RAIL - Back On Track Forum

At least between Landsborough and Caloundra there isn't much pressing need for BRT, the bus sits on 100km/h for most of that length.  Bus lanes after you reach around Nicklin Way into the Caloundra CBD itself would help because that bit can back up easily.  The real issue for now is how infrequently it all runs.

QuoteBus lanes after you reach around Nicklin Way into the Caloundra CBD itself would help because that bit can back up easily.

And they could call it Coast Connect

Quote from: SurfRail on April 12, 2024, 09:18:12 AMAt least between Landsborough and Caloundra there isn't much pressing need for BRT, the bus sits on 100km/h for most of that length.  Bus lanes after you reach around Nicklin Way into the Caloundra CBD itself would help because that bit can back up easily.  The real issue for now is how infrequently it all runs.

There's also no buses from Beerwah to Nirimba/Baringa, which means quite an indirect journey. I'm not sure Roys Rd is up to urban bus services, but I haven't been on it for a few years. Maybe it's no longer a goat track.

^ You'd almost be better off sending the bus down the M1 to Beerburrum.  At least they can run more frequent trains there.

I think the likelihood of a bus to Beerwah is a bit better. I doubt QR will be terminating trains at Beerburrum anytime soon, and that's a lot of extra route-km (15 each way, by my reckoning). Not to mention the eternal congestion on the Bruce during peak.

Beerwah to Kawana Shoppingworld via Nirimba, SCUH and Paererra seems to be the better bet.  Most of the other destinations on the DSCL are already covered by the 605/615.

Aroona would be too much of a diversion for the existing 605 from Landsborough  or the hypothetical Beerwah to Kawana Shops via Nirimba and SCUH (Birtinya).  Currently Aroona is covered by the hourly 602, which is largely a indirect coverage run to Maroochydore that takes the back suburbs.

Couriermail --> On the fast track: $5m boost for Sunshine Coast rail $

QuoteThe Queensland government has fast-tracked $5 million to advance the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail line to the planning and development phase.

Transport Minister Bart Mellish said the next stage would also kickstart community engagement to prepare construction companies to bid to build the line linking Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast and removing congestion from the Bruce Highway.

"The Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line is a game-changer for transport, with trains able to travel at 140km/h on large sections of the new line," he said. ...

https://x.com/ozbob13/status/1779912794231693429

'Fast track'? As compared with what? Perth built multiple train lines in the time SC line proposals have been on the table.

A little bit at a time.. drip, drip feeding funding.

Guess where we've seen that before?

Government Statement:

https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/100122

Multi-million-dollar package lays the foundations for Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line

16th April 2024

Minister for Transport and Main Roads and Minister for Digital Services
The Honourable Bart Mellish

. The Miles Government fast tracks $5 million towards further design and planning, including geotechnical investigations and environmental surveys.

. Further develop designs around relocating critical utilities including power, water and sewerage lines to make way for the rail line.

. Kick-start industry engagement, preparing construction companies to bid to build Direct Sunshine Coast Rail line.

. Current design shows trains can reach speeds of up to 140km/h for more than 80 per cent of Stage 1.

The Miles Labor Government is full steam ahead on the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail line, fast-tracking $5 million to further develop design and planning.

The money will fund geotechnical investigations between Beerwah and Birtinya, to help construct what will be the longest rail spur line in South East Queensland. One third of the initial 19km rail line will be built on viaducts and 10 bridges - crossing roads, creeks and the Bruce Highway.

The project team will also install ground water monitoring wells and conduct further environmental investigations. This process will ensure environmental impacts are properly assessed and any impacts mitigated.

It will also seek to reduce track curves which are integral to allowing trains to travel faster for longer.  83 per cent (or 15.8km) of track between Beerwah and Caloundra stations, is designed to allow speeds of 140km/h or faster. This is what enables passengers to travel between the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane at least 46 minutes faster.

The Miles Government will also start directly engaging with the construction industry on the tender process for Direct Sunshine Coast Rail line.

