So Belconnenites, how are those buses?

I went and had a look at the new bus shortchanges yesterday. My first impression was ‘i dont want to be catching a bus when it rains’. The signage needs to be improved as well. The shortchange on Lathlain st needs clearer signage concerning which services operate at each stop.

Tempestas – dont worry about the articulated buses. They are all being replaced with buses that are longer than normal buses and steer from the front and back. They also hold a third less passengers than the articulated buses.

Tempestas said :

BTW I see that my prior prediction about all buses not stopping at at all belco stops is already true at least for school buses, so precedent set, it will only be a matter of time before some routes don’t serve all stops. It will be claimed to improve timings and be sold as an improvement. Wait and see.

I know of at least one route that, if they miss all of the lights and have to stop at each stop on the way through the “interchange”, now takes up to 10 minutes longer.

And how long until there are traffic lights installed at the intersection of Chandler St. and Cameron Ave?

I note this morning that they are bolting on some securtity cameras on the lightpoles at the Cameron Ave stops, guessing they aren’t actually connected (unless wireless) and are there for the sense of being safer.
Given the amount of traffic on that street I really hope no one gets hit but as they avoided adding a pedestrian crossing I fear its only a matter of time.

Additionally it would appear that the stops aren’t actually big enough for the articulated buses to stop in.

Which government $%^^&* thought this was a good idea?

James T Kirk said :

If you’re stuck on the buses, it is only because you have crashed the car….. 🙂

I guess that was just a joke. If not, and one has crashed thier car that bad that it can’t be driven, then they shouldn’t be driving. Get on a bus and save someone elses life!

Well as a regular bus user in the belco area, the new interchanges are a terrible. The shelters wont shelter much, the seat are very cold to seat on (thats if you are lucky enough to get one of them). I also more worried about those older less mobile people, who now have to get off accross from magnet mart to walk a greater distance than before and it’s not even undercover.

I suggest the minister gets out in mid winter and try and use the new interchanges

taco said :

All major roads as they get their scheduled resurfacing are having bike lanes installed as part of the governments plan to get less people driving and onto buses or cycling.

Then when that road is next due for resurfacing, the bit of road where the bike lane is won’t be resealed, thus saving costs.

But expect an accident at one of the bus stations in the next few months. But apparently ACTION are scared that someone is going to be hit while walking within a bus station.

Kramer,

It’s not a rant about the bike lane, more about the stupid idea to take a perfectly well functioning road and turn it into a bottleneck, which it without doubt will be.

The bike path runs right along side the road so bike riders would not be inconvenienced by it’s direction.

And I didn’t mention buses at all so I have no idea why you brought that up?

The bike lane only runs parallel the road for a short distance before veering off around the lake again with no exit onto the road, and is often congested with walkers/dogs/joggers/casual riders/grannies who freak out and dive onto the grass and break their hips if you try and pass them at 10kmph/etc

All major roads as they get their scheduled resurfacing are having bike lanes installed as part of the governments plan to get less people driving and onto buses or cycling.

Onto the actual topic, I haven’t used the new bus interchange yet as I usually cycle to commute, but they have closed down the bus stop nearest to my place as a result, so the closest stop is now about 1km away instead of 500m.
I also disapprove of the “temporary” interchange being in service for a minimum of 18 months (november 2010)

If you’re stuck on the buses, it is only because you have crashed the car….. 🙂

One simple question re the new “bus station” on Cameron ave, what will happen when it rains?

Additionally the new timetables have taken services that used to connect and made them not, although I imagine some that didn’t connect now do, or at least I hope someone has an improvement.

Given that we don’t have streets with awnings over the footpath like other cities, the interchanges made an vaguely weatherproof place to wait for buses. I know that both Belconnen and Woden interchanges are not particularly pretty and have been a hang-out for the less delightful members of the community, but I don’t get how replacing them with three shelters on a street with traffic is going to be a good idea.

BTW I see that my prior prediction about all buses not stopping at at all belco stops is already true at least for school buses, so precedent set, it will only be a matter of time before some routes don’t serve all stops. It will be claimed to improve timings and be sold as an improvement. Wait and see.

Speaking of ridiculous road designs, which we weren’t, how about the east bound section of Ginninderra Drive near the lake which is in the process of being changed from a busy, but perfectly functioning three lane road, to a two land road with a bike path, and an extra bike path that runs directly next to it.

