Media 27 June 07

Fast track rail improvements for Southeast Queensland

Despite its flaws, Queensland Rail’s City Train network is still one of the most reliable public transport systems in Australia’s capital cities and should be expanded so that more people have access to it.

The City Train rail network is on time for the vast majority of trips (92.6% on-time average in peak hour 2005/2006) compared with Sydney where the system only reached a 92% on-time average 12 in every 20 days (54% of the time).

In Melbourne, the on-time performance of the Connex rail network recently dropped to 90.8% as a result of a damaged train fleet, and Connex was forced to pay compensation to regular users.

“Rail has greater speed and capacity than cars and buses, and will best cope with meeting the transport needs of the growing region,” said CAST spokesperson Tristan Peach.

It is safer, faster and more comfortable than cars and buses, with international research on 80 cities showing there were no regions where the average speed of bus systems exceeds 26km/hr, while rail systems averaged between 34-43km/hr, in comparison to a general road traffic speed of 34km/hr.

“In Southeast Queensland current and planned rail upgrades need to be prioritised by the State Government, with money to be taken from low-priority road projects such as the disastrous Airport Link tunnel,” said Mr Peach.

“We are also encouraging frustrated rail commuters to write to Transport Minister Paul Lucas to tell him what needs to be improved,” said Mr Peach.

CAST believe rail improvements need to be fast-tracked such as:

(1) The rail link between Darra and Springfield must continue on as a four track line through the Ripley Valley linking back into Ipswich.

(2)The transport corridor between Petrie and Kippa-Ring must be developed as rail, possibly servicing North Lakes.

(3) The northern line must extend to coastal centres such as Maroochydore and Mooloolaba, and the southern line to Coolangatta.

(4) Work needs to be done with timetable integration, for example the Ipswich train (coming from Caboolture) often narrowly misses the connecting Ferny Grove train at Bowen Hills, which can lead to a wait of up to one hour

(5) Improved bike and pedestrian paths and lighting around railway stations

MEDIA CONTACT: Tristan Peach 0416-478-615QR CityTrain

References

QR CityTrain
http://www.corporate.qr.com.au/Images/QR%20Annual%20Report%202005_06_tcm15-14708.pdf

Sydney Rail Corp
http://www.transportregulator.nsw.gov.au/publications/reports/ontime_running04/on_time_running.pdf

Connex Melbourne http://www.connexmelbourne.com.au/news_comp/index_feb.asp

Kenworthy, Murray-Leach and Townsend (2005) ‘Sustainable urban transport’ in The natural advantage of nations: business opportunities, innovation and governance in the 21st century. Earthscan, London.