Belconnen Changes

[Irisbus Rider]

How about neither?

[Barry Drive]

See my earlier comment: mass confusion. No doubt there will be orange bollard signs at each bus 'station' stop, although each will have many bus routes stopping at them. I expect in the first few days/weeks there will be transport officers and customer service officers in attendance at all 'stations', but after that passengers will be on their own.

I have no idea where the ticket office, lost property or supervisors will be located.

[Buzz Killington]

the depot would seem like the most logical place for all of those.

will the bollard signs have enough room for all the information that is required though? Things like the Network Maps and even interchange maps will need to be at each one surely

[Sir Pompously]

They may do like Sydney and have an area for Maps inbuilt into the Shelter (They just minus a window pane) with maps of the other stops in the area, and where certain routes leave from etc.

[Bus 400]

Emu Bank/Eastern Valley Way intersection will be closed from 18:00 24/03/09-06:00 25/03/09 to fix up intersection in preparation for traffic lights (http://www.tams.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/142244/Eastern_Valley_Way.pdf)

[Buzz Killington]

i don't recall seeing it mentioned, but i was out in Belco for the first time in ages today and they're duplicating College Street from Eastern Valley up to Radford.

As an update, lights are in but covered up at Lathlain/Cohen, Cohen/Nettlefold and Emu/Benjamin. Poles but no lights at Emu/Eastern Valley and Cohen/Josephson.

[Bus 400]

I just though it was being done for that intersection. But it does make sense. Hopefully they make the left lane a bus only.

[Bus 400]

I thought that some people may like to read what BTC will be like from April 2009 to November 2010.

For April 2009 to November 2010: http://203.9.249.2/e-registers/pubnote/pdf/SUPP-200913888-Interim_Upgrade_-01.pdf
November 2010 Onwards: http://203.9.249.2/e-registers/pubnote/pdf/SUPP-200913888-Town_Centre_Upgrade-01.pdf

[Bus 400]

Does everyone remember what they said about the Interchange 2 years ago? As I found this post in the depths of the forum http://actbus.net/forum/index.php?topic=77.msg552#msg552

[Barry Drive]

Some information about how the Belconnen West terminus will operate has been revealed.

Services travelling west up Cohen St or terminating will stop on Cohen St near the current bus stop.

There are two platforms within the terminus for services which commence there. This will include 300, 318, 319, Xpresso and suburban feeder services as well as school services. The routes will exit near the Josephson St intersection.

For routes running down Cohen St (such as Intertown 312, 313, 314 and 315 and also services which terminate at the eastern terminus), the services will stop on Cohen St rather than enter the terminus.

This means that Intertown services will depart from two different locations depending on which route is operating. Not sure that's a good move.

[Bus 400]

There is an article in the paper where Stanhopeless says that no provision for light rail will be made for this development. However if the Federal Government give us the funding through Infrastructure Australia, billions will be spent altering it.

And here is that article:

Light rail not factored into new bus hub design
BY SARAH PARKES
3/04/2009 6:37:00 AM
The ACT Government has purposely left out any provisions for a light-rail system in the design for the new Belconnen bus interchange.
The Government has come under attack from light-rail supporters and the Greens for not factoring in the possibility of light rail in the future.
Greens MLA Amanda Bresnan asked Chief Minister Jon Stanhope if he was aware senior officers had presented these facts to a recent Belconnen Community Council meeting.
Although Mr Stanhope dodged the question, he later told The Canberra Times he was well aware of the situation and it was intentional.
''Of course I was aware of it,'' he said.
''We don't need provisions for light rail at this stage.
''There are no circumstances where we will run a bus and light-rail system along the same line simultaneously. We do not have the resources to support a major transit bus system and railway.''
He said the Government had created a dedicated transport corridor between Belconnen and the city and the vision for light rail would be along the transit corridor.
He said if its $3.5billion funding pre-election bid to Infrastructure Australia was granted, the Belconnen bus interchange would be converted. He said this would cost billions of dollars and this major infrastructure change was factored into the costing presented to Infrastructure Australia.
For more, pick up a copy of today's Canberra Times

I can scan the paper copy, but there isn't much more.

[Irisbus Rider]

Brilliant. See, thats what happens when you vote for the greens.....

I do find it concerning that services to the Adshel shelter stops on Lathlain St will now be unserviced. Thats a popular stop, and to not service it?

I suppose it can't be done though, as it's impossible to service that stop and service all 3 Town Centre stops in Belconnen.

[Bus 400]

Also won't the new Westfield Bus Station go out that way a bit?

Looks like I'll have to submit my plan to the Greens.

