cleveland Corridors though outside of morning peak (where the toilets on most stations are closed after AM peak). Beenleigh, Caboolture and Ipswich currently benefits from toilet equipped services due to the services to/from Gold Coast & Sunshine Coast passing through those stations.
Not to worry. I see daiso has emergency toilet "bags". That should be all that's needed.
ReplyDeleteHonestly it would be very helpful if QR listed out stations the train stops at that have toilets. I've seen many stations lock them up, major stations like Park Road with only 1, and many stations with out-of-order toilets. This affects anyone with kids, a weak bladder, ostomy bag, IBS, gasto, and so on.
Completely agree. BrizCommuter once needed a pee whilst travelling from Cleveland to the CBD off-peak. All stations appeared to have toilets locked, and the train has no toilets. BrizCommuter was very close to peeing himself when had to hop off at South Bank to avoid wet underwear.
DeleteMaybe the guards will be stationed in the non compliant toilets. That is one way to solve two problems at once. Why do we have to keep solving QR's issues for them :p
ReplyDeleteThe uncomfortable NGR seats is an issue that is commonly brought up again and again by all age groups. Also for a lot of people the upholstery is too busy.
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