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'Come clean': Demands for rail to Maroochydore to be confirmed

2nd June 2023

Bad Morning,

The Couriermail has today called for clarification on the State Government's intent for the proposed railway from Beerwah to Maroochydore, the so called Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line. 

'Come clean': Demands for rail to Maroochydore to be confirmed
https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/come-clean-demands-for-rail-to-maroochydore-to-be-confirmed/news-story/60a7eddd04b9599f5a117b040aaaf2f2

It is increasingly clear that  this railway from Beerwah to Maroochydore is not going to be built any time soon.  The recently published Southern Sunshine Coast Public Transport Strategy ( https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/about-us/corporate-information/publications/southern-sunshine-coast-public-transport-strategy ) yet another strategy/plan in a rather long list of such documents, indicates that the railway might go to Birtinya, not Maroochydore.

It is time for the Queensland Government to be honest with the citizens of the Sunshine Coast.  The upgrade of the Sunshine Coast line north of Beerburrum has been cut back to Beerwah, similarly the proposed railway to Maroochydore is to suffer a similar fate - cut back to Birtinya.

The Gold Coast continues to gain favour with the Queensland Government, the transport needs of the Sunshine Coast are lost in an endless cycle of plans/strategies/studies.

Appalling stuff.

Not very cheered,

Regards
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track https://backontrack.org

Attached: https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?msg=271478
& https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?msg=271452

Facebook ...

Mr Bailey's pollie doublespeak does nothing to clarify the matter. We must be like a parent teaching a toddler to speak.

Ray, say Ray. Good, now say ill. Now put them together ....rail. Yes, that's it.

Mr Bailey says:  "The Southern Sunshine Coast Public Transport Study clearly outlines a vision for a Centre Corridor running from Beerwah to Maroochydore and a Coastal Corridor running from Caloundra to Maroochydore," Mr Bailey said.

If we examine the strategy, therefore, the Central Corridor has this objective: Rapid service, high frequency with 'fully separated priority'. But it does not state 'rail'. In fact the Queensland Government's strategy says this: "The strategy does not specify a preferred public transport mode (i.e. rail, bus or light rail)."

Mr Bailey goes on: "The first stage of the Coastal Corridor project would focus on Maroochydore to Birtinya, as recommended in the Sunshine Coast Council's mass transport options analysis."

And Mr Bailey's strategy says: "The coastal corridor will enable local, intra-regional travel with access to key coastal tourism, health and business precincts and to the centre corridor." The access intersect point for the coastal corridor and the centre corridor is Birtinya. We know that the Coastal Corridor in the Sunshine Coast Council's mass transport options analysis does state a preferred mode ... and it is light rail. The Coastal Corridor is light rail from Caloundra to Maroochydore.

So, Mr Bailey states: "The coastal corridor will enable local and inter-regional travel with access to key ... precincts and to the centre corridor" AND he acknowledges that the first stage of the Coastal Corridor is light rail from Maroochydore to Birtinya ...

In other words, he is saying that the centre corridor mode (unspecified mode, but assumed to be heavy rail) will intersect with the coastal corridor (defined by the Sunshine Coast Council's mass transport options analysis as light rail) at Birtinya.

Sifting the tea leaves, Mr Bailey's view of the world is for first stage of the Coastal Corridor (light rail) to run from Maroochydore to Birtinya, connecting at Birtinya to heavy rail. He is ruling out light rail in the coastal corridor AND heavy rail in the central corridor, both running different routes between Birtinya and Maroochydore (and serving different purposes).

The Minister's vision is for light rail (only) to run from Maroochydore to Birtinya, there to join to heavy rail. No continuous heavy rail from Beerwah to Maroochydore then.

I don't think that's a reasonable interpretation but I can understand how jaded you must be given the history involved.

The idea of a Caloundra to Maroochydore corridor intercepting the CAMCOS alignment via the SCUH / Birtinya area is not new.  What is more recent is the council spending money progressing that idea of the former instead of just the State.

I think it's clear both corridors are intended to be complementary to one another, the same way the Gold Coast line and G:link are.  They have different functions.  For reasons of geometry / geography, the Sunshine Coast arrangement would just result in the 2 lines connecting 3 times (each end of the coastal corridor and Birtinya) rather than twice (Helensvale and Gold Coast Airport).  People on the Gold Coast complaining they "duplicate" each other or that the expectation is for people to ride a tram for 90 minutes from OOL to Helensvale also fail to understand the M1 and Gold Coast Highway are configured THE SAME WAY FOR THE SAME REASON.  There will be people on the Sunshine Coast who probably run the same argument, especially since the 2 corridors are closer together for more of their length than the 2 on the Gold Coast where it really only becomes noticeable south of Burleigh.