The bike path next to the road is pretty crap if you are commuting (ie. you aren’t getting anywhere quickly unless you are ridiing on the road). If you are so concerned about the impact on bus services then maybe they should take out one of the remaining two lanes to make a dedicated bus lane. Then we would have equality – one lane each for bike, bus and car!

When it comes to government planning – remember that the basic qualification you need to have to be a polly is to be able to win a popularity contest – so I guess it all runs downhill from there!

But at least they are supported by some people who know what they are doing – it is dealing with the interfaces that is the painful bit.

I have heard that slACTION only does something about issues, when enough people have complained about particular issues to the “give a shit meter” (AKA several surveys). So for the handful of people in the new section of Banks & Conder (several hundred homes, locality) who complained about having to walk 1.2km to the nearest bus stop, the meter didnt even flinch. I suggest to Belconnenites, that they make as much noise as possible! PS…Is the terminology Belconnonites or Belconnites?!?!

The guy with the takeaway coffee? He did look stunned standing at the closed gates, and there were other passengers complaining they’d be two hours late, which was odd considering the “temporary” bus stops wouldn’t be that far away.

I drove down Cohen St past the new layover/superstop/get wet bum area this afternoon. There were two lines of buses stopped there. The new lights at Josephson St were RED, so I stopped. (Novel, I know) As I am stopping I realise that I am in a right turn only lane! WTF are they doing? What is this rubbish? Across the intersection are the new wild diagonal lines signifying some dipstick with limited design/driving experience has had one hand on a pencil and the other hidden from view while crafting this clusterf*&k.

Surely if you have to have this garbage lane merging, a B light at the kerb would be better?

To all you southsiders/gungas etc. and non drivers: apologies for the rant.

Anyone see Win news tonight with the article on Buses? There was this guy that looked like he just rocked up first thing and had no idea it was closing down. Bloody hilarious shocked and confused look on his face.

i LOL’ed.

It might be on again for the late news if you are so inclined to see it.

grunge_ hippy — “now when are they going to do woden? that place is just as run down and ugly.”

I live there, and agree. Perhaps it even makes Belco interchange look pleasant.

Aremanduh said :

personally im just over action in general, before all the changes started around4 or 5 years ago the system was great.
And then the calamity began with strikes and time table changes. from there it seems like every six months or so someone will change it to something that is just as terrible as the last.
Quite frankly we’re not going to win, as is mentioned by QBNgal, the people who make these decisions are not the people that cach the busses, not the people that drive the busses, but the people who have government cars paid for by our tax money.

Exactly, the ACT Government’s slashing of bus services in 2006 really set ACTION back many many years. They have been unsuccessfully trying to play catchup ever since, spending huge dollars to try and get people back onto the buses. Part of the problem is that prior to 2006 ACTION was a statutory authority with expertise in public transport systems and management. Now that it is part of Territory and Municipal Services we just have public servants trying to run the show.

Having said that though, the new Belconnen setup seemed to run really well and with a bit of refining should work OK particularly for services that run through Belconnen. Bypassing the interchange seems to save a bit of time. In my opinion it seems the ACT Government have got this one right.

I can’t understand the logic to some of the planning. At the Tax office “interchange” they have bus shelters on the Labor club side of the street, but none on the Tax office side of the street… mystery to me.

i am enjoying the footage on WIN with people looking dumbstruck as to why it is closed…

now when are they going to do woden? that place is just as run down and ugly.

Do ACT politicians really drive government cars to work?

personally im just over action in general, before all the changes started around4 or 5 years ago the system was great.
And then the calamity began with strikes and time table changes. from there it seems like every six months or so someone will change it to something that is just as terrible as the last.
Quite frankly we’re not going to win, as is mentioned by QBNgal, the people who make these decisions are not the people that cach the busses, not the people that drive the busses, but the people who have government cars paid for by our tax money.

Yes.

Let’s just wait until the first wet, cold day. Sleet would be good. Then ask again.

That may be because the decision makers have a government car to take them around. They won’t be standing around in sleet, cold winds or rain ( if we get any this winter…. here’s hoping). Do they really care about the little bloke or woman?

Yeah, that was my thought. Nice idea to start this work at the onset of winter and shunt everybody off to bus stops with no shelter whatsoever 😛

Same old same old really ….
Though I dont know what folk will do in the rain …. besides get wet, or use a brolly.