If anyone has seen the plans for Flemington Road duplication, they at least have plans for light rail there.

[Bus 400]

Does anyone know why the Interchange is due to be shut in April, but not decommissioned until late May?

[Irisbus Rider]

They have to 'clean it out', don't forget, there are driver amenities, control rooms, ticket selling office, they have to clean all of that out.

[Bus 400]

But most of that could be done over the last weekend.

I half think I may see if I can grab some of the old maps that will mostly be thrown out or stored somewhere else.

[The Love Guru]

The interchange will not close until late May at this stage.

[Bus 400]

Is there any reason given for this? Don't tell me that this is the reason behind the shift talk I was hearing about.

[Irisbus Rider]

When you've been around as long as most of the drivers on here, you realise never to trust these 'depot rumours', because most of these rumours are grossely unsubstantiated.

There are problems with the shifts, because, as I understand, they have been rejected, for whatever reason. Not sure on that though.

[The Love Guru]

The interchange wont close until the new shifts start, which at this stage is planned for late May. Having a look around belconnen the infrastrcuture for the temporary bus stops isn't going to be complete by the end of the month. There is a reason why no firm closure date has been given to the public, it allows them to be a bit flexible whilst everything is sorted out.

TP3000, i'm unsure who you get your information from, but it doesn't seem to be an overly reliable source. Depot rumours are a constant in any transport company. If you adopt the theory of half of what you hear is bull, and the other half is shit then you'll be better off.

[Irisbus Rider]

If you adopt the theory of half of what you hear is bull, and the other half is shit then you'll be better off.

Ha ha, thats fantastic advice

It will probably happen like the busway closure happened, no forewarning until the previous day, but when it eventuates, we'll definately know about it.....

[Bus 400]

There is a reason why no firm closure date has been given to the public, it allows them to be a bit flexible whilst everything is sorted out.

TP3000, i'm unsure who you get your information from, but it doesn't seem to be an overly reliable source. Depot rumours are a constant in any transport company. If you adopt the theory of half of what you hear is bull, and the other half is shit then you'll be better off.

Then this way they won't have the problems that they had with releasing Network '08, when the dates kept on changing. But it does look like the temporary ABS Bus Station is a but behind & no work has even started on the Lathlain Street Station.

My source came from a driver talking with someone in the radio room (or use to) & some of the old ticket inspectors. My bus had like 4/5 ACTION current or ex employees. I was standing up the front as I got on in Civic & was getting off at Albert Hall, normally I would not of heard that.

I'll what I heard gossip, which is apparently not meant to be true anyway.

[Irisbus Rider]

Ah, yes it has. They're putting in a set of lights for it, and concrete islands all over the road there for the buses.

[Bus 400]

I mean like shelters, I know stand will go up closer to the interchange closure.

[Barry Drive]

It would nice however to see at least 1 run diverted to travel the length of Nettlefold St, as it seems this part of Belconnen is forgotten by the route planners. With the runs starting from the bus depot and travelling through all of the Belconnen, a diversion of the 44 (or even 10) would seem practical, as these routes will be entering via Benjamin Way which is in the middle of the '4 stops' corridor.

Not sure whether passengers from Holt and Scullin will be too happy with a diversion via Nettlefold St before they get to Belconnen proper (since the route could have gone down Coulter Dr), but that's what's going to happen - route 44 will travel via Nettlefold St. However route 942 which services Benjamin Way on the weekend will not - it will go the other way along College St and Eastern Valley Way. Strange.

[Bus 400]

The bus station plans have been published on the ACTION website. With the timetables coming out 11/05/09 & starting 26/05/09

[Busnerd]

After looking at them all, this looks great!

I think it will be more popular than the interchange, for the common passenger its more simple, if you only get one suburban bus like the 43 or the 52 or something and only connect to the intertown or xpresso its simple, only a few stops for you to remember.

It's only bad for people who catch 1 million buses a day...us, as we will forget what stop it goes from.

[Buzz Killington]

although since they go from every stop, its just a matter of the enthusiasts getting their timing points right and planning their trips.

But yes, for those who are catching one or two buses per day to work or school, it will be a lot more simple and practical.

[Irisbus Rider]

WOW, just WOW!

Although, one issue I have is where will the buses drop off? Especially at the Cameron Av stop, a crowded Intertown will drop off at Stop 5, and then, typically, someone will ask the driver if they can stop at Stop 4 just a few metres away.
I have noticed that there is a dedicated drop off area at the Cohen St stop, Stop 4, which is good.

[Buzz Killington]

curse that damn "last edit" mark!

[Irisbus Rider]

Ha ha ha, caught red handed.