This crucial next-step, known as market sounding, ensures companies have the expertise, workforce capacity and readiness to deliver the massive, multi-billion dollar rail project.

The Department of Transport and Mains Roads (TMR) has also launched an online portal for businesses to register for upcoming industry engagement sessions. The sessions will provide companies the opportunity to learn more as the project progresses. Contractors and suppliers who register will also get regular updates tailored to their industry.

Direct Sunshine Coast Rail is expected to support thousands of local jobs and create a pipeline of opportunities for the region. Procurement will be guided by the Buy Queensland policy to help ensure local businesses benefit from the project. Buy Queensland has seen more than $64 billion invested in Queensland-registered businesses, since 2017.

Direct Sunshine Coast Rail will revolutionise travel, providing a fast and reliable alternative to car trips between the Sunshine Coast, Moreton Bay and Brisbane regions.

A trip from Brisbane to Caloundra during peak is an hour faster than the car, helping reduce congestion on the Bruce Highway and local roads across the Sunshine Coast.

The Miles Government has committed $2.75 billion in funding to deliver Stage 1 of the project from Beerwah to Caloundra, subject to matched funding from the Federal Government.

The TMR industry engagement portal is separate to a formal expression of interest to undertake work on the project, which will be announced in due course.

Businesses can now access the online portal at www.yoursay-projects.tmr.qld.gov.au/direct-sunshine-coast-rail

Quotes attributable to Bart Mellish, Minister for Transport & Main Roads:

"The Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line is a gamechanger for transport, with trains able to travel at 140kph on large sections of the new line.

"It's also a significant opportunity for Queensland businesses and local suppliers to contribute to this critical infrastructure project.

"The market sounding and industry engagement process will look at the capacity and capability of businesses to do the work required to bring the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line to life.

"This important step will tell us more about when shovels can get in the ground and when we could potentially see the first trains operating from Caloundra to Brisbane.

"We want to hear from Queensland businesses and work with them to seize the opportunity the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line represents for the future of transport in South East Queensland.

"The Miles Government has a detailed plan for this project and $2.75 billion in funding of funding on the table.

"Rather than playing petty party politics, we are cracking on with delivery.

"The LNP don't support progressive coal royalties which leaves them with a multi-billion-dollar budget black hole.

"That means more than $6 billion in cuts would be needed to deliver the rail line in full to Maroochydore. There is simply no other way.

"Which projects will they cut? Or will it be the jobs of doctors and nurses and teachers that go instead to "prune back" costs?

"The LNP need to come clean with Queenslanders about how they deliver their unfunded commitment."

Quotes attributable to Jason Hunt, Member for Caloundra:

"The Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line is another major investment in our rail network by the Queensland Government and we want Queensland businesses to be front and centre.

"Delivery will take a workforce with expertise from across the construction industry from engineers to architects and manufacturers, builders and truckdrivers.

"The Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line will offer opportunities for students to complete local apprenticeships in the booming rail and construction industries, encouraging talent to grow and stay in South East Queensland.

"Projects of this size and scale don't come around everyday. It is important that we maximise the opportunity that this project presents for the people of Queensland and deliver a secure pipeline of good jobs in one of Queensland's fastest growing regions.

"The Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line will support thousands of jobs during construction and ongoing operation and maintenance of the line after construction means secure jobs well into the future.

"The Queensland Government last year released the Q2032 Procurement Strategy, which builds on the Queensland Procurement Strategy 2023 (Jobs, Economy, Legacy, Confidence) – both plans under Buy Queensland.

"We're getting on with the job and backing Queensland businesses to deliver the projects and services our growing state needs."

Fast facts:

The Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line is a proposed 37.8km rail extension between Beerwah and Maroochydore to increase public transport opportunities and improve connectivity to Moreton Bay, Brisbane and beyond.

Stage 1 will deliver 19km of rail between Beerwah and Caloundra (over halfway), with possible delivery of Birtinya by 2032 pending procurement activities and advice from leading engineering and construction companies.

