Mitchell stop - January partial shutdown

[Barry Drive]

Construction of the Mitchell Light Rail stop has commenced, with the stop expected to be operational by "second half of 2021".

For the two weeks 10 - 23 January, free rail replacement buses will operate between EPIC & Racecourse and the Gungahlin terminal. Rumour is that these services will be operated by QCity/CDC, and the double-decker may be used.

[Barry Drive]

Transport Canberra have posted details of the rail replacement service.

The bustitution will take place between Dickson Interchange and Gungahlin. It will be operated by QCity, and all services will be free and wheelchair accessible.

Route 18 will also be diverted to operate along Old Well Station Road instead of Flemington Road.

[Busnerd]

Do they have enough buses for full low floor service?

[Barry Drive]

My rough calculations works out at 16 - 20 buses needed to cover the 3 minute frequency in peak.

Someone who has a better understanding of QCity's fleet might be able to comment on how many spare low-floor buses they have available during peak.

And then there's the question of drivers.

[Bus 400]

What's stopping QCity utilising buses from CDC's other brands for LR replacement?


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[Busnerd]

Covid?

[ajw373]

Whilst they may not all be lo floor QCity will of course have a lot of spare buses owing to no school services.

[Toyota Camry]

Covid?

There is still disgustingly no travel restrictions between Sydney and Queanbeyan; there is nothing preventing bus drivers, potentially infected with COVID-19, from transferring vehicles between the Sydney and Queanbeyan depots, which may end up on Gungahlin replacement services; however they would need to be driven by Queanbeyan based drivers, as the drivers from Sydney would need to remain in Queanbeyan for 2 weeks before they would be permitted to enter the ACT. If you are waiting for an L1 bus and happen to see a Sydney vehicle operating your service, please ensure that you santise, wear gloves and ideally a face mask before boarding; there may be surfaces contaminated with COVID-19 onboard, particularly if the vehicle is from CDC's Terry Hills depot.

[triumph]

Construction of the Mitchell Light Rail stop has commenced, with the stop expected to be operational by "second half of 2021".

For the two weeks 10 - 23 January, free rail replacement buses will operate between EPIC & Racecourse and the Gungahlin terminal. Rumour is that these services will be operated by QCity/CDC, and the double-decker may be used.

Given that it was said "provision is being made" for the future stop during stage 1 construction, that it is reported that much of the stop structure is being prefabricated off site, and site access is made easy by a 2 week shut down for intensive work, am I the only one who thinks opening in the second half of 2021 represents a inordinately long construction time?

[ajw373]

Given that it was said "provision is being made" for the future stop during stage 1 construction, that it is reported that much of the stop structure is being prefabricated off site, and site access is made easy by a 2 week shut down for intensive work, am I the only one who thinks opening in the second half of 2021 represents a inordinately long construction time?

Must admit not sure what work they are doing during the shutdown as I was under the impression basically everything was all ready to go in terms of services etc. So no traffic light work, no power or comms etc (as pits and cables are already there). Would have thought what was needed was to build the platform walls, fill it in and assemble.

As for the time frame from memory it took around 6 months to build each stop before too and that was all prefab, except for the platform edges.

[ajw373]

Surprise no mention has been made, but the 'imported' buses being use for the replacement service have come from Hunter Valley Coaches and Coastal Liner.

These are supplemented by QCity buses. Obviously all aforementioned companies are owned by CDC.

And not seen it previously but this morning there was an all white (think Volgren) double decker out and about on replacement services.

[triumph]

Did an ad hoc survey of R1 service buses moving through Plt 3 at Gungahlin Place for an hour in the Friday afternoon peak. In order of appearance fleet nos. were:-
**.48pm
6661
6660
6860
6658
4558 QCity
6860 2nd appearance (gone round the block)
4558 ditto
Reg 6473MO Central Coast Coastal Liner
6652
6657
6656
6653
6862
6854
30 min now elapsed
Reg TV9266 double deck, QCity/Transborder
6659
6875
6865
6662
6875 2nd appearance (gone round the block)
6654
6634 QCity
56 minutes elapsed
6660 From here on buses are reappearing from round trip
6661
6658
6656 Back a bit quicker, perhaps positioned express to Dickson Interchange.
6860
4558
1 hour elapsed

19 different buses before cycle started to repeat. Unless noted, they were from Hunter Valley and Central Coast.
All buses had Destination Display 'Light Rail Replacement', destination below, 'All Stops' below, and 'R1'.
All buses, both pick up and set down, but one turned into Gungahlin Place, Platform 3 from the S in Ernest Cavanagh St. The odd one out came along Gungahlin Place and U turned to Platform 3.
There was a Supervisor on duty wielding a clip board.
ACTION services were not recorded, but at least 4 different PR100.2s (including oldest now 911) passed through Plt 3.
It is customary for ACTION buses to layover at the far end of Plt 3 waiting to take up a service, but it was noticeable that this was not happening. Instructions must have been issued.

