The O-Bahn

[monotonehell]

I know im sounding like a NIMBY but as a N-E Kid all my life, I think the O Bahn was one of the biggest successes of the state. Most people from the North Eastern Suburbs will agree that the O Bahn is an efficient way of transport.

That doesn't make you sound like a NIMBY at all. (However what you went on to say makes you sound rude.)

[Straze]

Many of you may remember sometime last year (i think) on a Friday night a car tried to get on the O-Bahn, well the good thing is that because the bus (J1) is not restricted to rails like a train or tram would be the bus can simply take a detour, what a relief for the passengers who dont have to put up with long delays.

[fabricator]

Many of you may remember sometime last year (i think) on a Friday night a car tried to get on the O-Bahn, well the good thing is that because the bus (J1) is not restricted to rails like a train or tram would be the bus can simply take a detour, what a relief for the passengers who dont have to put up with long delays.

You mean any extra long delays on top of those J1 usually has.
Lets be honest, the J1 is a delay.

[Straze]

Sorry i forget to mention that bit where it said (J1) that was the bus i was on that Friday night, the driver said when we got to Hackney Road - there was a car stuck on the O-Bahn so we had to detour via North East Road, O.G Road then we went back on the O-Bahn from there. See thats what i mean about the good thing about it being a bus we did not have to experienced long delays, whereas if it were a train or tram you would generally have to wait for the all clear

[fabricator]

Sorry i forget to mention that bit where it said (J1) that was the bus i was on that Friday night, the driver said when we got to Hackney Road - there was a car stuck on the O-Bahn so we had to detour via North East Road, O.G Road then we went back on the O-Bahn from there. See thats what i mean about the good thing about it being a bus we did not have to experienced long delays, whereas if it were a train or tram you would generally have to wait for the all clear

If it was a train you wouldn't be able follow it from the road, what with that tunnel underneath the Hackney Road instead of a bus slip lane. I've not heard of anyone following trams onto the conventional track (not embedded in concrete).

Mind you the intersection of South Road, Cross Road and the Noarlunga rail line does have those signs. Which read "No Entry Trains Exempt".

[iTouch]

I know im sounding like a NIMBY but as a N-E Kid all my life, I think the O Bahn was one of the biggest successes of the state. Most people from the North Eastern Suburbs will agree that the O Bahn is an efficient way of transport.

That doesn't make you sound like a NIMBY at all. (However what you went on to say makes you sound rude.)

Im sorry if that sounded rude, there was no aggression intended.
the fact that yesterday, I had a bunch of grumpy eastern suburbs people come to my work complaining about how the North East is so "middle-class" and about how their suburbs are far superior to the rest of Adelaide may have rubbed off on that post. I was pretty mad

[Prince George]

Further to my earlier comments regarding that supposed BRT article from the Seattle area, take a look at http://seattletransitblog.com/2010/02/2 ... sit-lanes/

The bill, ostensibly aimed at encouraging private transit services like Microsoft’s Connector buses to Redmond, would also open up bus lanes to charter vans, airport shuttles, and unspecified “private nonprofit transportation provider vehicles.”

It would also allow those vehicles to park in park-and-rides at all hours…

And this example is repeated right across the US: where there are bus-lanes (either specially constructed or just painted onto existing roadway), gradually their specific nature gets diluted by adding more and more exemptions to the bus-only status until they are little better than the car-pool lanes (or worse). For this reason, I am exceptionally skeptical about any pro-BRT articles etc coming from the US, you really have to check the source of them.

[Straze]

Candidates hail a longer O-Bahn track
newsLocal News10 Mar 10 @ 10:03am by Tim Williams

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The O-Bahn track at Modbury ... State election candidates have called for it to be extened to Golden Grove.
THE non-Labor election candidates in the Little Para seat are pushing for an extension of the O-Bahn to Golden Grove.

The idea of a mass transit link from Modbury Interchange to Golden Grove was raised as a long-term possibility in the Rann Government’s 30-Year Plan for Adelaide. It could be an extension of the O-Bahn track, a tramline or a dedicated bus lane.

Greens candidate Paul Sharpe said he would seek the Golden Grove extension subject to public consultation with homeowners whose land might need to be compulsorily acquired.

“We need cheap green public transport in the northeast for the area to be viable,” he said.

“It’s a tough decision but it’s something I would push for.”

Liberal candidate Franz Knoll said extending the O-Bahn to Golden Grove would be a “positive step”.

“We do need to improve our public transport a lot and an O-Bahn extension is one way to do it.”

