KEY TIME FOR TRANSPORT
THIS is make or break time for public transport in the tourism capital.
Crowded buses and trams yesterday morning were a sign that with the Commonwealth Games about to start and with road closures and lane restrictions in force, commuters were migrating from their cars to public transport.
This was not just about people wanting to experience a Games novelty.
Commuters trying public transport were anxious to avoid any congestion caused by road closures and lane restrictions on the glitter strip and the potential for gridlock on the M1. The next two weeks will be telling, on the one hand showing locals how efficient and stress-free buses, light rail and trains can be, but on the other hand also indicating whether the dire warnings of transport and Games officials about traffic jams were accurate or overblown.
The lessons to be learned are already evident, even before the starter’s gun fires.
Commuters will learn that public transport is a viable alternative, but it hinges on them being able to reach buses, trams or train stations easily on foot or provided there is adequate parking for them to leave their cars for the day and commute. Their transport option also has to deliver them within easy distance of their destination.
The other lesson for transport authorities and the travelling public lies in the ease of accessing timetable and route option information. Commuters still contemplating trying public transport might be stunned by the time Games spectators will have to allow to reach the sport venues, according to the online travel planner set up especially for the event.
But these are exceptional circumstances. The sheer volume of people who have to be moved and the disruption to the usual transport routes and heavy traffic, caused by road closures and changes, mean in most instances there is no straight-line route from home to Carrara Stadium or the aquatic centre.
Transport Minister Mark Bailey was chuffed yesterday, excited that Opening Ceremony rehearsals were a successful test of the transport infrastructure. Despite this, Gold Coasters should be aware they must allow plenty of time to reach the stadium. It could also still take hours tonight just to shift them from the Carrara precinct once the ceremony is over.
The public must be sensible. This is to be expected. It has been the same at every Commonwealth Games and Olympics, and was certainly the case at the QEII Stadium during the Brisbane Games in 1982 when the bus-rail system went like clockwork, with spectators directed to orderly lines in specific lanes for buses to take them home or to a train station.
The other lesson is for our federal, state and local governments. We all hope the transport system is a huge success for our Games. If it is, we can expect the politicians will be happy to take a bow. But this can only work because the frequency of light rail and train services has been boosted significantly, with the extra services running 24 hours a day. Critically, there are also 1000 additional bus services in operation.
It is expensive but vital, demonstrating the need to invest heavily in public transport so that the commuting success, provided it happens, is not just a novelty.