Given density, traffic and other requirements, it's only natural Maroochydore to Birtinya would be the priority for the coastal corridor.  The central corridor has to connect to Beerwah so it's only natural that bit gets done first.  It makes sense to me you would end up with QR from Beerwah to Birtinya and light rail from there to Maroochydore while other parts get built.

I have no concern the "central corridor" will be anything other than rail.  The accounting bullsh%t State governments have to go through requires them to assess things mode-neutrally even where it is abundantly clear that is pointless.

I also have no concern the coastal corridor will be light rail given it measures up and is the Council's preference, but it is an open question which form it takes - wired or wireless.  For reasons of simplicity and cost I'm in favour of not going with any sort of wireless option.  The other examples in Australia (all in NSW) indicate this is substantially more expensive and prone to failure.  The anecdotal observations I have seen are that quite a number of the unwired (APS) bits of George Street in Sydney are burnt out and trams are running on batteries for a good chunk of them.  Newcastle's system is also comically slow because of the constant need to put the pan up for charging at each stop.  I expect the Parramatta system to have similar issues with hte off-wire sections, and also Canberra with the wireless bit around the Parliamentary Triangle gets built.  Since the reasoning for these sections are basically aesthetic the operation will be compromised.  Other systems have no such problem (eg the existing Canberra line and the bit being built to Commonwealth Park, the entire existing and proposed Gold Coast line etc).

The document (quietly released via LinkedIn) creates the confusion. It's deliberately ambiguous.

e.g. The Coastal Corridor is described thus (p17):
Description
Nicklin Way, Brisbane Road,
Aerodrome Road and other coastal
roads between Maroochydore
and Caloundra.

The (let's not say what it is) light rail corridor appears to be intermixed with the Central (CAMCOS) corridor.
I believe it clearly shows rail to only as far as Birtinya (which is better than Caloundra at least) but it needs to get to Maroochydore.
We have the athletes village and events occurring nearby.
It was the state government plan to construct rail to Maroochydore in 2007.
Money was allocated to its construction in 2006/07 budget papers.
That argument can only be greater now.

I just do not understand why corridor planning and mode selection need to be done yet again.

I vaguely recall seeing some sort of document that already did this? Maybe that was the CAMCOS plan? And heavy rail was the preferred option because it minimised the number of changes for Brisbane bound journeys, had the future capacity, and was the fastest.

Update - from the Wayback machine. Is the 1996 date correct?

QuoteCaboolture to Maroochydore Corridor Study
Quick links:

Study background
Who undertook the study?
Why did we do the study?
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Community involvement
What was decided at the end of the study?
Publications.
Study background

The Caboolture to Maroochydore Corridor Study (CAMCOS) began in November 1996. The study investigated the feasibility, preferred development, impacts and benefits of a new public transport corridor between Beerwah and the Sunshine Coast Airport.

In consultation with the local community, the study focused on:

developing an integrated land use transport strategy for the Caboolture to Maroochydore area
determining the need for a new public transport corridor
identifying a preferred route for the corridor
identifying the preferred public transport mode (for example, busway, heavy rail, light rail and so on)
identifying station locations
developing an integrated public transport system
undertaking impact assessment studies and identifying environmental management strategies
establishing staging options for the development of public transport infrastructure.

(bold added)

Quote from: #Metro on June 02, 2023, 15:00:16 PMI just do not understand why corridor planning and mode selection need to be done yet again.

I vaguely recall seeing some sort of document that already did this? Maybe that was the CAMCOS plan? And heavy rail was the preferred option because it minimised the number of changes for Brisbane bound journeys, had the future capacity, and was the fastest.

+1

QuoteWhat was decided in Stage 2?

It was decided that:

the preferred transport mode is heavy passenger rail, similar to the current Citytrain network
detailed evaluation should be undertaken for the short listed corridor options.

Why repeat a study which will essentially reveal the same answers?

Maybe this should just be referred to the Auditor-General's Office. More money spent going over old ground.

Quote from: #Metro on June 02, 2023, 15:00:16 PMI just do not understand why corridor planning and mode selection need to be done yet again.

