Re: Brisbane Light Rail

[Nick Bowden <bowden@uq.net.au>]

David McLoughlin wrote:

> Nick Bowden wrote:
> >
> > David McLoughlin wrote:
>
> > > The mayor who stuffed Brisbane up the most was Clem Jones, who
> > > single-handedly destroyed a modern, efficient and well patronised
> > > tramway system in 1969.
> >
> > He closed it down thirty years ago. What has happened since then!! It's taken
> > thirty years to realise that the trams were good?
>
> No, most people knew 30 years ago that the trams were good. Clem knew
> that Brisbane people wanted the trams, so the replacement diesel buses
> were ordered in secret, then the tram system was closed in two big hits
> (Adelaide Street lines in December 1968, the Queen St lines in April
> 1969). To ensure there could be no backdown, the main junctions and key
> overhead wire layouts  were ripped out immediately and huge bonfires of
> trams took place at Milton Workshops.
>
> Brisbane in 1969 had a tramway system with newer trams than Melbourne
> had at the time (some Brisbane trams were only FIVE YEARS OLD, the
> newest Melbourne tram at the time dated from 1956), and with the vast
> majority of the tracks recently relaid in mass concrete (Melbourne only
> achieved near-universal track relay in the 1980s).
>
> The only people who wanted to get rid of Brisbane's trams were the car
> lobby and Clem, and they were one and the same. Some years after
> scrapping the trams, Clem said he did it because he didn't believe in
> public transport... he was a Labour man and he wanted everyone to drive
> cars.
>
> Well, he got his wish.
>

Albeit, that Clem may have stuffed up as far as the populace of the day were
concernded, but putting in the proposed system is going to stuff up the traffic in
the CBD with no great benefit. Mind you, thats what the mayor wants, so he can get
everyone to use his public transport.
The people need to get to the CBD first. This system covers the walking distance of
the CBD. People need more exercise as it is, and they are been given an expensive
reason do less walking!