Gold Coast Public Transport

[marki]

Seems to be confusion with the new fares and ticketing (17 January) for cross border services. So Surfside put some notices on their website.

The Impact of Translink Fare & Ticketing Changes

New South Wales & Cross-Border Fares Notice

"Daily & weekly tickets will still be available on all 600-608 services & will be honored on Queensland (Translink) services for cross-border tickets"

Apparently someone in Qld can still get a day or weekly ticket if they drive south to Tweed Heads (NSW) and buy a ticket from there.

.

[marki]

Commentary in the GCB today:

WILLOUGHBY: Rethink transport habits
Gold Coast Bulletin, Shannon Willoughby | April 14th, 2011
http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/...-opinion.html?



THIS is a city that loves cars.

We jump in the car before we even think about public transport, unless today's boozy lunch day, of course. Our love affair with the car has been spurred as a result of poor planning, quick growth and a failure by those in power to be a step ahead, instead operating three behind.

Terrible footpaths, inadequate bike tracks and a sluggish bus system have all contributed to our love affair with the car. But there are baby steps toward structural change.

The biggest and most obvious is Rapid Transit. We just have to make sure it is completed past stage one, connecting to the airport and the heavy rail lines for it to have any major impact.

It would also be good to see an upgrade of all paths between stations to encourage people to walk or ride to a station. Studies have shown people living in a city with light rail will come from kilometres away to jump on board if the infrastructure is good enough.

Secondly, the completion of parts of the Oceanway is rumoured to be on the cards, whether beachfront residents like it or not. And, rightly so, given the recent death of a woman along Albatross Avenue -- she would not have been hit and killed by a that was car reversing out of a driveway if the path was beachfront. The Oceanway completion will encourage people to walk or ride through areas that they would normally think is too dangerous to venture.

Taking it one step further, we should be using the canals. Bring on the solar cats or CityCats or simply more ferry services.

Once our infrastructure has been upgraded, it will be time to upgrade our attitude. Think about it.

When you're overseas you spend all day in and out of subways and tubes, walking long distances between theatres and museums, jumping on busses to get to places and even hiring bikes to sight-see. We have to bring that willingness to use public transport home with us.

Last week a traffic report for Evandale just happened to cross my desk. It details the amount of traffic that passes the area, as well as public transport. It was put together in light of plans for the proposed cultural centre. Council is in the community consultation stage.

One of the concerns is how the proposed precinct -- which could include new theatres, stages, art galleries and museums -- will impact on traffic at Bundall, which already is, at times, at its peak.

Well, firstly, about 3000 workers will be moving from the exisiting site, heading to the new council HQ at Robina. That will free up nearly 900 carparks for visitors to the precinct, the report says.

Secondly, there will be a Rapid Transit station in Surfers, so theatre-goers can catch a train, jump off and bar hop along Chevron, before crossing the green bridge for cyclists and pedestrians to the precinct entrance.

Too far, you say? The distance is about the same as the length of South Bank in Brisbane and Spain's La Ramblas. There are plans to copy La Ramblas and turn Chevron Island into a pedestrian and dining haven.

When the light rail opens, it will free up more busses to do the east-west routes. According to the report, this will add benefits to the region.

Not only that, but the whole joint is surrounded by water. How glamorous arriving to a concert via a speedboat? Now that's very GC.

Whether we like it or not, the world is becoming more green and fuel prices will continue to rise, putting pressure on car-only residents. With all this positive infrastructure change promised on the horizon, it's time we began to change our attitude towards public transport.

Accept that one day many of us will be leaving the car at home. I know I'll be ditching the car when the light rail is built to make my way to the theatre. La dee da.

[nathandavid88]

She makes some very good points there. I personally can't wait to see the Rapid Transit up and running! It'll be sooooooo much better than taking buses along the coast!

[marki]

but will you pay the $12.00 for a one-way ticket Southport to Broadbeach to enjoy it?

[Dimethyltryptamine]

let's hope it's like Melbourne

[jonas jade]

Originally Posted by Dimethyltryptamine

let's hope it's like Melbourne

By the looks of the plans, it's much, much better than Melbourne.

ETA: The pic from that article is of a bus

[nathandavid88]

Originally Posted by marki

but will you pay the $12.00 for a one-way ticket Southport to Broadbeach to enjoy it?

I'm a regular Go Card commuter, so I'll pay substantially less than that to enjoy it. Hell, I pay less than that to take the train from Robina to Central!

And apparently, the new transport minister is looking to shake up the Go Card system a bit...apparently!

[SoulvisionQ1]

Originally Posted by marki

but will you pay the $12.00 for a one-way ticket Southport to Broadbeach to enjoy it?

I highly doubt that will be the normal fare price. Pretty sure the system will be go-card only too.

I just hope Anastasia proceeds with the shake up and creates a tourist go card.

[Macca-GC]

Originally Posted by marki

but will you pay the $12.00 for a one-way ticket Southport to Broadbeach to enjoy it?

Where'd you get that ticket price from? That seems ridiculous, they'd never make it that expensive.

[joninbrisbane]

Exactly, it's a two-zone journey. ($3.11 go card - $4.60 for single paper ticket (2011 Prices))