(Note: BrizCommuter apologises for the excessive use of quotation marks within quotation marks).
From the Brisbanetimes "Mr Beattie said the transport plan would provide terrific gains for the Commonwealth Games, "with a little pain". There is no gain, without some pain," he said." There would have been a lot less pain if the Beattie government had quad tracked Salisbury to Kuraby instead of only triplicating it!
From the Brisbanetimes "Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the government had kept its commitment not to close any rail lines during the games, but admitted commuters who used several stations along the Beenleigh line would be forced to use free buses instead." So "several" means 16? The dictionary definition of Several is "more than two but not many".
From the ABC news "Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told Parliament last year "categorically" there would be no line closures, but Mr Bailey insisted the Beenleigh line would have a "continuous service" with the replacement buses." What is a "continuous service"? A conveyer belt? Be honest, you've closed 16 stations on one line, and replaced them with buses!
Transport Minister Mark Bailey discussing the Beenleigh Line rail replacement buses on ABC news "It will be quite convenient. In some cases it will actually be faster, in some cases it will be similar, and in some cases it will be a weeny-bit slower". A weenie bit slower? So having to walk to the bus stop (in some cases hundreds of metres from the station), wait for a bus, travel on the bus, walk from the bus to the platform, wait for the train, and then travel on the train, is only a weenie bit slower than just getting on a train? Maybe Mr Bailey has a very large weenie?
From the Courier Mail "Mr Bailey said the cuts were happening during the “usually quiet” Easter school holiday period." There are cuts for the whole week after the games and Easter holidays have finished. This will result in severe train overcrowding, and very annoyed commuters!
From the Brisbanetimes, quoting QR CEO Nick Easy "We’ve always said there would need to be some adjustments to other parts of the rail network as we increase services on the Gold Coast line to meet this unprecedented demand." So "some", means up to a 50% reduction in peak services, removal of some peak express services, up to 50% reduction of off-peak services, awful hourly weekend frequencies, closure of 16 Beenleigh Line stations, and 100% reduction of Ferny Grove to South Bank/Brisbane journeys. Right?
QR CEO Nick Easy "Other transport providers around the world have also had to alter their regular timetables to meet the demands of major events of this scale." The London Olympics, and Glasgow Commonwealth Games only saw service increases, not decreases. In Delhi, a few new metro lines opened for the Commonwealth Games. In SE Queensland, it's just a disaster!
When politicians are this delusional, there is little hope!
Did Peter Beattie really admit that things would have been better had the Beenleigh line been 4 lines instead of three?
ReplyDeleteI think you are going to see and hear so many politicians telling so many weaners than they will be pinochio by the end of this.
And is there any explanation for how ppl are meant to get to the events that are not held on the Gold Coast, which I think there are a few?
No, he's probably completely oblivious that a half-arsed job during his tenure will be causing pain for Beenleigh Line commuters during the games, and has been restricting the counter and off-peak frequency on the Gold Coast and Beenleigh Lines for the last decade.
DeleteSo.... I wonder what the contingency plan is for WHEN (not IF) a police incident happens at Beenleigh? It happens weekly now, and I've been in several 4 hour delays, but mostly they are only 2-3 hour delays. The whole time those "closed" stations are much needed stopping points for loo breaks and vending machines. Nobody could seriously be expecting no incidents. When someone's life is in danger, or when there is a loss of life we simply cannot rush police and emergency services. That said, there are no contingency plans right now. No QR staff are given any updates and internet and social media updates are rare and quickly out of date.
ReplyDeleteThere are plans for a quick response team of some sorts during the games.
DeleteIn that case I'd hope that any plans like this are kept post-games. Not necessarily quick replacement by buses, just accuracy and timeliness of information.
Deletemuch like the 'northern' busway, which was built 'faster, cheaper, sooner, better' Makes you proud to be from the Norfside, eh brizcommutator!
ReplyDeleteWe all love the busway with missing sections that is slower than just using the road!
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