ASLEEP AT WHEEL
Bailey’s Games transport plan trips up, but he says no problem
TRANSPORT Minister Mark Bailey last night was in denial. He scoffed at social media posts from hundreds of disgruntled passengers stranded at Broadbeach as they tried to get to the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony, saying they were exaggerating.
But within minutes of him dismissing claims they had waited up to two hours for buses from the tram station to Carrara, Games officials tweeted an extra 23 buses were on the way to ease the chaos.
Sydney tourist Leonie Curtis said: “This isn’t a holiday, this is torture. This is the most disgustingly organised event I could imagine.”
TRANSPORT and Main Roads has vowed to review the Commonwealth Games bus service operations after hundreds of opening ceremony ticketholders were left stranded at a major Gold Coast bus interchange last night.
Some commuters were waiting for buses at the Broadbeach South tram station for up to two hours as the city’s public transport system plunged into mayhem.
But Transport minister Mark Bailey scoffed at suggestions commuters were waiting any longer than 40 minutes, tweeting he waited just four minutes for a bus at Nerang station.
Within minutes of his post, Games officials tweeted an 23 extra buses were on their way to Broadbeach.
“There will be learnings coming out of this, no doubt,” a Transport and Main Roads spokesman said.
“As with any event of this size and significance, it is likely spectators will experience delays and we would like to thank them for their patience.”
Mr Bailey tweeted: “Extra bus shuttles were dispatched to Broadbeach South to move people to Carrara faster and reduce queuing.
“I’ve been watching the video feed regularly for Broadbeach South at the traffic coordination centre so any claim no buses arrived for 40 minutes is very inaccurate.”
The line up of increasingly anxious commuters was finally cleared by 7.15pm.
The final group of buses came in a block of eight loading hundreds of people in a matter of seconds.
Sydney resident Leonie Curtis said: “This isn’t a holiday, this is torture,” she said. “This is the most disgustingly organised event I could imagine.”
Officials resorted to putting patrons in taxis free of charge while other people in the line turned to ride-sharing apps.
Melbourne resident David Stephenson, who had been waiting two hours for a bus, said: “It’s an embarrassment to Australia to have visitors coming here.”
Mother Natalie Fourie waited more than 90 minutes with her four-month-old son, Toby. She said she had followed the directions from GOLDOC.
Tennis Gold Coast president Mike Ford, who got to Broadbeach South station early, said: “I arrived at Broadbeach south at 5.15pm – staff did not know why the buses weren’t there. I got on a tram back to Helensvale, the train to Nerang, I’m nearly there (at the stadium),” he said at 6.30pm.”
Late last night a spokesman for the Transport Minister said: “Tonight we saw a record crowd at Carrara Stadium with a large percentage of people choosing public transport to get to the venue.
“We manage the network in real time via our Transport Coordination Centre and sent extra buses to alleviate the problem. Throughout the Games we will constantly review passenger loading to see where we can adjust our services to meet demand.”
LNP Shadow Transport Minister Steve Minnikin said: “Annastacia Palaszczuk should have spent less time focusing on her ego and speeches and more time putting together an essential transport plan.”
YOU WOULD THINK THE ORGANISERS WOULD HAVE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEY GOT IT RIGHT ON OPENING NIGHT MELBOURNE RESIDENT DAVID STEPHENSON