News & Discussion: Adelaide Metro Buses

[1NEEDS2POST]

Never noticed this before because I’m rarely on North Terrace at night, but last week Monday night I noticed the 174 bus to Paradise do a hook turn at the KWS/North Tce intersection turning right onto North Tce.

It makes sense with the tram tracks there, but it’s an odd thing for Adelaide. Are there any other routes that do hook turns?

Buses turning right onto North Tce have used hook turns ever since the original tram extension to West Tce (then Entertainment Centre.) It's the same with buses turning right from Currie St to King William St.
https://www.google.com/maps/@-34.924354 ... 312!8i6656

As for which routes make these turns, it's on this map, if you can make sense of it:
https://adelaidemetro.com.au/content/do ... A3_WEB.pdf

[SBD]

Never noticed this before because I’m rarely on North Terrace at night, but last week Monday night I noticed the 174 bus to Paradise do a hook turn at the KWS/North Tce intersection turning right onto North Tce.

It makes sense with the tram tracks there, but it’s an odd thing for Adelaide. Are there any other routes that do hook turns?

There is a Bus-only lane on Elizabeth Way facing Main North Road at the left of all the other lanes. It gets its own signal before the green light, so some of the buses use that to turn right (south) onto Main North Road. I've noticed some use the "normal" right turn lane, bu haven't noticed if it depends on the driver preference, the route, or how much traffic was on Elizabeth Way if the bus came from the south side and couldn't easily cross to the Bus-only lane.

Since it has its own lane and signal, I'm not sure if it technically counts as a hook turn or something else.

[Eurostar]

Never noticed this before because I’m rarely on North Terrace at night, but last week Monday night I noticed the 174 bus to Paradise do a hook turn at the KWS/North Tce intersection turning right onto North Tce.

It makes sense with the tram tracks there, but it’s an odd thing for Adelaide. Are there any other routes that do hook turns?

Buses turning right onto North Tce have used hook turns ever since the original tram extension to West Tce (then Entertainment Centre.) It's the same with buses turning right from Currie St to King William St.
https://www.google.com/maps/@-34.924354 ... 312!8i6656

As for which routes make these turns, it's on this map, if you can make sense of it:
https://adelaidemetro.com.au/content/do ... A3_WEB.pdf

I remember in late 90s the original Payneham Road buses and even the TL10 used to stop just before duty free shop,. To turn right onto North Terrace they had to cross a few lanes, in peak hour thatll be a hard move now

[Modbury_Man]

Another hook turn is coming out the northern end of Tea Tree Plaza interchange there is a bus lane at the junction of Northern Roadway/North East Rd/Golden Grove Rd thst allows the 542 and 557 bus routes to turn right from the far left lane. Interestingly the LinkSA bus route which goes the same way as the 542 and 557 never seems to use the bus lane despite it being an official DPTI contracted bus route -
http://linksa.com.au/documents/timetabl ... TP-TTP.pdf

[PeFe]

And now the South Australian government are looking for a site for a Flinders bus interchange !!!!

In 2019 we can't get this right and do it at the same time as the Flinders link extension.......!!!!!

Medium to long term planning in South Australia is absolutely woeful.........D-............!!!!!!!

From In Daily

Search for Flinders/Tonsley bus interchange site

Transport Minister Stephan Knoll said the study would identify the best location for a potential future bus interchange, to improve network integration connectivity from the southern suburbs onto the Tonsley rail line.

“The study will also explore the location of a new bus interchange works with the current bus interchange outside of the Flinders Medical Centre, so we provide better access for customers in the entire area,” he said.

“It will also look at both the Flinders and Tonsley precincts, including modelling current and future demand levels, to identify potential further transport infrastructure and service improvements over the 20 years to support the growth of the two precincts.

“We have already taken action to safeguard land for a potential bus interchange at the new end of the Tonsley line at the Flinders education and medical precinct, and this study will determine if this is the best location.