The business case evaluated technical requirements for the full rail line including 7 new stations (including a proposed future station at Beerwah East), 17km of structures, a 1.2km tunnel at Little Mountain and 2 new stabling facilities. 17km of elevated structures accounts for over 40% of the corridor.

The business case has determined an optimal realignment of the corridor between Beerwah and Maroochydore, which enables rail speeds of up 160km/h. The current trains can and do travel 140km/h, their maximum speed.

The new corridor will be protected in 2024.

Over 80% of community feedback received during community consultation in 2023 was supportive of the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line project, helping inform the business case.

ENDS

Not a word about the duplication works required between Beerburrum and Beerwah, needed as a prerequisite for the Beerwah-Caloundra project.

The statement talks about sewers, industry engagement, work for design engineers and 'protection of the corridor'. Nothing said about sleepers and rail installation.

Re these words: 'The business case has determined an optimal realignment of the corridor between Beerwah and Maroochydore, which enables rail speeds of up 160km/h.' The media statement says that the spur will be enabled to allow for speeds of 'up to 160kph', while current trains can operate optimally at 20kph below that. So, the Caloundra train won't be running at the design speed.

This statement seems inaccurate: 'A trip from Brisbane to Caloundra during peak is (will be?)an hour faster than the car.'

Is that the case? The assumption would appear to be that the train that runs at 140kph for 80 percent of the 19km between Beerwah and Caloundra will also run at 140kph from Beerwah to Brisbane. It is implausible that the hour-long travel saving between a train and a car at peak-hour, as stated in the media announcement, can be made over the new track alone.

In pursuing PR hyperbole, the state government is promulgating a nonsense -- trains running at 140kmh/160kph all the way between Caloundra and Brisbane ... including over a section of winding single track between Beerburrum and Beerwah with no construction timeline given for that upgrade B to B.

Not to mention the funding shortfall because the Queensland Government is hopeless at estimating the real cost of large infrastructure projects. There is insufficient money to build this. The Beerburrum-Beerwah track upgrade is only half-funded with the financial pledges from the state and feds.

This media statement is a bookmark in the campaign to hold the state seat of Caloundra, nothing more.

 

Why are you convinced the DSCL is going to be built before Beerburrum to Landsborough?

Quote from: StillwaterThis statement seems inaccurate: 'A trip from Brisbane to Caloundra during peak is (will be?)an hour faster than the car.'

Probably assumed great peak congestion on the road, and failed to adjust for the effect of train frequency on journey times, etc.

Most trips on PT tend to happen in the off peak. Peak is very prominent in our minds but there are simply more hours in the off peak than peak. In this situation car > PT which explains neatly why mode share is overwhelmingly car. In a low or no traffic situation, it's just faster.

Failing to incorporate frequency is another issue. Very likely it won't be Perth/best practice 15 minutes frequency on opening but half hourly.

If you have to wait 15 or 30 min, a car doing 100 km/hr has already done 25-50 km distance before the train has even left the station.

If we are going to design rail to be competitive against car travel, it needs to be more like Perth.

Sunshine Coast New --> Queensland businesses could be 'front and centre' of new rail line construction

QuoteThe state government has announced its next steps and provided further details for a heavy rail line from the Sunshine Coast hinterland to the coast.

A total of $5 million has been fast-tracked to further develop design and planning for the $5.4 billion Stage 1 of the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line.

The money will fund geotechnical investigations between Beerwah and Birtinya, to help construct what will be the longest rail spur line in South-East Queensland. ...

https://x.com/retrobike_c16/status/1780406751663366279

Quote from: Stillwater on April 17, 2024, 00:08:46 AMNot a word about the duplication works required between Beerburrum and Beerwah, needed as a prerequisite for the Beerwah-Caloundra project.

*************

..... including over a section of winding single track between Beerburrum and Beerwah with no construction timeline given for that upgrade B to B.

Despite the delays on Beerburrum to Beerwah, it still has a massive head start on DSCRL doesn't it?

