All Aboard the Bombay Express
Andrew Potts
TRAVELLERS on the so-called Bombay Express Gold Coast to Brisbane train line are still waiting more than 30 minutes between peak-hour services, despite a State Government promise to ease the squeeze.
The Gold Coast to Brisbane line, dubbed the Bombay Express after India's infamously overcrowded trains, has been extremely popular since opening in 1998.
Before the 2004 election, then premier Peter Beattie promised the service would run every 15 minutes during peak hour.
Mr Beattie said in November 2003, a $247 million upgrade to the Gold Coast train services would cut the gap between peak services from 30 minutes to as little as 15 minutes. But Queensland Rail's latest Gold Coast line timetable reveals an average waiting time of almost 30 minutes between peak-hour services.
Last week The Courier-Mail was told stories of passengers who caught the 5.25am service from Robina and, even at that early hour, could not secure a seat. Another passenger travelled from the Gold Coast to catch the train at Springwood because of the conditions on the Bombay Express.
The Courier-Mail travelled on the 7.20am train from Robina to Brisbane last week to see if conditions had eased on the 70-minute trip – but the service was so overcrowded people were forced to stand or sit in aisles.
Transport Minister John Mickel said the Queensland Government was finalising the 2008 timetable and would add 8000 passenger seats and four trains to the weekday service.
He also promised a service from Robina every 15 minutes in peak periods.
The Government is spending $250 million on extra tracks for the Gold Coast in the 2007-2008 financial year, in addition to a $104 million investment in trains, he said.
Infrastructure yet to be completed includes a duplicate train line running between Robina and Helensvale, which will be operational by the end of 2008.
- Additional reporting by Joshua Bavas, Jessica Best, Jayden Dale, Alex Dickinson, Emily Fardoulys, Wendy Fung, Tom Hersey, Joe Hill, Susie Lipscomb, Christa Nicola, Emily Prain, Erica Tarlington, Rachel Tierney, Peter Taggart
- www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,22858869-3102,00.html