24 May 2010

Public Transport to our favoured businesses!

| johnboy
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The Chiefly Stanhope has put out a media release purportedly celebrating the success of the REDEX bus service:

More Canberrans are catching a bus as a direct result of the ACT Government’s REDEX bus service, which runs every 15 minutes between Gungahlin and Kingston, Chief Minister and Minister for Transport Jon Stanhope said today.

ACTION surveys have revealed that 61 per cent of passengers are catching buses more often because of the high frequency service and 77 per cent of bus users prefer REDEX over ACTION’s regular services.

Who’d have thought frequent and fast bus services would be popular? That really goes against the heart of the ACTION doctrine!

But it gets better down the page:

Based on its success, the Government will continue REDEX and extend the service from the Kingston Railway to Fyshwick, stopping at the Direct Factory Outlet.

Finally those without cars will also be able to enjoy the low, low prices of DFO!

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To re-establish this discussion – latest frustrating note to add here is that DFO is no longer playing a party to the informal idea of “park and ride” – DFO have recently in the last fortnight I believe, refused to open the carpark before 9am, so as to avoid the parking spaces being clogged up by “non-shoppers”. This idea is ridiculous to me as a user of the abovementioned, as there have never in my time of parking there been more than around 10 obvious “park and riders” parked underneath, nor have I ever seen the carpark full even on a long weekend of busy shopping.
This has now stopped me using the bus for transport into the city for work as the 9:15am is too late to leave. To catch the bus from there we now have to park our car on the spare block of land between the baby shop and DFO. Not sure if that is more or less safer than the DFO underground carpark, but frustrating nonetheless re. protection from the elements, and the contrary to the spirit of the system.
I really think that DFO is missing out on a good promotional opportunity with this partnership, and ACTION is losing customers (i know others who have had to avoid this situation).
When my car was parked there I sometimes (albeit not always) used the opportunity to pop into the shops before or after the bus ride depending on times.
Back to paying ridiculous amounts for parking in the city, clogging up the roads and getting p’d off with the traffic.

merlin bodega8:06 pm 25 May 10

arescarti42 said :

I fail to see how improving the service by running it to Fyshwick will stop it from being air conditioned or force it to stop more frequently on Northbourne Avenue. In fact I fail to see how extending the service does anything other than benefit people who want to go to Fyshwick.

Let me SPELL it out for you. As there will be no more buses provided then because each bus will take longer to complete the route then that results in a lower number of services. The air con and stopping on Northbourne is irrelevant to the route extension for setting up a new service for people who just can’t wait to do more shopping for things they don’t need. The people in Gungahlin who catch the bus in summer do appreciate the air con as it happens but then maybe you think that is something too good for working people in the suburbs. The continual toying with their civic amenities could just be one reason why Labor always does so poorly in the Gungahlin booths.

georgesgenitals said :

Why doesn’t the bus run directly from my house to my office when I want?

It does…its called a taxi.

emd said :

Makes sense to run a service from Gungahlin to DFO via Civic.
Lots of young people live in Gungahlin and work at DFO and/or Civic.
And lots of people who live in Gungahlin want to buy homewares etc from DFO too.

Also many of these people have relatives in Bungendore-how about that!

Makes sense to run a service from Gungahlin to DFO via Civic.
Lots of young people live in Gungahlin and work at DFO and/or Civic.
And lots of people who live in Gungahlin want to buy homewares etc from DFO too.

georgesgenitals9:12 am 25 May 10

Why doesn’t the bus run directly from my house to my office when I want?

Yurgle_the_Yeti8:48 am 25 May 10

merlin bodega said :

If the REDEX trial is supposed to be a success why isn’t the trialled service being implemented?

I guess it is not feasible to run a separate trial for every single new route/timetable… If the idea works, why not extend the coverage and/or implement a redex style system elsewhere?

Personally I think it is a good idea and I will use it. Heaps cheaper than driving 25km each way to work and more comfortable than bicycling (especially in winter).

merlin bodega said :

Not a bad service but its real benefit is that it is air conditioned and doesn’t have to stop at every single stop along Northbourne Avenue which adds an age to any trip for a route service to get to Gungahlin suburbs from Civic. It is saddening to see this being jeopardised.

I fail to see how improving the service by running it to Fyshwick will stop it from being air conditioned or force it to stop more frequently on Northbourne Avenue. In fact I fail to see how extending the service does anything other than benefit people who want to go to Fyshwick.

merlin bodega10:02 pm 24 May 10

Why is a successful service like the REDEX being amended after the trial? Of course. So it will be like all other ACTION services and take longer to complete its circuitous route, result in a less frequent service and ultimately demonstrate that even more money should be poured into this hole in the ground masquerading as public transport to pay ever higher salaries for the executives. Don’t worry about what the drivers get paid. Read the fine print in the budget papers about how much the management gets paid. What happened to accountability?

If the REDEX trial is supposed to be a success why isn’t the trialled service being implemented? I use the REDEX from time to time to get to or from Gungahlin when my bus doesn’t turn up and I have to improvise to get to or from work. Not a bad service but its real benefit is that it is air conditioned and doesn’t have to stop at every single stop along Northbourne Avenue which adds an age to any trip for a route service to get to Gungahlin suburbs from Civic. It is saddening to see this being jeopardised.

I wont even drive to DFO.why the hell would I catch a bus.If DFO is so good why are 36.7% of the shops MT(empty)?

Redex to DFO? Fantastic! So… as a full time worker who lives in Mawson, who would like to travel to DFO on a weekend… my choices will become as follows:

Bus:

Walk to an intertown bus stop in Philip 5 mins.
Wait up to 15 mins for a 900 bus.
15 mins on the bus to Civic.
Get to the Redex bus stop in civic interchange… get annoyed at not realising Redex does not operate on weekends.
Walk to the 980 platform. Discover I’ve just missed the 980. Wait 55 minutes for the next one.
Travel 45 mins to DFO.
Total potential travel time: 2 hours 15 mins.
Total potential cost one way: $2.45 deduction from my 10 ride bus ticket.

Vs Bike:

Walk to my shed, get on my push bike. Ride 8km in a leisurely 50-60 mins.
Total potential cost: $1-$2 inc bike wear and tear, extra food required for sustenance.
Potential risk: Being killed on a high speed road thanks to no seperate, direct bicycle infrastructure.

Vs Car:

Walking to my driveway. Getting in my car. Drive 8km to DFO.
Total potential travel time: 15 mins.
Total potential cost: $4.80 inc petrol, servicing, rego, car value depreciation, insurance… based on an estimate of 60c per km.

Yep. This latest “splurge” in alternative transport makes buses a completely valid alternative for me!

Funky1 said :

Based on its success, the Government will continue REDEX and extend the service from the Kingston Railway to Fyshwick, stopping at the Direct Factory Outlet.
quote]

and the potential new strip club wouild be nice

I work at DFO and catch a bus to and from work, except weekend nights as the last bus leaves at 545 and we close at 6. Here’s hoping the weekend timetable is extended!

Gungahlin Al2:09 pm 24 May 10

Sacrcasms aside, the service has been a success, and in turn has also (from reports I’ve received) improved conditions on the other services.

I’d hope that other core routes would also get similar services as part of the network review that is currently underway and due to get rolled out in September. So if you live near one of thosde obvious routes, now is the time to be lobbying ACTION (and your local Community Council for their support).

Based on its success, the Government will continue REDEX and extend the service from the Kingston Railway to Fyshwick, stopping at the Direct Factory Outlet.

Will it then be extended once again to finish up at Snow Plaza (AKA Brand Depot). I bet if it doesn’t, he’ll have a few things to say.

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