I can't really see any plausible situation where DSCRL opens before the duplication is done.

**************

In terms of travel time estimates,  Right now as I type this at 4:10pm it says 1h 40 mins from Roma St to Caloundra.
Later in peak, Google gives an estimate of 1h 50 to 2h.

I'll be generous and assume the worst, 2h by road, that means rail has to be 1h flat.

Currently it takes 1:18 to get from Roma St to Beerwah, so there are certainly some nips and tucks that need to be made to get you there in an hour!

But with
-The realignment and duplication.
-CRR
-Possibly having DSCRL trains skip Elimbah/Beerburrum/Glasshouse

You might be able to get to Beerwah in say 1:05

And if its 18.5km from Beerwah to Caloundra, at an average speed of 90 km/h, thats 12 mins.

So you could get from Caloundra to Central in 1:17 or therabouts.

In conclusion, it could equal the car off peak and will definitely beat it in peak.

Quote from: Gazza on April 17, 2024, 16:06:43 PMIn terms of travel time estimates,  Right now as I type this at 4:10pm it says 1h 40 mins from Roma St to Caloundra.
Later in peak, Google gives an estimate of 1h 50 to 2h.

I'll be generous and assume the worst, 2h by road, that means rail has to be 1h flat.

Currently it takes 1:18 to get from Roma St to Beerwah, so there are certainly some nips and tucks that need to be made to get you there in an hour!

But with
-The realignment and duplication.
-CRR
-Possibly having DSCRL trains skip Elimbah/Beerburrum/Glasshouse

You might be able to get to Beerwah in say 1:05

And if its 18.5km from Beerwah to Caloundra, at an average speed of 90 km/h, thats 12 mins.

So you could get from Caloundra to Central in 1:17 or therabouts.

In conclusion, it could equal the car off peak and will definitely beat it in peak.

To skip Glasshouse Mt/Elimbah/Beerburrum would mean basically extending every 2nd Caboolture terminator at the minimum to Beerwah (meeting with the Nambour/Cooroy/Gympie North shuttle).

In addition, Caboolture to Petrie would also require partial triplication (There's already 3 Platforms at Narangba) to enable the DSCL trains to run express Caboolture to Petrie and enable a two-tier service.  At the moment, DSCL/Caloundra is really an extension (and replacement) of the Caboolture terminators/existing Nambour services under the current infrastructure.

Option under current infrastructure

* Extend current Caboolture terminators and redirect existing Nambour services to Caloundra.
* DSCL/Caloundra operate on the existing express pattern to/from Petrie via the CRR.
* Convert Nambour/Gympie North to hourly alternating services to/from Beerwah during the off-peak and weekends (hourly from Nambour/two-hourly from Gympie North)
* Assuming the Weekday "Gympielander" remains a non-CRR service operating on the existing sector during peak, perhaps expand that to 2-4 services in the morning and afternoon periods, running express Bowen Hills to Beerwah, stopping only at Northgate and Caboolture.  The extra Gympielanders could serve what's left of the beyond Beerwah local 'peak' demand alongside the base hourly shuttles during peak times.

Partial triplication Caboolture to Petrie
* DSCL to Caloundra becomes a separate line, existing Nambour services converted to Gympie North/Nambour-Caboolture shuttles, timed with DSCL and Caboolture starters
* Caboolture remains as a 2nd-tier service, servicing Morayfield to Dakabin (whilst DSCL/Caloundra skips those stations).
* DSCL/Caloundra trains run express Beerwah to CRR stopping only at Caboolture, Petrie, Northgate and Eagle Junction
* The weekday Gympielander, assuming it is retained as a non-CRR service will continue as is, perhaps at most expanded to two peak services in the morning and afternoon.

Queensland Parliament Questions on Notice

https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/tableOffice/questionsAnswers/2024/239-2024.pdf

Question on Notice
No. 239
Asked on 19 March 2024

MR S MINNIKIN ASKED MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT AND MAIN ROADS AND MINISTER
FOR DIGITAL SERVICES (HON B MELLISH)

QUESTION:

Will the Minister advise the date that the business case for the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line
project was provided to Infrastructure Australia and when the Minister expects them to finalise
their assessment?

