RAIL - Back On Track Forum

https://twitter.com/7NewsSC/status/1390593676716302337

It gets worse ... the Federal Member for Fisher, Andrew Wallace appeared on local TV to say so long as he is the member for that seat 'not one cent' of federal funding will go into SC light rail. So, where does the federal money go? ... $130m to the next stage of Gold Coast light rail.

^

If they can get the train line done first, LRT will follow quite quickly after that. It's likely an election year with the Federal election occuring by October. The LNP will be trying to appeal to the anti development and anti LRT voters.

The trouble is no one has promised any funding for any mass transit (let's just call it light-rail) or CAMCOS.

Nothing from Mark Bailey via the Palaszczuk Govt despite his apparent sudden approval of a mass transit (light-rail) solution.

Nothing from the Federal government for #SunshineCoast mass transit (light rail) or CAMCOS.

Nothing from the State Opposition for mass transit (light rail) or CAMCOS.

Nothing from the Sunshine Coast Council for the $2.6 billion project, though to their credit they have progressed the studies and (now) consultation.

It's all just bluster.
It's an ongoing farce.

I have concerns about the push for light rail given its excellent unbroken track record of significant cost blow-outs.
I'd be keen to discover who holds shares in the company.

https://twitter.com/Jeffrey_Addison/status/1392268954966499328

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Queensland Parliament E-Petition

https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/work-of-assembly/petitions/petition-details?id=3534

Light Rail Mass Transit option Sunshine Coast

TO: The Honourable the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland

Queensland residents draws to the attention of the House that the Sunshine Coast Council wish to introduce a mass transit option of Light Rail. A proposed 13 kms route goes right along the beachfront at Alexandra Headland. 400 metres surrounding each of the 16 stations will be rezoned for medium to high density housing (including proposals of 20-storey high-rise buildings potentially built next to family homes) to accommodate light rail infrastructure.

Your petitioners do not support and strongly object to the Council putting forward the light rail or any fixed line option along the beachfront to the government. Our mass transit solution needs to ease congestion in all regions on the coast, not just a 13 km route.

Our stretch of beachfront is unique to the Queensland coastline. The light rail will ruin the environmental landscape by introducing a barrier between the community and the beach, as well as limiting access and mobility, causing a number of safety issues and eroding our coastal culture.

Your petitioners, therefore, request the House work with the Sunshine Coast Regional Council to remove the light rail option and support a regional electric/hydro bus network connecting all towns and communities from the coast to hinterland, north to south, benefiting all residents. This option is faster to implement, has the capacity to move into autonomous options such as uber/on call style busses, and fits with our desire to be smarter, creative, healthier. Light rail does not meet that standard, a regional electric/hydro bus network does.

^ What garbage.

This is like saying they shouldn't spend money on the M1 because it doesn't fix congestion on Aerodrome Road.

Morons.

LRT is needed for a mass transit operation from Caloundra to MCY. The other options are good for neighbourhood roaming and pick up but doesn't allow for masses of people to be transported at anyone time. BRT is good but I find it not as popular and a bit Inferior for mass transit, though it can be used in combination with LRT. At the end of the day the Sunshine Coast will require all three modes Heavy rail, LRT and electric BRT, plus neighbourhood autonomous roaming vehicles.

As I remember the rules to transport are

1-5 km walk and cycle

1-5<15 km Bus

1-20<30km LRT

10>50km+ Heavy rail

Sunshine Coast Daily --> Councillor slams 'misinformation' over mass transit proposal $

QuoteA councillor representing several coastal communities set to be affected by a new transport system has called out what he says is misinformation being spread about the project.

Sunshine Coast Division 3 councillor Peter Cox said misinformation was being spread about the Sunshine Coast Mass Transit Project, for which the most recent report had listed a light rail system as the top-ranked option for a 13km first stage stretching from Maroochydore to Kawana.

Mr Cox had hinted at concerns about misinformation in responses to questions provided last week and this week he was able to expand on those concerns. ...

Sunshine Coast Daily --> Funding war: MP urges government to snub light rail $

QuoteA Sunshine Coast politician believes light rail will be so disastrous for the region he is calling on the Federal Government not to fund any of the $1.5 billion construction cost.

Fisher MP Andrew Wallace said he had made his strong opposition towards a light rail proposal between Maroochydore and Caloundra known to Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Light rail is one of five public transport options being considered as part of Sunshine Coast Council's Mass Transit Options Analysis, which is currently open for consultation.

The report aims to guide a future public transport solution with other options listed being wireless light rail, trackless trams, rapid bus transit and a quality bus corridor.

Mr Wallace said light rail "could not be more inappropriate" for the Sunshine Coast.