Interesting questions arising was ACTION unable to supply and/or was 'quote' too high, if ACTION was unable to do it, what is the plan if a short notice light rail peak period interruption occurs, and what Covid 19 precautions were taken with buses from Hunter/Central Coast? It seems QCity had a capacity issue too. It is disappointing that the full cost of the replacement buses now flows out of town.

[Sylvan Loves Buses]

...was ACTION unable to supply... ...buses... ...?

Of course they weren't, it's not ACTION anymore.

[ajw373]

Of course they weren't, it's not ACTION anymore.

Action still very much exists. They are the operator of buses in Canberra. In essence they operate buses on "contract" to Transport Canberra.

[triumph]

Of course they weren't, it's not ACTION anymore.

Action still very much exists. They are the operator of buses in Canberra. In essence they operate buses on "contract" to Transport Canberra.

Interesting. Had a skim through TCCS Annual Report 2019-2020. There is a reference to ACTION on page 112 and at Page 208 there is a reference to 'former ACTION'. From what I noticed it seems there is now an entity within TCCS called Transport Canberra Operations which has absorbed ACTION. I don't think the substance of my earlier comment has changed.

[triumph]

Observed yesterday from a diverted rte 18 service, a number of Hunter Valley buses parked at the accommodation/caravan park facility off Old Well Station Rd.

[triumph]

Interesting. Had a skim through TCCS Annual Report 2019-2020. There is a reference to ACTION on page 112 and at Page 208 there is a reference to 'former ACTION'. From what I noticed it seems there is now an entity within TCCS called Transport Canberra Operations which has absorbed ACTION. I don't think the substance of my earlier comment has changed.

And just to confuse the issue further, in the gallery is an image of the newest bus 721 with 'ACTION' written on the side below the bus operator's window. Checked a rego but registered operator/owner is not shown in quite detailed check site.

This discussion now probably needs to be shifted/continued within another category.

[Sylvan Loves Buses]

Or have not started at all, was just trying to be funny Obviously my humour didn't get through this time.

[ajw373]

I will keep it simple and try and bring it back on topic a little by mentioning light rail.

Transport Canberra is the coordinating authority for public transport in Canberra. They own the infrastructure including buses, stops and ticketing system plus they "own" the governments share in Canberra Metro Operations. They also set routes etc and coordinate between lightrail and buses. 

Transport Canberra Operations is the operator of the buses but they operate as Action buses hence the Action logo on the side of buses with TC livery.

[Toyota Camry]

It was observed at Gungahlin Place whilst boarding my maxi taxi to Ngunnawal at 4:40pm this afternoon a bus that was signed as 'Hunter Valley Buses' above the drivers window; however below the drivers window, it was signed 'as Hillsbus Seven Hills'. I have located a gazetted suburb named 'Seven Hills, New South Wales'; this is in the local government area of Blacktown City, which has been declared a COVID-19 hotspot by the ACT Government, from which entry to the ACT is not permitted unless an exemption has been granted.

Questions need to be answered by the ACT Government and also ACT Policing as to why not only this vehicle was granted access to the ACT, but also why it has been allowed to operate a public passenger service. It would be recommended that anybody who has traveled on this vehicle should attend a COVID-19 testing clinic.

[Barry Drive]

Questions need to be answered by the ACT Government and also ACT Policing as to why not only this vehicle was granted access to the ACT ...

No, they don't.

[Snorzac]

It was observed at Gungahlin Place whilst boarding my maxi taxi to Ngunnawal at 4:40pm this afternoon a bus that was signed as 'Hunter Valley Buses' above the drivers window; however below the drivers window, it was signed 'as Hillsbus Seven Hills'. I have located a gazetted suburb named 'Seven Hills, New South Wales'; this is in the local government area of Blacktown City, which has been declared a COVID-19 hotspot by the ACT Government, from which entry to the ACT is not permitted unless an exemption has been granted.

Questions need to be answered by the ACT Government and also ACT Policing as to why not only this vehicle was granted access to the ACT, but also why it has been allowed to operate a public passenger service. It would be recommended that anybody who has traveled on this vehicle should attend a COVID-19 testing clinic.

So much wrong with this post.

a) last time I checked, vehicles weren't subject to quarantine rules. The drivers however are, and these drivers have all come from the Hunter Valley, unless there is a "QR" number displayed on the laminated card in the windscreen in which case they are a Queanbeyan based driver.
b) The ACT Government, CDC, CMet and all other parties at play I am sure would have run proper risk assessments on the entire shut down and I am sure that the chances of a COVID infection from a bus would have been assessed and then promptly been allocated a "highly unlikely" as unfortunately "impossible" isn't a valid likelihood on a traditional risk assessment.
c) No one that has been on that bus should go and waste the testing clinics time and resources. If they begin to show any cold and flu symptoms which would not be related to the bus then they should attend.