As Busnerd has said, this is better than having as central interchange, and I hope this will be adopted when the new interchange will open, by still using Cohen St, but then going to the new intrerchange, then the site of the old one.

[Bus 400]

I thought that that was the plan. I wonder if this practice will be copied in other town centres.

[Irisbus Rider]

I did too, but I'm not sure on how it will actually all come together.

It suppose it could be applied in other town centres, Woden would be difficult, but it could definately work in Tuggeranong.

[Bus 400]

I had posted this as post #57, but this shows the plan from November 2010 onwards http://203.9.249.2/e-registers/pubnote/pdf/SUPP-200913888-Town_Centre_Upgrade-01.pdf

Woden Town Centre would require a bit of work. Tuggeranong Town Centre wouldn't be too hard & City Centre could be easy by doing a loop of London Circuit. Gungahlin Town Centre would be all right as well.

But all that is a few years away & Woden will most likely be next anyway, with Molonglo being last.

[Irisbus Rider]

At City, we've basically got three already, with a few exceptions, Alinga St, City Interchange and London Cct.

[Buzz Killington]

Belconnen Stations page has been added to the Infrastructure section of the website.

[Snorzac]

Traffic lights are now operational on the corner of Lathalain and Cohen streets.

[Bus 400]

I can see why the opening is being delayed. There are 2 tenders in relations for this which are
-Construction: Cohen Street Extension and Replacement of Pedestrian Bridge from Churches Centre to Westfield Shopping Mall, Belconnen
-Construction: Cohen Street Extension and Demolition of Existing Bus Interchange
These tenders were only opened 11 April 2009 & close 5 May 2009.

But I have founda new tender that has closed for
-Select: New Belconnen Bus Station Public Artwork
This closed on 16 April 2009. The companies that have been selected for tender are
-MCGREGOR WESTLAKE ARCHITECTURE
-THYLACINE DESIGN & PROJECT MANAGEMENT PTY LTD
-WELLSPRING ENVIROMENTAL ARTS + DESIGN

[Buzz Killington]

RiotACT have a thread on the Interchange closure:
http://the-riotact.com/?p=11767

With several lol-worthy reflections, including

Watching the bogan-tracksuit pregnant-at-16 parade in the afternoons

[Bus 400]

The Canberra Times Times2 section has a thing on the In2Change thing. I suspect that they should of tried to bring this In2Change thing forward a month.

[Snorzac]

what? do you mean back, to May, it was planned for now.

[Bus 400]

I know that, with the plans including a farewell thing on Friday. But it will still be open for another month. It would of had a better effect on the last weekday opening.

[Bus 400]

I had a look at the drivers facilities near CISAC & to my shock guess what I saw. There was a key left in one of the toilet doors, the door to the lunchroom was just sitting over the doorway (only needed 5-10 minutes more work to screw door on) & all this was secured by a chain wrapped around the fence (no padlock). I ended up driving over to Belconnen Interchange & telling the supervisor who said "I'll have a look in a minute."

I have taken pictures of this poorly securing & the facilities. (that will be posted when I work out how to get around posting errors).

[Snorzac]

You post one picture, then 'modify inline' putting in one picture at a time.

[Bus 400]

So that this thread doesn't get too big, I'll post them in Multimedia (http://actbus.net/forum/index.php?topic=1278.0)

[Bus 400]

The west bound side of Cameron Avenue Bus Station is now complete, with work starting on the city bound side now.
Work is now starting on the Lathlain Street Bus Station, with form work for the shelters almost complete.
Cohen Street Bus Station is almost complete, with just shelters & platforms signs to go up.
The traffic lights at the intersection of Cohen Street & Josephson Street became operational at 15:00 07/05/09

[Busnerd]

Are they just adshel shelters?

And are there any other seats besides the ones in the shelters? You would hope at least three, three seater seats should be put in at each stop, or maybe a small brick wall behind the stops that people could sit on.

[Bus 400]

Going by the form work & Bus Station diagrams of what bus bus stops at which platform, it looks like that is the case. I suppose ACTION's idea is that because people will be spread over 3 bus stations, there won't be that many more people waiting at the stands.

I would like to know if bus drivers will be made to stop at each bus station, or will only stop if someone signals/press the bell?

[Busnerd]

They are in the shifts, it has departure times for each stand and which stand to stop at, so it will be the same as an interchange thing, and since it operates as an interchange they will have to stop there.

[Bus 400]

I suspect that hell may break loose if we see an early bus that has to wait at a stand as another few (who are on time/late) come in behind them. I also wonder which stand these RedEx things will stop at? Unless they may have a special, extra stand.