"It would remove a lane each way for cars on the already congested Nicklin Way, Brisbane Road and Alexandra Parade and worsen traffic along the Coast," he said. ....

>> https://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/Council/Planning-and-Projects/Major-Regional-Projects/Sunshine-Coast-Mass-Transit-Project/Have-Your-Say

Sunshine Coast Daily --> Mass transit misinformation claims challenged by key group  $

QuoteA community group formed to fight a possible coastal light rail system has questioned misinformation claims raised as it handed over more than 800 written submissions.

The Sunshine Coast Mass Transit Action Group president Tracey Goodwin-McDonald and other members handed 820 written submissions into the Sunshine Coast Council on Thursday.

Ms Goodwin-McDonald said a review of more than 600 of the submissions had revealed a common theme.

She said the responses had repeatedly called for a focus on the CAMCOS heavy rail corridor instead of a coastal mass transit system, with light rail one of several options being considered. ...

Sunshine Coast News --> Residents demand transparency on proposed mass transit project as 'mystery' meeting called off

QuoteA "mystery" council meeting that residents feared was designed to push through the proposed Sunshine Coast Mass Transit project has been called off without public explanation.

As Sunshine Coast News reported last week, Division 4 Councillor Joe Natoli revealed councillors were told to clear their diaries for the "special meeting" to be held on Wednesday, September 22.

However, Cr Natoli has confirmed that meeting had since been pulled from the schedule after the story went public, and had been replaced with a workshop.

The move has intensified speculation about the Sunshine Coast Council's agenda regarding the mass transit project and has heightened concern over transparency.

Residents are demanding the council communicate openly about the controversial project, saying the lack of information is fuelling rumour and supposition. ...

Sunshine Coast News --> Coast community split over mass transit project as council finally releases report

Quote... Most people believe a good mass transit system is important for the Sunshine Coast (68%)

There is particular concern with the option of light rail with overhead wires

People want heavy rail to be pursued in parallel with mass transit ie. CAMCOS and extending the North Coast Rail Line, and better passenger rail to Brisbane should be a priority

Some people want extra routes for stage 1, such as Caloundra, however there are others concerned with the alignment of the route through Alexandra Headland

There was a strong emphasis on protecting the Coast's amenity and beaches. ...

Correct, they are options for assessment.

• Read the Sunshine Coast Mass Transit Options Analysis (click October in the drop-down menu)
  
• Watch the Council Meeting live-stream on Wednesday 20 October at 1.30pm
  

Couriermail Sunshine --> Sunshine Coast light rail: Council's mass transit report keeps light rail option on the table despite opposition $

QuoteCouncil officers recommend steaming ahead with a light rail option still on the table for the region after what has been described as a "pick your poison" consultation process.

Sunshine Coast councillors will meet on October 20 for a special meeting to discuss mass transit with council officers recommending endorsement of the recently-released Mass Transit Options Analysis report.

Officers have also recommended councillors agree to refer the options analysis to the state government to proceed with a detailed business case as well as lodge documents with Infrastructure Australia to seek inclusion on the body's 2022 Infrastructure Priority List.

Almost 800 pages of documents were released last week ahead of the October 20 meeting, with the cost to produce the options analysis having surpassed $4.7m to-date, funded over three years via the council's Transport Levy. ...

High stakes in game of brinkmanship (see page 2):

https://dpe.noosanews.com.au/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&pubid=9f75bf9a-b973-40b0-afee-94afe826811f

Couriermail Sunshine Coast --> Sunshine Coast mass transit rally: Thousands to line beach from Mooloolaba to Maroochydore in light rail protest $

QuoteThousands of concerned residents will line several kilometres of premier coastline in a last-ditch bid to have light rail dumped as a potential new beachfront transport system.

Growing outcry over the plans was set to reach a crescendo on Sunday, October 17, when up to 3000 people were expected to line the beach from Mooloolaba to Maroochydore.

The gathered masses will be aiming to make their views heard in a final plea to the Sunshine Coast Council to scrap light rail as an option for its mass transit plan.  ...

Meanwhile 3000 people or more would be expected to use it daily.

Couriermail Sunshine Coast --> Sunshine Coast Councillor Joe Natoli calls for council to boycott funding light rail $

Quote
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sunshine Coast. Followed categories will be added to My News.

Follow
A Sunshine Coast councillor is calling on the council to boycott funding a light rail system amid estimates ratepayers could be slugged with a $200m construction cost.

Councillor Joe Natoli slammed the decision to include light rail as one of five public transport options, despite community opposition towards it.

Mr Natoli doubled down on his attack against the proposal despite others stating it was too early to discuss how much a future mass transit system could cost the council.