I vaguely recall seeing some sort of document that already did this? Maybe that was the CAMCOS plan? And heavy rail was the preferred option because it minimised the number of changes for Brisbane bound journeys, had the future capacity, and was the fastest.

Update - from the Wayback machine. Is the 1996 date correct?

QuoteCaboolture to Maroochydore Corridor Study
Quick links:

Study background
Who undertook the study?
Why did we do the study?
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Community involvement
What was decided at the end of the study?
Publications.
Study background

The Caboolture to Maroochydore Corridor Study (CAMCOS) began in November 1996. The study investigated the feasibility, preferred development, impacts and benefits of a new public transport corridor between Beerwah and the Sunshine Coast Airport.

In consultation with the local community, the study focused on:

developing an integrated land use transport strategy for the Caboolture to Maroochydore area
determining the need for a new public transport corridor
identifying a preferred route for the corridor
identifying the preferred public transport mode (for example, busway, heavy rail, light rail and so on)
identifying station locations
developing an integrated public transport system
undertaking impact assessment studies and identifying environmental management strategies
establishing staging options for the development of public transport infrastructure.

(bold added)

Yes. Began in 1996 is my earliest record.

4 December 1998
ARUP CAMCOS Corridor Assessment Report 206 pages

On 15 November 1997, the Minister for Transport and Main Roads announced that the section of the route which deviates from the Sunshine Motorway west to the north coast line, south of Yandina would be removed from the study.
It now stops at Maroochydore Airport.

31 March 1999
ARUP Stage 3 Caloundra Options Assessment Report 123 pages.
Then the Airport section quietly got deleted in 1999.

I see a corridor to the Airport has returned after a 24 year absence.

Stage Three
CALOUNDRA OPTIONS ASSESSMENT REPORT
31 March 1999

What is immediately apparent from this review of the ToR is that CAMCOS is first and foremost
a public transport study. It is a study that is based on the findings, recommendations and
objectives of the SEQ2001 RFGM and the IRTP. Indeed one of the stated objectives of the IRTP
is to:
Identify and preserve an alignment for an extension of rail to Maroochydore key centre. p12

For those playing at home
IRTP is Integrated Regional Transport Plan
RFGM is Regional Framework for Growth Management

I cannot post the final IAS Report here as the file is too large to attach, but it is linked here on this external website:

CAMCOS Report
https://undertheclocksblog.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/camcoscompleteias.pdf

Contains a map etc. They probably do need to resolve access into Maroochydore, a triangle junction is indicated which implies reversing out of Maroochydore station in order to continue along the line. Mode choice assessment and financials are all in there... very comprehensive document.

 

Love the fact that things were 'finalised' in 2001. Meanwhile, in 2023 ...

Yup ^
So, so, so much planning and plans and studies..
so, so, so little done.   

RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED IN TIME FOR THE 2032 OLYMPICS

https://tedobrien.com.au/rail-infrastructure-needed-in-time-for-the-2032-olympics/

QuoteIt's 3,341 days until the opening ceremony of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and part of our vision for hosting the Games was to invest in infrastructure. At the centre of that was to be rail connectivity right across South-East Queensland, with the starting point—which was agreed to by three tiers of government—being between Brisbane and the Maroochydore CBD. That is now all at risk.

Queensland Parliament

https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/tableOffice/questionsAnswers/2023/538-2023.pdf

Question on Notice
No. 538
Asked on 10 May 2023

MR A POWELL ASKED MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT AND MAIN ROADS
(HON M BAILEY)⎯

QUESTION:

With reference to the Beerwah to Caloundra to Kawana to Maroochydore rail extension
planning—
Will the Minister advise (a) work done between 2015 to 2022 to progress the project, (b) the
date that the current planning work will be completed and (c) if the current planning will include
a business case and all other work necessary for the government to make an investment
decision?

ANSWER:

I thank the Member for Glass House for the question.

The Direct Sunshine Coast (DSC) Rail Line project—formerly known as the CAMCOS—is an
important part of the Queensland Government's vision for public transport on the Sunshine
Coast. This project is flagged as a key initiative in the state's rail blueprint, SEQ Rail Connect.
When Infrastructure Australia assessed the "North Coast Connect" business case, it said it
would welcome considering a "stronger" case for a rail connection between the North Coast
Line and coastal communities in the Sunshine Coast community.

I wrote to the federal infrastructure Minister seeking Australian Government cooperation to
develop a more robust planning document that both governments could have confidence in,
prior to making an investment decision.

