News & Discussion: Public Transport Contracts, Service & Policy

[Hooligan]

so, it's not going from a coast to a coast.

[Ben]

Why don't they use this time to duplicate the tonsley line and expand it to flinders while eltrifying it? Cos thats stupid they'll wait till its reopened for a few months first and then close it agian.

Travellers shunted from Tonsley and Grange train lines

Source: The Advertiser

THE GOVERNMENT is closing the Tonsley train line for a year and slashing services on the Grange line.

The decision has angered residents who say it flies in the face of Government commitments to encourage public transport use and foster transit-oriented development.

The lines will be disrupted from Monday, February 27, to reduce the number of trains entering and exiting the Adelaide Railway Station, in preparation for upgrades to the station, convention centre and the wider public transport system.

Shuttle buses will service the expected 1200 affected passengers daily.

The Grange line will still run on weekends and from 7pm to close each night.

The Government will distribute information to affected residents through a letterbox drop and doorknocking from Monday, February 13.

But residents and commuters are angry there was no consultation over what they've dubbed an "unnecessary and disruptive" decision.

Woodville West Residents Group chairman Phil Harrison said it was a return to the "announce and defend policy which the Premier has said that he wouldn't do".

"It just sends all the wrong signals," he said.

Slashing Grange line services also undermined the "selling points" for the $130 million Woodville West neighbourhood development, which takes in the line.

Its promotional website says residents will be able to "jump on board the Grange train and head out to the sea or shuttle direct into the heart of Adelaide. It's never been so easy to get to where you're going".

Mr Harrison said: "I can't for the life of me understand why the Government would jeopardise the viability of their development by closing the trainline."

Transport Services Minister Chloe Fox said the Grange and Tonsley lines were chosen because they would "cause the least disruption".

"Transport interruptions on two spur lines are needed while the Adelaide Convention Centre is expanded as part of driving growth in the city's tourism and hospitality industries," she said.

"We apologise for the inconvenience this will cause."

Affected local councils were notified of the disruptions earlier this month.

Two of nine platforms at the city railway station will be closed on a rolling basis to allow for overhead works.

There also will be timetable changes on the Noarlunga and Outer Harbor lines

[metro]

should just keep both trains going, all they need to do is have grange trains terminate at woodville and tonsley trains terminate at goodwood.

when the Noarlunga/Tonsely lines close for trackwork, they could then bring Grange trains back to the city for the time the Noarlunga line is down.

[crawf]

I am no rail expert, but this whole thing looks like another case of short term pain for long term gain aswell an attempt by the tiser to stir controversy. These restrictions were bound to happen, with the city rail sleepers needing to be replaced, electrification work and the Convention Centre Expansion being built above the railway lines. And with the Tonsley Line being the most insignificant railway line on the network (Grange second), it makes sense.

This would also be the perfect opportunity to give the Grange Line a revamp, Albert Park Station in particular is right next to the Woodville West Urban Renewal Project and could really do with a major overhaul. Would be nice if they cleaned up the land between Clark Terrace and the railway line, it's such an eyesore.

Back to the news topic, it's most likely passengers will have to transfer to buses at Woodville and Ascot Park stations. Which hardly warrants the rubbish that people are posting on AdelaideNow (yes I know I shouldn't read ), acting like the world is going to end and leaving Adelaide because of this.. Seriously *wank motion*

[monotonehell]

[Splashmo]

Do we know if the lines will be upgraded or electrified during the year-long closure? I haven't heard anything to suggest that, and it's not likely on the Grange line at least if it's still going to operate in the evening. This sounds like a big inconvenience and if there will be no track work, I don't see why trains can't shuttle passengers as far as the end of the branch.

[Vee]

I would like to see more of the kerbside lanes on bus routes in the city as dedicated bus lanes during extended peak hours eg. 6.30 -9.30am and 3.30 - 6.30pm. Examples include North Terrace, Pulteney St. King William St, Grenfell/Currie Sts. (Include cyclist lanes where appropriate eg Pulteney St) This would make public transport a priority - faster and safer.

Consideration should be given to removing all on street parking on significant city streets with transit lanes. Delivery vehicles, disabled parking and taxi pickup and drop off bays need to be catered for but metered car parking spaces should be removed.

North Terrace seems such a logical route to ban parking, possibly even from 6.30am to 6.30pm. The dedicated lane would also be useful for emergency vehicles during peak hours.

Some streets have clearways but the number of clearway infringements eg on Pulteney Street, day after day, shows there is room for improvement - signs, lane marking, enforcement?

Right turns should also be banned in the southern section of King William Street in peak hour where trams share the road with cars.(Exception: South Terrace, which has a dedicated turn right traffic light) Trams are frequently held up in this section and it seems an easy solution to implement.

San Francisco has an interesting scheme where forward facing cameras are being employed on their buses to record transgressions on their transit lanes. Simple and it seems to be working.
http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/transpo ... only-lanes

[metro]

another thing I see sometimes is a bus going from the bus stop on the left side of the road, cutting across 3 lanes of traffic just to get into the right turn lane at an intersection. Perhaps they could have priority right turns from the transit lane on the left side of the road.

But they cant even give the trams a non-stop run through the city, so what hope do the buses have

[SRW]

another thing I see sometimes is a bus going from the bus stop on the left side of the road, cutting across 3 lanes of traffic just to get into the right turn lane at an intersection. Perhaps they could have priority right turns from the transit lane on the left side of the road.

Agreed. More bus lanes, provision for buses to hook turn out of them and priority signalling would make many routes run faster.

[monotonehell]

It would also help if an education programme for motorists who enter blocked intersections were conducted. Every day during peak period I see many people who decide that they can drive into an intersection when there isn't space for them on the other side. Sometimes they luckily manage to squeeze past the intersection. But most times they are left blocking the intersection or the pedestrian crossing when the lights change, looking very sheepish.

Plus pedestrians need to learn to cross when the lights are green and it is safe, instead of just before or after or outside.

[metro]

new metrocard validators and vending machines are being tested on the trains..

http://thebloge.dtb-consult.com/

a couple of pics:

[Hooligan]

It's good they are having 4 readers per entry. that should speed up stopping times

[crawf]

It's a basic system and a big shame that turnstiles aren't being introduced into the stations. Nevertheless, it looks good, looks easy to use and it's great there is four card/ticket readers instead the current two on trains.

However I still hope modern turnstiles are introduced into Adelaide Railway Station, so commuters wont have to validate their card/ticket on the train. It's odd and confusing to validate your ticket twice at the same railway station.


In all, I like it!

[SRW]

Should been arranged that way in the first place, but let's be thankful for small graces... Shuttle trains will now run between Grange and Woodville:

Rail reprieve for Grange line travellers
ABC New Online, 14 February 2012

A plan to cancel weekday trains on the Grange line in Adelaide has been modified, and shuttle trains will now run to and from Woodville.

The daytime weekday services will be affected by platform closures at Adelaide Railway Station during work above the station to expand the city's Convention Centre.

A shuttle train between Grange and Woodville will operate in conjunction with buses, possibly for a year from February 27.

The Tonsley rail line in Adelaide's south is also to face disruption because of the city work, but South Australian Transport Services Minister Chloe Fox says a shuttle cannot be operated on the Tonsley line.

"The Tonsley line has a different engineering issue in that there is nowhere for that train to turn around," she said.

"There's no depot, so while we can do it on the Grange line we physically can't do it on the Tonsley line."

[crawf]

Moar photos..