News & Discussion: Adelaide Metro Buses

[adelaide transport]

I hope the "G" buses stop at the new Flinders station. I had to walk from the 681 (this bus is being removed) bus stop 26B on University Drive to the main entrance, it was a 650m walk and 8 mins, the train station would be about 500m from the medical centre interchange, the govt seriously cant think thats an acceptable connection. The new system has so many holes in it.

Under this new network no 'G" buses-serviced instead by Route 3 running between City and Marion Centre via Goodwood Road, FMC, Flinders University.

[PeFe]

I just sent DPTI some feedback on the proposed changes to the Adelaide bus network.

First the positive stuff......loved the route numbering simplification.

Now what I perceive as poorly thought ideas....

I said that replacing 5 eastern suburb routes (140, 142, 143, 147 etc) with 2 new routes (10 and 20) was a fail in terms of coverage. They really need to go back to the drawing board on that one......the area needs 3 separate routes at least.

I also suggested a major change to the cross town 300/301 route. I proposed that the route stay the same from Marion all the way round back to the western suburbs but that it ends at Adelaide Airport. Shorter, easier to keep to timetable and "destinations" at either end.....not just a cross suburban bus going from "somewhere" to "somewhere".
And route 320 now becomes a fulltime connector travelling from Adelaide Airport to West beach and Glenelg, then Warradale Road to Marion.
No need for pm peak services from the city, the 320 is timetabled to meet the 1 bus at the airport allowing through journeys at a speedy pace.
And now Marion is connected to the airport....

[I Follow PAFC]

losing my 333 bus.

[adelaide transport]

losing my 333 bus.

That only ran a handful of trips-at least you will have an OD service to compensate.

[NTRabbit]

losing my 333 bus.

That only ran a handful of trips-at least you will have an OD service to compensate.

OD isn't compensation

[PeFe]

Has anyone on this forum had any experience using on-demand bus services?

I haven't...just wondering how they stack up against an infrequent bus service?

[The Scooter Guy]

Route 503 goes past the place I work at on Jacobson Crescent in Holden Hill.
And now the people who work there are totally devastated.

Time for us to all mourn as the Golden Age of public transport comes to an end...

The people who live in some suburbs are now going to walk longer distances.
And a number of local businesses are grieve risk of losing trade.

[Eurostar]

Regarding the new 520 and 1 i think many 520s will go Elizabeth to Golden Grove Village then change to route 1

[The Scooter Guy]

Stephen Knoll is now literally the 'Thanos of bus routes'.
Wearing his golden gauntlet with all Infinity Stones, he'll snap his gloved fingers in just a few weeks!

[SRW]

Meanwhile, in Canberra, they're increasing services: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-16/ ... l/12357928

[PeFe]

The proposed changes to the buses obviously reflect a desire by the state government to get "better value" from their bus contracts.

Yes there are winners and losers.......the winners are people who leave near main transport corridors ie railways, tram lines, main roads. Their services have stayed the same or have been increased. The losers are people who live far from a corridor, especially "hard to servive" non-through road cul de sac suburbia.

The planning decisions of the 60's,70's and 80's are coming back to haunt current day transport planners and the residents will have less transport options as a consequence. Transferring between buses and buses and buses and trains is about to become much more common.

Yes Canberra may be getting more bus services but that city really needs it.....I lived there for 2 years ago (a long time ago now) and it is a really really difficult city to live in without a car.

[Westside]

Meanwhile, in Canberra, they're increasing services: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-16/ ... l/12357928

Exactly. And how can Canberra justify these services? They recently went through an overhaul of their own network. When the tram came on board they took the opportunity to revisit the bus network. Some areas lost a close service, many required changing services at local interchanges but others gained in higher frequency and much more direct routes.

All routes were scrapped and designed from scratch. It allowed for 9 rapid routes (from the previous 3) and much greater frequencies. At the time their was an outcry. People protested (I kid you not). But it all went ahead. After a lot of tears and some constructive feedback they are now looking at minor tweaks and an increase in services in response to the increase in patronage.

I know change is hard and there will be some losers, but change needs to happen and with time and some small tweaks it'll all be worth it.

[TorrensSA]

The proposed changes to the buses obviously reflect a desire by the state government to get "better value" from their bus contracts.

Yes there are winners and losers.......the winners are people who leave near main transport corridors ie railways, tram lines, main roads. Their services have stayed the same or have been increased. The losers are people who live far from a corridor, especially "hard to servive" non-through road cul de sac suburbia.