“We have a fantastic opportunity to better integrate our public transport network once the Flinders Link project is complete and the Tonsley line is extended to the Flinders education and medical precincts.”

Flinders University Vice Chancellor Colin Stirling welcomed the study.

“Flinders University is creating a vibrant urban village centred around the new Flinders rail station at its Bedford Park campus,” he said.

“Flinders Village will be an integrated, mixed use, transport-oriented development featuring student accommodation, research facilities, cafes, shops, entertainment, and community spaces that will be a magnet for students and a lifestyle hub for our neighbouring communities.

“A Flinders bus interchange will further complement the transport opportunities for students, staff, visitors, service providers and local residents and further leverage the state and federal government’s investment in the Flinders Link rail extension.”

The study is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

https://indaily.com.au/news/local/2019/ ... ange-site/

[claybro]

And now the South Australian government are looking for a site for a Flinders bus interchange !!!!

In 2019 we can't get this right and do it at the same time as the Flinders link extension.......!!!!!

Medium to long term planning in South Australia is absolutely woeful.........D-............!!!!!!!

From In Daily

Search for Flinders/Tonsley bus interchange site

Transport Minister Stephan Knoll said the study would identify the best location for a potential future bus interchange, to improve network integration connectivity from the southern suburbs onto the Tonsley rail line.

“The study will also explore the location of a new bus interchange works with the current bus interchange outside of the Flinders Medical Centre, so we provide better access for customers in the entire area,” he said.

“It will also look at both the Flinders and Tonsley precincts, including modelling current and future demand levels, to identify potential further transport infrastructure and service improvements over the 20 years to support the growth of the two precincts.

“We have already taken action to safeguard land for a potential bus interchange at the new end of the Tonsley line at the Flinders education and medical precinct, and this study will determine if this is the best location.

“We have a fantastic opportunity to better integrate our public transport network once the Flinders Link project is complete and the Tonsley line is extended to the Flinders education and medical precincts.”

Flinders University Vice Chancellor Colin Stirling welcomed the study.

“Flinders University is creating a vibrant urban village centred around the new Flinders rail station at its Bedford Park campus,” he said.

“Flinders Village will be an integrated, mixed use, transport-oriented development featuring student accommodation, research facilities, cafes, shops, entertainment, and community spaces that will be a magnet for students and a lifestyle hub for our neighbouring communities.

“A Flinders bus interchange will further complement the transport opportunities for students, staff, visitors, service providers and local residents and further leverage the state and federal government’s investment in the Flinders Link rail extension.”

The study is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

https://indaily.com.au/news/local/2019/ ... ange-site/

Love the sound of the mixed use urban hub the uni is planning. A great outcome.

[Spotto]

And now the South Australian government are looking for a site for a Flinders bus interchange !!!!

In 2019 we can't get this right and do it at the same time as the Flinders link extension.......!!!!!

Hopefully the bus interchange will end up being built at the same time as the train extension, in anticipation for the future Flinders Village. Mawson Interchange and the rebuilt Munno Parra popped up in anticipation of the immediate vicinity being developed.

The study is due for completion end of this year, the Flinders extension hasn't started construction and isn't expected for competition until at least 2020. Maybe the bus interchange could be added into the project during construction?

On another note, if Flinders Uni are smart, they'll put underground student parking beneath the entire village. The current oval parking will be progressively lost to the new station and the village.

[ozisnowman]

In todays Advertiser under the heading "More buses urged as traffic jams set to worsen" -

Subscription Article
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/sou ... a5ec1f6895

Its amazing that some people in planning seem to be in the Liberals back pocket and would even suggest such a stupid idea. The CBD at peak our is chaotic with buses
we definetly do not need more buses.

We need more trains and trams at regular 10 to 15 min frequencies to get people away from driving cars to work as much as possible. Possibly increase car park fees in the CBD but better still get corporate business to limit the staff getting city carparks.

