Commonwealth Games opening ceremony: Major public transport delays

HUNDREDS of Commonwealth Games opening ceremony ticketholders were stranded at both the start and end of the night leaving many of them seething.

A BIG queue of Opening Ceremony spectators have been held up from leaving Carrara after what is understood to have been a bus breakdown jamming transport flow.

Hundreds are patiently waiting at the Broadbeach-Surfers Paradise departure area as the bus area is restored to normal.

A Games Shaper volunteer told the Bulletin they believed one bus had broken down and impeded the flow of the rest.

Crowds line up to catch public transport after the opening ceremony finished. Photo: Sam Weir

“This didn’t happen at the two rehearsals but then there were only 15,000 not 35,000.

“At least it’s not raining.”

Another Games shaper on a megaphone told the crowd: “we’re sorry for the inconvenience. Appreciate your patience.”

An hour after the event finished, the crowd started to steadily clear and a Game shaper told the crowd over megaphone: “I can see you are tired over there. I’m sorry about the wait. We will get you on your way as soon as possible.”

Robina couple Judy and Bruce Harris from Robina and daughter Dimity from Brisbane were among the last to leave.

They had waited for a wheelchair for Bruce, 80, who has a pacemaker, only to get that but then be greeted by a mass queue of hundreds going nowhere at the Broadbeach-Surfers Paradise bus departure point.

“I don’t understand why the shuttles aren’t working. Something doesn’t add up,” Dimity said.

“It can’t just be because one bus broke down.”

Volunteers called Games Shapers have started handing out chairs and are asking if anyone needs special assistance.

One Games Shaper on a megaphone started telling jokes, including ‘Why did the spectator cross the road?”

Another volunteer Games Shaper replied: “Don’t tell that one! Don’t upset people anymore.”

The Harris’, trying to get back to their car in the Oasis centre in Broadbeach, said despite the departure delays the ceremony had been spectacular.

Earlier, hundreds of Commonwealth Games opening ceremony ticketholders were stranded at a major Gold Coast bus interchange for up to two hours as the city’s public transport system plunged into mayhem ahead of the start of the event.

The Broadbeach South bus interchange overflowed with hundreds of commuters trying to make their way to Carrara stadium as frustrated commuters declared ‘this is torture’.

FOLLOW THE OPENING CEREMONY LIVE

Commuters said they were left waiting up to two hours and authorities were forced to send 23 extra buses to clear the jam.

“Extra bus shuttles were dispatched to Broadbeach South to move people to Carrara faster and reduce queuing. I’ve been watching the video feed regularly for Broadbeach South at the traffic co-ordination centre so any claim no buses arrived for 40 minutes is very inaccurate,” said Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey

Crowds wait for buses to the opening ceremony. Photo by Richard Gosling

The line up of increasingly anxious commuters was finally cleared by 6.45pm — just 45 minutes from the start of the opening ceremony.

Some said they had waited for more than two hours for a bus and say that older patrons were forced to leave.

Sydney resident Leonie Curtis was “disgusted” by the lack of organisation.

“This isn’t a holiday, this is torture,” she said.

“This is the most disgusting organised event I could imagine.”

“Disgusting,” one punter declared as they raged against officials.

Officials resorted to putting patrons in taxis free of charge.

Big delays at Broadbeach for people waiting to catch buses to the opening ceremony. Some people waiting for more than an hour. @7NewsBrisbane @7NewsGoldCoast #CG2018 pic.twitter.com/PvSXAL13Fr

— Lauren Marer (@laurenmarer) April 4, 2018

Anxiety built at the crowded Broadbeach South transport station with loud boos ringing out as a group arriving fresh off a tram jumped straight on a bus to Carrara within minutes.

Some queuing ticketholders said they had paid $380 per ticket to the opening ceremony and were starting to look up Uber prices.

One woman quit the queue while saying into her phone “we are out of here”.

Another in the queue said “they have had six years to plan buses”.

Tennis Gold Coast president Mike Ford who got to Broadbeach South station early told the Gold Coast Bulletin: “I arrived at Broadbeach south at 5.15pm — staff did not know why the buses weren’t there.

A lot of people are queued at Pacific Fair interchange for transport to the opening ceremony at Carrara. Photo by Richard Gosling

“I got on a tram back to Helensvale, the train to Nerang, I’m nearly there (at the stadium),” he said at 6.30pm.

“...eta 7.20! Left at 5pm. Those in charge did not do their job — that’s why we need journos to make them accountable when they stuff up — they’re on the big salaries.”

Another woman told the Gold Coast Bulletin she had been told by a crowd controller the “buses have let them down and the numbers they expected haven’t arrived”.

As a fleet of new buses rolled up, a loud cheer rang out.

One relieved mother with her son said she had been waiting an hour and 15 minutes: “I was starting to get nervous,” she said.

Extra bus shuttles were despatched to Broadbeach South to move people to Carrara faster & reduce queueing. I’ve been watching the video feed regularly for Broadbeach South at the Traffic Co-ordination Centre so any claim no buses arrived for 40 mins is very inaccurate.

— Mark Bailey MP (@MarkBaileyMP) April 4, 2018

It is understood buses to the sport precinct began well after crowds started pouring into the interchange with more commuters than seats available.

Another woman said she was worried she would miss the opening ceremony despite paying $380 for tickets.

She said she was worried about missing events for later in the week as well.

“Sydney is a mess of a city but it have better organisation,” she said.

Hundreds of commuters are stranded at Broadbeach bus interchange. Photo: Supplied

Buses arrived intermittently and as people got on security apologised for the delay.

Dennis, who had travelled to the Coast with his son and wife, said he had waited two hours in the queue.

“We got here and they’ve herded us ... I don’t know what organisation they’ve got here,” he said.

“Priority people came straight through and we just kept getting pushed further and further back.”

An angry fan — who did not want to be named — told News Corp that “this was the way they told us to come”.

“They tell you to plan your journey on the app and here we are,” they said.

“It’s a joke.”

Asked if it had been a bit of a stuff up, a bus driver who dropped a load of people off from Broadbeach South outside the stadium at 6.45pm said: “yeah a little bit.”

He said he didn’t know what had gone wrong and whether too few buses arrived early on or more people had gone via Broadbeach South than expected.

But he had added he knew of three buses diverted from Surfers Paradise to Broadbeach South station to handle the queues there.

A Department of Transport and Main Roads spokesperson said ‘A large number of spectators have travelled via public transport to Carrara Stadium, with some wait times experienced at Nerang Station and at Broadbeach South.’

“This was identified in real time at our Transport Coordination Centre. Several additional bus services were deployed within minutes to respond to this high demand at both locations.

“We were able to respond to this quickly to begin moving these spectators with wait times already reduced.

“As with any event of this size and significance, it is likely spectators will experience delays and we would like to thank them for their patience.”

LNP spokesman for transport Steve Minnikin said the delays were disappointing.

“I feel for all those people stranded whose Opening Ceremony experience has been ruined. Annastacia Palaszczuk should have spent less time focusing on her ego and speeches and more time putting together an essential transport plan,” he said.