Introduction

Kangaroo Point is now the densest suburb in Brisbane and is expected to continue increasing densification over the coming decades. This increase in density has not been accompanied by the required investment in public infrastructure that would allow the suburb to really thrive.

The tip on the peninsula in particular is starved of quality public transport. There is one infrequent bus stop and the popular 27 shuttle connecting residents to the city has been axed. The ferry stop could provide relief, but overcrowded ferries mean the river currently serves as a barrier rather than a connector to the rest of the city.

Brisbane City Council has a responsibility to deliver public transport improvements to the entire Kangaroo Point peninsula. While this proposal has some merit, it will not ensure current and future residents have the level of public transport required to accommodate this growing population centre.

The below submission does not merely reflect my own personal views and preferences, but the feedback I have received from many different residents and community stakeholders from Kangaroo Point and the broader Gabba Ward.

Kangaroo Point needs a CityCat stop

None of the proposed changes to the City Hopper service will change the fact that Kangaroo Point needs a CityCat stop. When speaking to Kangaroo Point residents about public transport, the desire for a CityCat stop is the most common feedback I receive.

Between the City/South Brisbane and New Farm/East Brisbane there are five CityCat stops on the northside of the river with only one functioning stop on the southside within the same distance. An additional CityCat stop in Kangaroo Point would not only increase accessibility for Kangaroo Point residents and visitors, but also any northside residents who use the CityCat service.

Ferry Services Should be Free

The existing City Hopper and Cross River Services have always been free and should remain so with any changes made. This proposal must not be used as a sly way to introduce fares on these services. Council should also commit to a 3 month trial where all ferry services are made free, including CityCats. This would be a real-world congestion-busting experiment, aiming to build the case for a permanent change.

I also note that an alternative solution to overcrowding on the City Hopper service would be to make the CityCat free. This would shift many passengers onto the higher capacity CityCats without requiring any chance to the other existing networks.

Cost Savings must be Reinvested

This proposal will undoubtedly result in major operational cost savings. This proposal must not be used as a sly way to reduce Council funding to the public transport network. Any cost savings created from this proposal must be reinvested in other public transport improvements. Priority should be given to increasing the frequency of the 234 service. Improving the frequency and reliability of bus services in Kangaroo Point is especially important since the removal of the extremely popular 27 shuttle bus.

Connecting Trips Require Timetable Coordination

Key to delivering world class public transport is often the requirements for passengers to transfer between services to reach their final destination. Transfers can create a more efficient network that is quicker and more convenient for users. 

For transfers to work they need to be as seamless as possible. The Cross River ferry timetable needs to be synced to the CityCat timetable to ensure that passengers are not left waiting for long periods when transferring. Ideally, no passenger should have to wait more than five minutes to transfer.

Some Routes Require 2+ Transfers

If the timetables are coordinated properly, this proposal should result in similar or improved travel times for passengers traveling to the city or another stop on the CityCat network. However the proposal will require multiple transfers and a slower service for passengers traveling between terminals that only service Cross River ferries.

For example, some passengers use the City Hopper to travel between Holman St and the Maritime Museum to access the Mater and Children’s Hospital as well as Griffith University South Bank Campus. For these passengers this proposal would result in a decrease in service and longer travel times.

Insufficient Consultation Period

The consultation period for this proposal was much too short to ensure quality feedback was received from the community. For best practice community consultation, surveys need to be open for at least 4 weeks and ideally 6 weeks. This allows for word to spread around the community so that as many people as possible are able to have their say. This consultation period also occurred during the recent state elections which meant that it was even harder than usual to ensure the community was aware of the proposal.

I provided feedback during my briefing that the consultation period needed to be extended and I am thankful that the survey is now going to be open for an additional two weeks. However this is still not sufficient time to ensure all affected residents are aware of the consultation.

There is a broader learning here for Council in how to conduct appropriate consultation. We consistently see Council go out to consultation for a short period only to end up extending consultation after community pressure. This places undue work on residents having to fight for the basic right to proper consultation. Council should learn from this and make their standard consultation period at least 4 weeks long (ideally 6 weeks).

Biased Consultation Questions & Framing

The CityHopper service currently connects the suburbs of South Brisbane, Kangaroo Point, Brisbane City, Fortitude Valley, and New Farm. Any changes to the CityHopper will affect residents and visitors to these five suburbs yet this was not clear in framing of this survey. The survey was titled “Kangaroo Point Ferry Improvements” which does not make it clear that residents and visitors to the other four suburbs serviced by KittyCats will also be affected by the changes.

Some of the questions lead the respondent to provide the response that Council desires. For example: “Would having frequent, evenly-spaced services operating at least every 15 minutes improve your experience of catching ferry services?”. This question leads respondents to say yes and does not provide useful information in the context of the proposed changes. A positive response to this question could be used to justify keeping the existing City Hopper service with additional ferries to allow for 15 minute services.

There is also no ability for residents to provide long form feedback on the survey. This will prevent Council from receiving detailed feedback from regular users who have useful insights.

Limited Consultation Notice

As noted above, this proposal will impact residents of five suburbs and anyone who makes use of the City Hopper and affected Cross River Ferry service. However only residents in Kangaroo Point received a letterbox drop advising them of the proposal. Furthermore, signage advertising the consultation has only been placed at Maritime Museum, Dockside, and Holman Street ferry terminals.

At the very least Council should have placed signage advertising the consultation at every ferry terminal currently serviced by the City Hopper and affected Cross River Ferry services. The letterbox drop should have also been extended to all five suburbs that are currently serviced by the City Hopper Network.

The failure to properly notify affected residents and passengers means that the results of the consultation will be skewed.