NightLink festive services set new records

Record patronage levels have been set in the past two weeks by Brisbane's NightLink late-night weekend public transport services, Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Paul Lucas, said today.

Mr Lucas said the Beattie Government had doubled the number of NightLink bus services to cope with demand over the holiday period. FlatFare taxi and NightLink train services were also carrying record numbers of patrons.

“Brisbane's party goers have really taken to NightLink services as a safe, efficient and easily accessible way to get home from City and Valley night spots,” Mr Lucas said.

“We will keep the extra bus services running until 5am on New Year's Day.

"The number of FlatFare taxi ranks was doubled in July to four, and all four will continue operating through and after the festive season," he said.

Mr Lucas said that since they began in December last year, NightLink transport services had carried almost 200,000 revellers home safely.

“Last weekend alone, NightLink buses carried 4,200 patrons, trains 625 patrons, and 1800 went home in Flatfare taxis. Bus and Flatfare taxi patronage has more than doubled since the services started.”

“NightLink services are playing a major part in slashing waiting times at taxi ranks – in most cases by around half what they used to be.

“The State Government has provided 11 secure ranks in the City, Valley and Caxton, staffed by taxi marshals and security officers, to further protect the safety of early morning taxi patrons.

“When we started our NightLink services I told people they needed to ‘use them or lose them’ and I’m pleased to say services are entering their second year of operations as a great success story.

“During the past year we made some improvements, increasing services where required due to the strong demand from party-goers,” he said.

“NightLink was tremendously popular from the start. On the first weekend, we had to put on more buses to meet the demand.

“After a mid-year review more bus routes were introduced, some replacing one-off rail services with hourly buses,” Mr Lucas said.

He said special NightLink festive services began operating on December 8 and operators were expecting very heavy patronage this weekend and on New Year's Eve. They will cease at 5am on New Year's Day.

“TransLink is working closely with local transport operators across the South East to make sure public transport is available where and when needed over the holiday season,” Mr Lucas said.

“That means doubling the number of services on all NightLink bus routes to provide half-hourly frequency for revellers instead of the normal hourly services. More people can get home from the CBD and Valley more easily, with half the waiting time.

“Obviously queues may be longer during the festive season and but thanks to our NightLink initiatives we provided almost 200,000 extra trips our of the city in the early hours of the morning.”