Council's bus squeeze crisis

A RECORD 1800 buses were too full to pick up passengers last month, with many commuters forced to wait at least 30 minutes for another bus.

Brisbane City Council’s April figures show 700 more services than in March registered as too full to pick up passengers.

Council’s public transport chairwoman Cr Jane Prentice said the spike was a result of a different accounting system, and that the problem may have been as bad for some time.

‘‘We don’t really believe the figures have gone up that much at all – it’s more an issue of us now knowing the full extent of the problem,’’ she said. A record number of commuters took the bus last month, with more than seven million trips registered across the city.

Prentice said that some of the 500 new buses planned for the next four years would be allocated to fix problem routes such as the notorious 130 bus, which registered 240 overcrowded buses, and the 150 and 111 routes, which run from Browns Plains and Eight Mile Plains to the city.

Shadow Transport spokesperson Victoria Newton said Lord Mayor Campbell Newman should implement emergency measures.

‘‘These figures are extremely alarming as April is traditionally a quieter time of year due to university and school holidays,’’ she said.

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http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,23683783-952,00.html - From the Couriermail Website.