May 1997

GRAPHIC INSIGHT!

Graphic insight this month follows up on the February 1997 review of Sunday suburban train frequencies with a similar analysis of Weekday off-peak suburban train frequencies.

The graph shows one bar for each suburban rail route in Australia. Each bar indicates the number of hourly trains provided over the route on Weekday afternoons (the hour 12 noon to 1pm is taken as indicative). Where trains on one route serve more than one destination, I have shown the frequency to each intermediate destination as a stacked-bar segment. Where two or more routes combine to provide a higher frequency service over a significant section of common trunk line, I have shown the combined service frequency with a bracketed bar.

The times are taken from the public timetables of the rail operators dated: 3 Nov 96 (Sydney), 16 Feb 97 (Melbourne), 13 Jan 97 (Brisbane), March 95 (Perth) and April to July 95 (Adelaide). The Flemington Racecourse (Melbourne), Exhibition (Brisbane) and Tonsley (Adelaide) lines have no regular weekday offpeak service and so are not shown.

It is interesting to contrast these weekday frequencies to the Sunday frequencies as shown in Graphic Insight of February ‘97. In Sydney and Brisbane the Sunday and Weekday services are similar (although in both cities the services reviewed have been recast since the earlier review). Contrast Brisbane with Melbourne - Brisbane has a noticeably better Sudnay service (basic 30 minutes compared to 40 minutes), whereas Melbourne’s basic 20 minute weekday frequency is better than Brisbane’s 30.

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