[ajw373]

It was observed at Gungahlin Place whilst boarding my maxi taxi to Ngunnawal at 4:40pm this afternoon a bus that was signed as 'Hunter Valley Buses' above the drivers window; however below the drivers window, it was signed 'as Hillsbus Seven Hills'. I have located a gazetted suburb named 'Seven Hills, New South Wales'; this is in the local government area of Blacktown City, which has been declared a COVID-19 hotspot by the ACT Government, from which entry to the ACT is not permitted unless an exemption has been granted.

Questions need to be answered by the ACT Government and also ACT Policing as to why not only this vehicle was granted access to the ACT, but also why it has been allowed to operate a public passenger service. It would be recommended that anybody who has traveled on this vehicle should attend a COVID-19 testing clinic.

Your posts mentioning COVID are over the top and bordering on being hysterical shrill. Yeah COVID is real but seriously the amount present in Australia is minimal to virtually non existent, and no one is going to get infected from a bus that might have been in Seven Hills.

With COVID we should all do the obvious that the government has been telling is for the past 10 months, that is be aware and practice good hygiene but beyond that live life not normally until otherwise advised.

And for what it's worth from a pure risk perspective you were at greater risk in the Toyota Camry Taxi you were in. And that risk at present is so minuscule it's not worth worrying about n

[Sylvan Loves Buses]

Was hoping to catch the Coastal Liner yesterday, till I found out when I got there that the LRs are back to normal. I thought "surely the stop isn't finished yet" and it isn't. Why are the LRs back if the stop isn't yet finished?

[ajw373]

Was hoping to catch the Coastal Liner yesterday, till I found out when I got there that the LRs are back to normal. I thought "surely the stop isn't finished yet" and it isn't. Why are the LRs back if the stop isn't yet finished?

It will be finished in Q2 2021. You cannot build a stop of that complexity in two weeks.

They have built what they couldn't build with trams running. Not that I've seen it this week but believe from the work I have seen they have built footings and the platform edges. They can now put up hordings and complete the rest of the work within the safety of the hordings.

I have no doubt there will be further line closures as time goes on but would think they would be over night work (maybe with early finish to service) rather than day or multi week blockades like they have just done.

[Busnerd]

Correct, went past yesterday and they have the slab down and the support poles for the roof are already in with scaffolding surrounding the stop area. Presumably they can now fit out the stop behind the scaffolding, they might have to put the roof on overnight using a crane but that can easily be done overnight I'd expect.

[ajw373]

The next phase of the stop is happening the weekend of 13/14th March. The line is going to be closed with replacement services from Dickson. No idea on whether services will continue to the depot like the 2 week closure or if they will use the Dickson turnback. Seeing as it is a weekend closure it may well be from Dickson.

[Barry Drive]

Same deal as last time: trams run City to EPIC then turn around in the depot. If for no other reason, makes it easier to change drivers.

What will be different is that (presumably) the replacement buses will be sourced solely from QCity.

[triumph]

Regular Light Rail services are now stopping at Sandford Street (name displayed at stop) for training purposes. The on-board announcements advise not available yet for passenger use.
I asked a CMET person on the LRV I travelled on, how close it was to opening. It seems that it had been expected to be already open but little details keep cropping up. It could be as early as next Tuesday it seems.
Presumably Rx1 positioning services from Well Station Drive to Gungahlin will be revised to commence at Sandford Street. 

[triumph]

An item in the TV news yesterday stated that the new Sandford Street stop in Mitchell has been put into use.

[Busnerd]

An item in the TV news yesterday stated that the new Sandford Street stop in Mitchell has been put into use.

It opened on Monday 13th I believe. It also would appear the services that used to finish at Well Station Drive after peak hour will now continue to Sandford Street before returning to the depot which makes sense.

[triumph]

It opened on Monday 13th I believe. It also would appear the services that used to finish at Well Station Drive after peak hour will now continue to Sandford Street before returning to the depot which makes sense.

Your beliefs are correct on both points.

The recent Canberra Metro ENews Vol 3 Issue 34 lead article 'The New Voices of Light Rail' opens with 'Coinciding with the opening of Sandford Street stop on September 13th 2021 ......'. So that confirms the date.

Also the Gungahlin positioning services do operate from/to Sandford Street in lieu of Well Station Drive. This is shown in appropriate TC Journey Planner enquiries and actually does happen. I have recently ridden to Sandford Street from Gungahlin on such a service (6.33pm ex Gungahlin). Interestingly, there was a driver change before entering the Depot.

The article mentioned details the updating of on board announcements to include Sandford Street, and the competitive selection of new speakers from school students. This use of students is a really great idea.