News & Discussion: O-Bahn

[SRW]

Turns out the Adelaide City Council weren't too hot on it, so they built pedestrian safety traffic islands up Grenfell Street on the intended route (part of their ongoing development feud with SA government?).

Weren't these built before the funding was announced? And hasn't the Council been publicly supportive of the the extension?

I wonder what happens to the funds allotcated to the job? can the state move it elsewhere?

Federal grants are typically tied, so I suspect not.

I'm not sure I place much stock in the rumour, but it has to be said that this project has been confusing from the get-go.

[Waewick]

whilst I don't take the O'bahn personally it is obviously a blow to the attractiveness of the operation which is a shame.

[zap brannigan]

TBH i would be very surprised if the State Government let themselves be pushed around by the parklands mob and council on this one.

f**k the tree hugging bananas in pyjamas... they have held this town to ransom for too long.

these folks are just malcontents with a chip on their shoulder and a wish to make the rest of adelaide as unhappy as they are.

we should initiate the mats plan for the eastern parklands and extend hutt street right up to north terrace and also look at using some of the park lands to fix the britannia roundabout... this would get the bananas screaming their heads off.

[AtD]

Weren't these built before the funding was announced? And hasn't the Council been publicly supportive of the the extension?

I have a feeling they started before I left Adelaide which was even before Rudd was in government. Also on the Hindmarsh Sq end, in front of the Griffin, there's an "Economic Stimulus Project" sign on the median strip boasting how the section was federally funded. It's not unheard of having the left hand of the federal government not knowing what the right is doing, but it does poke some holes in that tipoff.

Besides, we don't know enough about the proposed design to know if that median strip is even in the way.

[mooshie]

I have a key interest in a business on hackney road and some guys came in to do a survey about the extension and impacts to the business about 4 weeks ago.

I would be surprised if it was not going ahead

[rhino]

On Page 27 of today's Advertiser, Pat Conlon says the O'Bahn extension project is definately going ahead, and that Isobel saying it's been canned is just scaremongering.

[AtD]

Thanks Rino. That's good news.

[RayRichards]

Is there any government publications concerning this project yet? Am I right they are using the same tracks as further up. Thanks.

Ray.

[Norman]

There are some details in the latest New Connections (see Page 10): http://www.infrastructure.sa.gov.au/__d ... lowres.pdf

[Nort]

From the article Bay Transit posted:

http://www.sensational-adelaide.com/for ... 808#p74808

A multi million dollar State Government commitment to extend the O-Bahn bus service into the City Centre and replace its ageing fleet has been delayed.
Just 2 of the 97 new O-Bahn buses-promised in May 2009 in a $118 million four year replacement program-have been built and are yet to enter service because they are still undergoing safety testing.
At the current rate of 3 a year,the full fleet of 97 buses would take until 2040 to join the Tea Tree Gully to City route.The Government meanwhile has revealed its planned $61 million O-Bahn extension into the City Centre will be delayed by at least 6 months, until mid-2012 because the project still does not have Federal funding.
The Federal Government announced last May it would fund the O-Bahn extension,with the State Government claiming dedicated bus lanes between Hackney Road and the City would cut 10 minutes off travel times.
Transport Minister Patrick Conlon's media adviser Sam Ion said on Friday that construction on the busway would finish in mid-2012 coinciding with the "allocation of funds from the Commonwealth Government".
He said the Transport Department was still developing concept plans for the busway and preparing traffic modelling "with a view to a presentation being made to the incoming Government early in its term".
The O-Bahn is Adelaides busiest route carrying more than 7000000 passengers a year from Adelaide's north-eastern suburbs.
Opposition transport spokeman David Ridgway said the delays showed Government had"no idea" how it was going to extend the track."Clearly it was one of those projects that they have plucked out from the air",he said."They don't know where they are going to take it and it goes back to the lack of leadership from the minister".
"The community has been misled.This was something they just dreamed up one day,thinking it would sound sexy,without actually working out how to do it".
The Government has signed deals with transport company Scania Australia and Royal Park bus builder Custom Coaches to construct 200 buses for the Adelaide Metro system including 120 articulated buses.
Mr Ion said 97 articulated buses would be used on the O-bahn,replaceing its ageing Mercedes-Benz models,which were not accessible to the disabled and had no air-conditioning and were nearly 25 years old.
Under the Passenger Transport Act,buses must be retired after 25 years in service,unless otherwise approved by the Transport Minister.
Mr. Ion confirmed 2 O-Bahn buses only had been constructed;1 is nearing completion and "approximately 33" were in various stages of production.

I'm detecting a bit of bias in that article. So the government ordered the new buses ten months ago, and only 2 have been completed to date? Does the author of this article not understand that it takes time to get mass production going and that once the lines are rolling properly, and the new buses have been fully tested things will obviously go faster?

[monotonehell]

I've seen the two new buses being tested in the past few weeks.

I love the cheeky line "At the current rate of 3 a year,the full fleet of 97 buses would take until 2040..." Bit of an unnecessary beat up that. Dare I look to see if there's an Adelaide-Now comments forum for this article?

[Prince George]

I'm detecting a bit of bias in that article. So the government ordered the new buses ten months ago, and only 2 have been completed to date? Does the author of this article not understand that it takes time to get mass production going and that once the lines are rolling properly, and the new buses have been fully tested things will obviously go faster?

I imagine that they think that in "world cities" like New York, if they got news like this Mayor Bloomberg would pick up the phone and with a couple of calls, a secret handshake, and a twitch of his magical nose have a fleet of buses ready to roll by morning.

I regret that we didn't start a thread on dubious reporting for this election lead up. I'm sure we'd have a fine collection. And some stats on column-inches devoted to Michelle Chantelois vs to policy would be interesting too, in an infuriating and somewhat depressing way. No wonder there are so many undecided voters, who could make a decision given the paucity of information we're presented with.

[Aidan]

I'm detecting a bit of bias in that article. So the government ordered the new buses ten months ago, and only 2 have been completed to date? Does the author of this article not understand that it takes time to get mass production going and that once the lines are rolling properly, and the new buses have been fully tested things will obviously go faster?

I imagine that they think that in "world cities" like New York, if they got news like this Mayor Bloomberg would pick up the phone and with a couple of calls, a secret handshake, and a twitch of his magical nose have a fleet of buses ready to roll by morning.

What makes you think he couldn't? Do you think the vehicle manufacturers of America don't have any stockpiled?

'Tis only if you want a particular make or model that you're likely to have to wait long.

[The Scooter Guy]

Construction is scheduled to commence in 2010 and be completed in 2011.
http://www.nationbuildingprogram.gov.au ... ension.pdf
Pics as soon as construction begins!

[ChrisRT]

Will be very interesting to see what the final designs look like. I don't see how they can fit it into Grenfell St. without taking away some car lanes which is certain to raise a few hackles. Anyone with more of a road engineering bent than me have any ideas?