News & Discussion: Public Transport Contracts, Service & Policy

[Aidan]

Does anyone know, if there has ever been a consideration for a direct North/South train route without the need to change at Adelaide station? I would have thought this inexpensive to achieve. ie could a diesel train be run from say Oaklands stopping at Goodwood and continue on to the Northern line (limited stops) instead of into Adelaideand perhaps terminate at Salisbury? Passengers from the South wanting to get to the North could change to this train at Oklands. Passengers from Belair could change at Goodwood.Perhaps a platform could be built near the old gaol as a transferr for the Outer Harbor line to the North /South line. Those wishing to go further North could then change at Salisbury for points further North. It is not uncommon at Adelaide station to watch commuters changing between platforms only to sit in a parked train awaiting departure.

It has been considered and very quickly rejected, as the demand just isn't there. It doesn't make sense to run trains avoiding the place where demand is strongest. Nor would it make sense to slow everyone else down just so a small minority of passengers would be able to transfer a bit faster (and the track near the old gaol is too sharply curved for a station anyway).

When I commuted from Hallett Cove Beach to Mawson Lakes, a higher service frequency would have been preferable to trains avoiding the City (but not avoiding the need to change trains). Linking the lines under the City would be much better, of course, particularly on a route designed to enable fast through services.

BTW Oaklands only has two tracks, so is not suitable as a terminus.

[Aidan]

There have in the past been a few trains avoiding the City, but only during Show week. I think they terminated at Goodwood before Showgrounds Central station was built.

[Hooligan]

Although I like the idea. Would such a service be viable?

[claybro]

Although I like the idea. Would such a service be viable?

I am not sure re the viability as my insight is only observational of the transferrs going on at Adelaide. It is often mentioned even on this forum that although Adelaide public transport is CBD centric, a majority of commuters do not finish their journey in the CBD.. I thought this would be a cheap way of linking our rail services befor an eventual underground link through the city. I agree strongly with Aidans mention of trains under and THROUGH adelaide similar to the rail loop under Melbourne. This I think is decades off in Adelaide due to our financial position. Our train lines are far from capacity and I don't see why such a train would hold up existing trains, especially when freight is also removed from crossing commuter lines.

[muzzamo]

I noticed a sign today saying that all new seniors cards will also have the metrocard built right into the card.
What a brilliant idea!

Freeloading seniors are currently a real drag on journey times during off peak because each one of them holds up the bus for between 5 and 20 seconds while they are issued with their green single use ticket. This is particularly bad between 9 and 930 and 230 and 3:00 when many of them have delayed or bought forward their journeys to get their free ticket.

I was wondering how they would convert them across to metrocard because they are often technology averse and don't really care about holding the bus up for their free ticket since they are time rich. Issuing them with metrocards built into their seniors card solves this problem.

I'm still amazed at how well the government is handling the metrocard project.

[witsend]

I'm still amazed at how well the government is handling the metrocard project.

Oh, bollocks. Please tell me you were touching something wooden when you posted that? If you weren't, it's doomed!

[Tonsley213]

I'm still amazed at how well the government is handling the metrocard project.

Oh, bollocks. Please tell me you were touching something wooden when you posted that? If you weren't, it's doomed!

I still think the screen should show the trip time remaining on transfers and a combo of both for first validations. eg top line balance, bottom line trip expiry.

What do ya reckon?

[Verbatim9]

I still think the screen should show the trip time remaining on transfers and a combo of both for first validations. eg top line balance, bottom line trip expiry.

What do ya reckon?

Yeah that would be a good idea its all guess work when working out all the transfer rules, times etc... When travelling on those smart cards in other states! But then again the government markets the smart card as taking the guess work out of traveling on PT. Just load and GO!

[JamesXander]

I've read from a few people recently that the new cards are extremely easy to hack? That is to put fake 'credit' on the cards.

[Verbatim9]

I've read from a few people recently that the new cards are extremely easy to hack? That is to put fake 'credit' on the cards.

Nothing like a free ride

[muzzamo]

I'm not suggesting they are not easy to hack but isn't the balance stored on a server somewhere? hence the ability to charge online.

[Tonsley213]

care to share your method?

[Norman]

Winter 2012 edition is out:
http://www.infrastructure.sa.gov.au/__d ... 12_web.pdf

[crawf]

Looks like they have gone back to their old format.

[bay transit]

Transfield Services(operating as Light-City Buses) will begin operating tomorrow from a new depot at Gillman.
Buses being transferred from Morphettville and St.Agnes Depots.This will save them time,dead running,fuel etc/