The Palaszczuk Government secured $6 million in joint funding with the Australian
Government (50:50 funding arrangement) to progress investment planning in accordance with
the Queensland Treasury's Project Assessment Framework (PAF). Preliminary evaluations
started in 2022 and a business case is now underway, which is the final step of the PAF
process to inform an investment decision. Government consideration of business case
outcomes is anticipated in 2024.

The Direct Sunshine Coast business case is assessing the 37-kilometre heavy rail line corridor
Beerwah and Maroochydore to confirm various project elements, such as rail alignment, rail
operations, stabling and construction, as well as environmental and community impacts of the
project. Pre-delivery work, such as site surveys and geotechnical investigations are underway
as part of the business case stage.

A project cost estimate and potential delivery timeframes, construction staging, integration with
the broader rail network and market conditions, will be confirmed during the business case
stage to inform the investment decision by the Queensland and Australian governments.

In Queensland, when does a large rail infrastructure project 'start'?

- when ministers arrange a sod-turning for a project that is a glint in their eye?
- when a glossy brochure is prepared with fine print saying: "Concepts only. May not conform with the final design"?
- when a EIS is conducted?
- when pre-investment planning gets underway? (Planning that might not result in a commitment, or construction.)
- when land is bought for the project?
- when 'pre-delivery' work gets underway (geo-drilling etc.?
- when governments agree to work on a business case?
- when service relocation occurs so as to allow construction of the project proper?
- when roadworks associated with a rail project start when there is no guarantee that the rail project work will follow immediately afterwards?
- when actual work on sleeper laying and track placement within the corridor?

On the Sunshine Coast, there have been several false starts. 

^^
Re Business Case DSCRL

QTRIP

https://www.publications.qld.gov.au/ckan-publications-attachments-prod/resources/e2f11e9c-f59c-4292-a5cf-f35716d083dc/qtrip-2023-24-to-2026-27_accessible.pdf?ETag=2bf3fb8c2f49ba289b9877e887d7e89f

Page 65

Estimated expenditure to 30 June 2023 $5,000,000
2023-24 $5,588,000
2024-25 $3,412,000

Thanks Ozbob.

And what do you know ...... we have yet another strategic study - The Beerwah East Strategic Transport Study.

Details page 67.

Makes you wonder how that inter-relates to the Southern Sunshine Coast Transport Plan.

Quote from: Stillwater on June 14, 2023, 15:39:20 PMThanks Ozbob.

And what do you know ...... we have yet another strategic study - The Beerwah East Strategic Transport Study.

Details page 67.

Makes you wonder how that inter-relates to the Southern Sunshine Coast Transport Plan.

Good pick-up SW.
$1.3 million state money.

It must be new. I cannot find anything about it on the TMR website.

Details of the Beerwah East Major Development Area .....

https://hdp-au-prod-app-suncst-haveyoursay-files.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/1616/4405/3822/Beerwah_-_Landsborough_Proposed_local_planning_directions_.pdf

Planned actions

"Subject to the timing of the development of Beerwah East, identify Beerwah as a District Activity Centre to better reflect its current and likely future role and function."

"Continue planning for a large new master planned community at Beerwah East. Once complete, this area will house about 50,000 people (similar to Aura) in a series of diverse neighbourhoods supported by a railway station and major town centre, as well as several smaller scale centres, and a large industrial area."

And here is an interactive map:
https://haveyoursay.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/newplanningscheme/beerwah-landsborough

New thread for Beerwah East Development area > https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=15227.0

https://twitter.com/Jeffrey_Addison/status/1669668441211674625

We know Minister Bailey puts politics front and centre of everything he touches. All the political portents indicate that he will delay any announcement regarding the SCDL funding and construction until the middle of next year -- announcing it in the State Budget, then the big ribbon cutting ceremony in September 2024, leading into the October 2024 state election. His message? "Labor got you this new railway line, not the LNP. Vote Labor'.

And history shows his party loves a ribbon cutting media event and still takes forever to get anything (but roads) on the Sunny Coast started in a timely manner.

Keep the pressure on grubby Bailey.

https://twitter.com/Jeffrey_Addison/status/1671996344368795648

^ well this is a good clear policy.  The 'Minister for the Gold Coast' needs to switch on!!

https://twitter.com/7NewsSC/status/1671790123233710081

Ah, the thrust and parry of politics .... "It's Maroochydore or bust by 2020." (a nice thought) ... "We're committed to costing and planning this project all the way to Maroochydore." (but not actually build it.) "I'll give you a business case for a railway line towards the coast." (Birtinya terminus)... "A line by the Olympics is hysteria. ... There's plenty of time to build it by Olympics." (from the crowd that promised it would be operational in 2020) ... "We'll build this line to Maroochydore ASAP." (from the other crowd, but only if they win Government).