Family First candidate David Somerville said Little Para residents had “above average levels of car dependence due to a lack of public transport options”.

“I will campaign for converting Golden Grove (centre) to a transit-oriented development by extending the O-Bahn there,” he said.

In an email, Labor candidate Lee Odenwalder did not address the question of an extension to Golden Grove.

He said Labor had secured $61 million dollars from the Federal Government for extending the dedicated bus lanes into the CBD and would upgrade interchanges under its $2 billion transport blueprint.

The 30 Year Plan also raised the possibility of a further mass transit link from Golden Grove to Salisbury or Elizabeth.

[Straze]

This article is from the East Torrens Messenger:

paradise1.JPG

LONG running car parking problems at Paradise Interchange are shaping up as a Hartley election issue, with residents and the council demanding action.

Campbelltown Residents and Ratepayers Association president Marilyn Matthews says a lack of parking spaces is an issue constantly raised by residents.

``People are being encouraged to use public transport, petrol prices have gone up, and more people will want to use it when it’s extended,’’ Ms Matthews said.

``But the bottom line is, where will they all park? It’s chock-a-block.’’

Campbelltown Councillor Max Amber suggested a second storey could be added to the existing car park.

He called on the candidate elected this Saturday, March 20, to get experts to explore this, and other possible solutions.

Last year Cr Amber moved that the council lobby the State Government for extra parks, a situation which he now describes as ‘’diabolical’’.

``For those people who don’t travel early in the morning, they can have a 500m walk from the nearest park which is not suitable in winter, stinking hot weather or for the elderly,’’ he said.

Ms Matthews says problems will only increase if no action is taken, with additional commuters likely to take advantage of the $61 million O-Bahn extension through the CBD due for completion in 2012.

Campbelltown CEO Paul Di Iulio said the council was keen to work with the State Government to resolve concerns. ``We need to find a balance on how to maximise the use of buses whilst minimising the effects on commuters and nearby residents with car parking problems,’’ he said.

Hartley candidates have committed to take action on the issue.

MP Grace Portolesi (Labor) said she had been working with the council and State Government on the issue, and would continue to do so if elected.

Liberal candidate Joe Scalzi said he was also ``well aware of the problems’’ and would work with the council and residents to find a solution.

Keith Oehme (Greens) said he would look at a system of fare concessions to encourage people to walk or ride to the interchange.

Family First’s Suzanne Neal said she would pursue more feed-in bus services from surrounding areas to encourage people to leave their cars at home.

[AtD]

You know it's an election week with all these old chestnuts popping up. Tick another one off for this round.

And lol @ the typical local rag angry pose.

[Aidan]

If parking is insufficient there, could introducing a parking charge be the answer?

[peas_and_corn]

waah, wahh, waah.

Seriously, the Park and Ride across the road isn't a chore to walk to the interchange from.

[monotonehell]

waah, wahh, waah.

Seriously, the Park and Ride across the road isn't a chore to walk to the interchange from.

It might be if you're mobility impaired, but even then you don't have to. You just walk across the road to the 556 or 557 stop and catch one there. they come past every 7 mins in peak.

@Aiden: Parking charge isn't the answer, two bus trips plus a nominal charge comes mighty close to the cost of parking a car in the city. Not a correct motivator.

The reason people at my work give why they use the park and ride is because they are in a large housing estate that buses cant easily penetrate. So they take their car to Paradise instead of walking to the nearest bus.

[Aidan]

@Aiden: Parking charge isn't the answer, two bus trips plus a nominal charge comes mighty close to the cost of parking a car in the city. Not a correct motivator.

If the parking spaces are full then presumably there's already a strong motivation to park and ride. We don't need to make it much stronger, but if the busway from Gilberton to the City really does save as much time as predicted, the motivation will be much stronger anyway. I see nothing wrong with charging for parking in order to make it self funding. And if you're worried it could deter people from parking there, one solution would be to impose a nominal charge on the nearest spaces while leaving the rest of them free.

Not having enough parking spaces is a far more serious deterrent.

The reason people at my work give why they use the park and ride is because they are in a large housing estate that buses cant easily penetrate. So they take their car to Paradise instead of walking to the nearest bus.

What large housing estate can't the buses easily penetrate?

[fabricator]

The reason people at my work give why they use the park and ride is because they are in a large housing estate that buses cant easily penetrate. So they take their car to Paradise instead of walking to the nearest bus.

What large housing estate can't the buses easily penetrate?

Inexperienced ones with narrow entrances that haven't even been visited by a real bus.