Queensland Rail maintenance causes huge delays after Ed Sheeran concert

SCHEDULED track maintenance has caused public transport chaos on the night of Ed Sheeran’s sold-out first concert at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.

SCHEDULED maintenance has caused public transport chaos on the night of Ed Sheeran’s first concert at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.

Passengers leaving from the city on the Caboolture/Sunshine and Redcliffe lines were being moved on to buses at Northgate station and being told to expect delays of up to an hour on their journey.

Buses replaced trains between Northgate and Petrie stations for the remainder of the evening.

As reported by The Courier-Mail, TransLink announced the works — maintenance on overhead powerlines — two months ago, warning commuters that buses would be used from 9.30pm onwards, before tracks reopened in the morning.

Ed Sheeran performs at Suncorp Stadium last night. Pictured: AAP/Josh Woning

A TransLink spokesman last week told The Courier-Mail last week of the track closure from Northgate to Petrie affecting the Redcliffe Peninsula and Sunshine Coast lines, encouraging Ed Sheeran fans to plan ahead.

Caboolture, Redcliffe Peninsula, Sunshine Coast lines: From 9.30pm tonight, buses will replace trains between Northgate to Petrie as we carry out planned maintenance on the network. Please allow extra travel time: https://t.co/Raddmb4mI9

— Queensland Rail (@QueenslandRail) March 19, 2018

Despite the warning many Ed Sheeran fans were angry TransLink chose the night of a major Brisbane event to conduct the maintenance.

In a Facebook comment, concert goer Ashley Darrenkamp called Queensland Rail “utterly ridiculous” for scheduling maintenance on the same night as the 52,000-capacity sellout gig.

“They really messed up! I had to end up finding another way home, costing heaps of money!,” she wrote.

“Having to wait for buses to then stop at every station then to catch another train ... very upset. I was fully aware and expecting delays due to high volumes but this was unacceptable.”

Another fan, Jessica Hopwood, said she too was also caught off guard by the maintenance.

“Traffic to Roma street station from the concert took 40 minutes then been told at the platform to get off the train at Northgate, then waiting in line for 20 minutes for a bus,” she said.

Fans heading home by train from Ed Sheeran’s concert at Suncorp Stadium have been hit by delays of up to 60 minutes. Picture: AAP/Josh Woning