A core network made up of Trains and Trams with regular times supported by feeder bus network is fine and whats needed not a general we need more buses approach.
More buses without the road infrastructure will do no better than Trains/Trams and will actually lead to more congestion but hey our governments seem to love the

CHEAP AND NASTY APPROACH (EVEN THOUGH ITS A TIME OF HISTORIC LOW INTEREST RATES) AND A GREAT TIME TO INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE

[Spotto]

More bus-train interchanges would be ideal. On the Gawler Line for example, an interchange at Islington could absorb a majority of citybound passengers on Churchill Road and Main North Road buses. Passengers continue into town via more epace-efficient trains, while that now-empty bus goes back out and retraces the route it just took. There can and will still be buses that continue into town, but the overall number will be less.

Passengers still get into town but there's less buses clogging city streets, plus those buses can then be redeployed on their local routes (a much nicer alternative to cutting them...) so bus frequency can increase on high-demand routes in peak times.

I don't see how expanding the bus network and completely disregarding the train and tram networks will make transport better. Buses are good, but they should absolutely not be the backbone of our public transport system.

[TorrensSA]

The problem is the train station is inconvenient, we need a city loop train for bus to train connections to work properly. The tram is right at ARS and its pretty good, but thats now 3 vehicle changes. The city loop with stops at ARS (North Tce), Hindmarsh Square and Victoria Square would really boost railway patronage.

[SBD]

I heard someone on the radio yesterday talking about studying Metrocard data to discover where people actually want to go. Since we don't "tap off", she was using the location of the next "tap on" as an indicator of where people ended up, with the idea of then offering bus services that don't need to pass through the CBD.

Yes, an underground rail service through the middle of the city would be nice for the people who would use it - people who live in the collection area for a railway station and work or study closer to one of those extra stations than they do to the current Adelaide railway station.

Updating the bus routes so that less people need to pass through the CBD to get to their intended destination, and assisting and encouraging people to "work local" instead of commuting so far might be harder, but more effective in the longer term.

[Eurostar]

More bus-train interchanges would be ideal. On the Gawler Line for example, an interchange at Islington could absorb a majority of citybound passengers on Churchill Road and Main North Road buses. Passengers continue into town via more epace-efficient trains, while that now-empty bus goes back out and retraces the route it just took. There can and will still be buses that continue into town, but the overall number will be less.

Passengers still get into town but there's less buses clogging city streets, plus those buses can then be redeployed on their local routes (a much nicer alternative to cutting them...) so bus frequency can increase on high-demand routes in peak times.

I don't see how expanding the bus network and completely disregarding the train and tram networks will make transport better. Buses are good, but they should absolutely not be the backbone of our public transport system.

Parafield Station is a "High Frequency Station" yet has no bus services feeding to and from it. The Gov should at least trial a 406 from Paralowie to Parafield via Kings Road.

Also in areas like Woodside there is only a handful of city buses or 834/835s. At bare minimum there should be a 834 at least every hour during the day on weekdays and weekends.

[Brucetiki]

Today is 30 years since the full O-Bahn track opened

[claybro]

Today is 30 years since the full O-Bahn track opened

The track is also almost at the end of its useful life already.

[SBD]

Today is 30 years since the full O-Bahn track opened

The track is also almost at the end of its useful life already.

How does that compare to railway track that has not been lifted to have the ballast repacked, or had sleepers or rails replaced or ground? Have any equivalent things been done to the O-Bahn track in that time?  

I know railway companies routinely do all those things, but I'm not sure how often. I'm curious if the same kinds of things have been done to concrete track or need to be. It looks kind of modular, so if the pillars are still good, a suitable kind of flatbed truck with a crane could lift out a few pieces and replace them, but require buses to run slowly over the join until they are all changed over. Maybe a grinder could make a lot of noise and smooth off the bumps in concrete just like they do on steel. Collection of the dust/mud could be a challenge for grinding though.