He said based on what the Gold Coast Council spent on light rail the Sunshine Coast could be expected to chip in up to $200m towards the $2.6b construction cost. ...

Queensland Parliament

https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/tableOffice/questionsAnswers/2021/1354-2021.pdf

Question on Notice
No. 1354
Asked on 27 October 2021

Mr J Bleijie asked Premier and Minister for the Olympics (Hon. A Palaszczuk)

QUESTION:
With reference to the Sunshine Coast Council's mass transit community consultation,
during which the community voted light rail as the least preferred transport option—
Will the Premier listen to the Sunshine Coast community and immediately reject light rail
if it is presented as an option from the Sunshine Coast Council, despite the community's
rejection?

ANSWER:

My Government's infrastructure pipeline on the Sunshine Coast includes more than $3.9
billion worth of jointly funded road and rail upgrades supporting thousands of jobs.
On 8 May 2019, the Queensland Government committed $7.5 million, to be matched by
Sunshine Coast Council, towards the joint development of a detailed business case for the
first stage of an integrated urban public transport solution for the Sunshine Coast.
The Sunshine Coast Council has led the options analysis as part of planning for mass
transit, and on 20 October 2021, they endorsed the Mass Transit Options Analysis Report.
With the options analysis now complete, the next phase of the project is to undertake a
detailed business case.

Community feedback received as part of the Sunshine Coast Council's community
engagement for the options analysis report will be a key consideration in the development
of the detailed business case.

The Sunshine Coast has always been a priority for my Government and the region will
see even more investment in critical transport upgrades.

Condemned to mediocrity.   ...

Quote from: ozbob on November 27, 2021, 11:20:15 AM
Condemned to mediocrity.   ...

Transport planning is not a popularity contest!! Better education and collaboration required!

Queensland Parliament Hansard

https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/events/han/2023/2023_04_19_DAILY.pdf

Ministerial Statements

Transport Infrastructure, Sunshine Coast Mass Transit

Hon. MC BAILEY (Miller—ALP) (Minister for Transport and Main Roads) (10.05 am): Across the state we are building a public transport legacy on a scale that we have never seen before. This government is investing nearly double the amount of money than was being spent on transport infrastructure when we came to power after the savage cuts before us. It is headlined by the transformational Cross River Rail project; the Queensland Train Manufacturing Program, which is building trains here in Queensland—and we know those opposite are opposed to that—a $3.5 billion pipeline over the next four years in terms of rail; and record levels of investment in bus networks across Queensland. On top of this, our new network officer strategy will increase our frontline transport force, creating 100 new full-time jobs, something I know other states are now looking at.

Today I can update the House that the first wave of extra network officers hired off the back of our new funding commitment in January this year is nearing completion of their training and will be starting in service next month, making our network safer for both bus drivers and commuters. In the months to come we will be bolstering Townsville's bus network with more services more often in suburbs like Bohle Plains, Mount Louisa, Shaw and Burdell. That is not the only way we will be making public transport better.

Major work is ramping up on the Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 3 from Broadbeach to Burleigh as we see record levels of patronage on the existing light rail network on the Gold Coast. We are seeing more bus services than ever before on the northern Gold Coast, a location where we are also building three new train stations at Pimpama, Hope Island and Merrimac as part of our Cross River Rail project. On the Sunshine Coast we have signed a preconstruction and design agreement on the Sunshine Coast rail duplication upgrade, paving the way for the next phase of major construction to ramp up next year. We have also got two major planning studies underway looking at improved public transport on the Sunshine Coast, the third largest city in this state: the first, a planning study, co-funded by the Albanese federal Labor government—and aren't they doing well—on the direct Sunshine Coast line linking Brisbane to the beach in the north; and the second, a detailed business case for a mass transit network assessing five possible modes for the Sunshine Coast.

Today I can announce that we have reached a memorandum of understanding with the Albanese federal Labor government and the Sunshine Coast Council on the business case, another important milestone for that project. Across Queensland the Palaszczuk Labor government will be improving public transport every single day with record levels of investment and not cuts, which those on the other side of the chamber love.

Quote from: ozbob on April 19, 2023, 15:12:36 PMToday I can announce that we have reached a memorandum of understanding with the Albanese federal Labor government and the Sunshine Coast Council on the business case

What exactly does this mean?

I gather an agreement to develop a business case looking a 5 possible modes? What are they? Bus, Light Rail? Heavey Rail? EScooter? Bike? Gondola? Ski Taxi? Walking?

Yawn....

QuoteToday I can announce that we have reached a memorandum of understanding with the Albanese federal Labor government and the Sunshine Coast Council on the business case, another important milestone for that project.