It's like two dudes playing poker. Crisafulli has upped the stakes ...it's up to Bailey to call.

In that twitter video the MP says that "this is the first proper business case done ever for this project."

This is simply not correct and demonstrably false. The CAMCOS report contains mode choice selection, route choice selection, and calculates financials NPV for them.

The main reason why they have to redo it is because the numbers in the first business case are now decades out of date.

The reality is this is at least the Second business case, and if they continue to sit on it again, they might need a third to update the financials yet again.

I think RBOT could call this out and provide a link to the old business case to boot.

The change of name is key - from CAMCOS to DSCL. While a whole lot of work has been done for CAMCOS, technically the pollie is right -- this is the first business case for the DIRECT SUNSHINE COAST LINE proposal. That is what this government does .... tangle the whole project in endlessly evolving planning, and planning, and studies, and feasibility studies - then change the name and start all over again.

Quote from: Stillwater on July 06, 2023, 22:05:10 PMThe change of name is key - from CAMCOS to DSCL. While a whole lot of work has been done for CAMCOS, technically the pollie is right -- this is the first business case for the DIRECT SUNSHINE COAST LINE proposal. That is what this government does .... tangle the whole project in endlessly evolving planning, and planning, and studies, and feasibility studies - then change the name and start all over again.

Yes, the sad reality ...

Mirage News --> Sunshine Coast Big Build reaches next steps

QuotePalaszczuk and Albanese governments deliver combined $20 million in funding to plan the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line, a future connection between Beerwah and Maroochydore.

. Major community consultation set to begin on four key transport projects for the Sunshine Coast

. Key transport infrastructure planning needed on the runway to 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games

. The Sunshine Coast is one of Queensland's fastest growing regions with more than half a million people expected to call it home by 2041

As one of Queensland's fastest growing regions, the Sunshine Coast is set to undergo a major transformation...

Quote

• The Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line
• Sunshine Motorway, Mooloolah River Interchange (MRI) Upgrade
• Kawana Motorway planning
• Sunshine Coast Public Transport project

We know which 2 of these will be prioritised.

It looks as though a swiftie is being pulled here.

From the community consultation pages:

"The needs and impacts of the Caboolture to Maroochydore Corridor Study (CAMCOS) are a key consideration for TMR in planning these road connections. Planning has confirmed there is adequate space within the protected CAMCOS corridor to accommodate both road and rail."

So, we have moved from having a preserved railway line (DSCL/CAMCOS) to a situation where TMR is telling everyone that CAMCOS rail 'impacts upon new motorways and major road intersections' .... in other words a rail project on the books for decades is getting in the way of roads planning.

Now, we are being told a motorway and heavy rail will be squeezed into the CAMCOS/DSCL preserved corridor:

with rail terminating at Kawana and the Kawana-Maroochydore leg being road only?

with rail perhaps being just a single track because a motorway standard road will have to hog the corridor space?

with the road component proceeding first and rail construction pushed out?

Smelly fishy all round.

I am not expecting much in the business case now due end of this year.

Seriously, why the upgrades at Landsborough - new eastern bus station etc. if they were fair dinkum about DSCRL.

They are not clearly.  It is just spin and deception IMHO.

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1678895537658134528

Sunshine Valley Gazette 19th July 2023 page 22

The Multi-Modal Transport Corridor phoenix rises again

Sunshine Coast News --> Commitment to transport projects questioned but government says it's on the right track

QuoteA Sunshine Coast member of state parliament has further criticised the government for its handling of key transport projects in the region, but Labor says it remains focused on delivering infrastructure in a thorough manner.

The Sunshine Coast Direct Rail, the Kawana Motorway, the Mooloolah River Interchange Upgrade and the Southern Sunshine Coast Public Transport Strategy are in planning and/or design phases, with mixed levels of funding.

The Member for Kawana, LNP's Jarrod Bleijie, said the projects were behind time and government business case studies and a community consultation period were essentially "delay tactics" and a "stunt", in the face of a growing population and the looming 2032 Olympics. ...

Get on it

https://www.yoursay-projects.tmr.qld.gov.au/direct-sunshine-coast-rail-line/direct-sunshine-coast-rail-line-stations