The planning decisions of the 60's,70's and 80's are coming back to haunt current day transport planners and the residents will have less transport options as a consequence. Transferring between buses and buses and buses and trains is about to become much more common.

Yes Canberra may be getting more bus services but that city really needs it.....I lived there for 2 years ago (a long time ago now) and it is a really really difficult city to live in without a car.

Major transport interchanges are losing buses. Brighton Station has the 262 and 265 and 200m away the 681, 720 and 734. After the change there's the 322 a "connector" bus and 500m away is the 23 "Go Zone" - which replaces the 262 and 1km away there's the 70 and 71 which replace the 681, 720 and 734. So a bus that was once 20m from the station is now 500m away and the ones that were 200m away are now 1km. Now look at Blackwood it has lost the 195, 196 and 197X - theres an "on demand service" now and no buses to the city. And then there's the Aberfoyle Park buses which are now supposed to connect with the train, but there's a 500m walk between the bus and train stops. And how are the people on the 228 now 405 going to fit on crowded trains? there's 6 x 228 buses an hour in peak - thats over 200 extra people trying to jam into already crowded trains. I bet the the trains which are now have bus connections will still only run every 30 min on weekends. it's not good enough. The gov't has only ordered 12 new trains, not enough if you're making buses connect to trains, Gawler will need 10 trains an hour, Flinders will need 4, Seaford at least 8 in peak direction. The biggest fuck up is: here's 12 x G20 - 21 - 22 buses an hour in peak, so you have 500 people per hour in peak made to walk 500m from the medical centre to Flinders Station, seriously there has to be a bus stop at the new station, how can you terminate 12+ buses an hour 500m away and make 500 people shlep around the medical precinct.

[PeFe]

Major transport interchanges are losing buses. Brighton Station has the 262 and 265 and 200m away the 681, 720 and 734. After the change there's the 322 a "connector" bus and 500m away is the 23 "Go Zone" - which replaces the 262 and 1km away there's the 70 and 71 which replace the 681, 720 and 734. So a bus that was once 20m from the station is now 500m away and the ones that were 200m away are now 1km.

The 322 keeps connectivity to Glenelg, Marion shops, the Seaford train line and the Glenelg tram line. I presume thats why people are using public transport....to get to one of those places. Go Zone bus 23 also does something simlilar.

Now look at Blackwood it has lost the 195, 196 and 197X - theres an "on demand service" now and no buses to the city. And then there's the Aberfoyle Park buses which are now supposed to connect with the train, but there's a 500m walk between the bus and train stops.

No surprise there that the suburbs around the Belair train line lost their buses......absolutely no patronage on those routes from my experience catching buses up Unley/Belair Rd.

The Flinders train bus interchange is an ongoing story.......dont be surprised if the government announces some changes in the way the buses operate at the Flinders Medical Centre. A 3 carriage train will cover the bus traffic quite sufficiently is my guess.
And buses leaving Flinders will still include the (3) Goodwood Road bus, and 300/301 plus others.

And how are the people on the 228 now 405 going to fit on crowded trains? there's 6 x 228 buses an hour in peak - thats over 200 extra people trying to jam into already crowded trains. I bet the the trains which are now have bus connections will still only run every 30 min on weekends. it's not good enough. The gov't has only ordered 12 new trains, not enough if you're making buses connect to trains, Gawler will need 10 trains an hour, Flinders will need 4, Seaford at least 8 in peak direction.

The changes to outer northern buses wont happen until the Gawler line is electrified, 3 carriage trains minimum running at all times.

Yes there is no doubt that the trains will doing more heavy lifting in the future, they have the capacity to move a lot more people more quickly than buses do.

Expect some tweaking when the changes actually come in.

[adelaide transport]

As mentioned with no buses going direct to the City when the new bus network commences, the Aberfoyle Park/Flagstaff Hill commuters aren't going to be happy with their new options-after arriving at FMC on a 330/X331 bus they will have quite a walk to the new Flinders Link Station, where they will take an all stops train(operating at 15 minute intervals) to the Adelaide Railway Station, where they will have the option of walking to their particular location in the CBD or else catching a Botanic Gardens or Glenelg tram into the main part of the CBD.(no buses anymore on that part of North Terrace)
Previously their G20/G21/G22x bus dropped them in either Victoria Square or King William Street-this whole journey will in my calculations take them a good 30 minutes longer.
Who in DPTI dreamed up this idiotic idea?