Probably Brisbane Metro Buses up there too. Which would not be a bad outcome...     

I believe they want wired LRT, similar to the Gold Coast.

Hasn't a study of this nature already been done for the Sunshine Coast, or at least the southern portion?

I vaguely remember some document that compared heavy rail, light rail and BRT. And heavy rail was the preferred option because it minimised the need for transfer.

Or was that CAMCOS?

I think a Brisbane Metro style BRT might be a goer for the Sunshine Coast because it isn't as built up as the Gold Coast.

https://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/Council/Planning-and-Projects/Major-Regional-Projects/Sunshine-Coast-Mass-Transit-Project/mass-transit-options

On 20 October 2021 council endorsed the Options Analysis to progress to the Queensland Government to lead the Detailed Business Case in partnership with council.

The Options Analysis recommended the following options to be considered during the Detailed Business Case -

Quality bus corridor – a high-frequency bus service running in dedicated kerbside bus priority lanes with features such as high-quality vehicles, pre-paid boarding and quality bus stops

Bus Rapid Transit – 25 metre-long battery-powered, rubber tyred vehicles running at high frequency in a dedicated busway corridor mostly in the centre of the road with high-quality stations, pre-paid boarding and priority signalling

Light Rail Transit - 45 metre long modern rail vehicles running at high frequency on a dedicated trackway mostly in the centre of the road with high-quality stations, pre-paid boarding and priority signalling

Trackless tram - 32 metre long battery powered rubber tyred 'tram like' vehicles running at high frequency in a dedicated busway corridor mostly in the centre of the road with high-quality stations, pre-paid boarding and priority signalling

wLRT - A wire-free light rail system - identical to the light rail option, minus the overhead wires, with on-board batteries and charging equipment at select stations.

Mass Transit Detailed Business Case 2021  Sunshine Coast Council

So 2 modes with 2 options for bus and 3 options for LRT!

Quote from: Jonno on April 20, 2023, 07:35:24 AMSo 2 modes with 2 options for bus and 3 options for LRT!

3 bus and 2 for LRT.  ' Trackless Trams ' are really guided buses.

Fair call. They are plagued with problems but if included it gets that out in the open.

I do like the Metro BRT option.

If you can get the buses 2 minutes apart you can get 4500 pphd out of it, which might be enough for a while.

Alternatively, if you design the system so that buses can easily overtake each other, you might get closer to a bus a minute, or 9000 pphd.

Some thoughts

If we work on the idea that:

{510,000 population x 3.3 trip generation rate x PT=10%} = 168,300 PT Trips per day // PT=10% is from the Sunshine Coast Council's own targets. **

then

{168,300 PT Trips x 5.5 days/week x 52 weeks} = 48,133,800 PT trips per year in 2041 (projection)

If we take the daily figure and say 20% of that daily flow occurs during 1-hour peaks that would give an estimate of:

168,300 daily PT Trips x 0.2 = 33,660 divide by 2 x 1 hour peak periods (morning and afternoon)

= 16,800 pphd required by 2041.

Now, a key question is whether that would all be carried by mass transit or whether the construction of the Sunshine Coast line to Maroochydore would lower/divert that number due to internal competition for passengers between modes.

If the train is equally likely to be used as the mass transit this would be 8400 pphd each.

But I think that local transport > regional train even if it were faster, because most destinations would be local. I guess would be that the mass transit 2x - 3x more passengers than the train. Let's go with 80% mass transit, 20% on the train.

0.8 x 16,800 pphd = 13,440 pphd (1-hour peak, 2041, estimate) on Mass Transit Corridor

Comments

This 13,440 pphd would be above what the BRT would comfortably do in 2041. But LRT is higher in cost and is slow to build all stages. A reasonable staging would therefore be BRT now (perhaps open BRT if you don't want to buy special Metro BRT vehicles) and then convert the corridor progressively in stages to LRT over the 20 year period.

You could potentially build the stations with LRT length initially as Priority B BRT and then just lay the tracks, poles and wires later into the ROW.

This is essentially the same as what is happening on the Gold Coast.

Notes

** I anticipate some objection to this target. However, I think PT=10% is reasonable. The target should not be set higher than what time-equivalence will allow, otherwise the target will simply be arbitrary. Also, Gold Coast mode share, even with LRT and rail is hovering around or below PT=5%.

Quote from: #Metro on April 20, 2023, 12:13:52 PMI guess would be that the mass transit 2x - 3x more passengers than the train. Let's go with 80% mass transit, 20% on the train.

Isn't that 4 times higher ridership for the mass transit than the train?

In the end, yes.

1 train + 3x mass transit = 4 total.

3/4 = 0.75, roundup to 0.8