ANSWER:

I thank the Member for Chatsworth for the question.

The Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line business case was formally provided to Infrastructure
Australia on 23 February 2024 for assessment.

Infrastructure Australia is an agency of the Australian Government, led by an independent Board
and Chief Executive Officer. The Queensland Government does not determine the assessment
process and timeframes for Infrastructure Australia's review of business cases.

Given that it was actually completed by the state late last year, I wonder when it was informally provided to IA.

More money...from the feds this time.

QuoteThe planned rail link to the Sunshine Coast will receive a $1.15 billion boost on Tuesday night, when Treasurer Jim Chalmers hands down the Albanese government's third federal budget.

The additional funding will take the Commonwealth's contribution to the project to $2.75 billion – about half the estimated lower-end cost of its first stage, but just a fraction of the estimated $12 billion to complete the line all the way from Beerwah to Maroochydore.

Sunshine Coast rail link to get $1.15b budget boost
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/sunshine-coast-rail-link-to-get-1-15-billion-budget-boost-20240512-p5jcxo.html

https://x.com/ozbob13/status/1789697615183200307

^

Quote... The Commonwealth's announcement was provided to media on an embargoed basis, meaning third-party comment could not be sought.

But earlier this year, Rail Back on Track's Robert Dow lamented the low benefit-cost ratio of the project – listed at 0.21 – especially when compared to Perth. There, the recently completed rail link to the airport had a ratio of 1.4.

"There needs to be an inquiry into why rail in Queensland, and on the east coast generally, is so expensive and slow to build compared to our counterparts in Western Australia," Dow said in March.

"The entire Perth network is also 15-minute trains all day, including weekends, something that has not been achieved in Brisbane." ...

Couriermail --> Sunshine Coast rail: $1.15bn in federal budget for Caloundra link $

QuoteA critical Sunshine Coast rail line is back on track with a crucial $1.15bn investment from the federal government ensuring the new route can be ready by the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The additional funding included in Tuesday's federal budget will bring the commonwealth's total contribution to $2.75bn, allowing the state government to start construction on the $5.5bn project in 2026 and have it ready by 2032.

The cash will come as a significant relief for Premier Steven Miles, as the state could not move forward on the first of three stages of Sunshine Coast Direct Rail without federal help. ...

https://x.com/ozbob13/status/1789702953965941226

Our Sunshine Coast spokesman Fares_Fair has been booked for an interview on ABC Radio Brisbane Breakfast today at 7:10am thereabouts.  Thanks!

Quote from: ozbob on May 13, 2024, 06:46:29 AMOur Sunshine Coast spokesman Fares_Fair has been booked for an interview on ABC Radio Brisbane Breakfast today at 7:10am thereabouts.  Thanks!

Interview 13 May 2024 ABC Radio Breakfast Hosts Craig Zonca and Loretta Ryan with Jeff Addison RBoT discuss the Federal Budget  funding announcement for the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line.

Interview --> https://backontrack.org/docs/abcbris/abcbris_breakfast_ja_cz_lr13may24.mp3 MP3 4.2MB

https://x.com/railbotforum/status/1789772790901416218

Facebook ...

Sent to all outlets:

Call for a Bus Rapid Transit Line While Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line is Built

13th May 2024

RAIL Back On Track ( http://backontrack.org ) has welcomed the Federal funding boost for the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail line (DSCRL).

RAIL Back on Track appreciates that an additional $1.15 billion will be allocated to the DSCRL project in the upcoming Federal budget.

However, rail to the Sunshine Coast is not coming soon. The total cost of the DSCRL project is about $12 billion over the full 37.8 km length of the line to Maroochydore (317.4 million/km). This necessitates staging the project, potentially over many decades, to deliver it in full.

If the Queensland Government cannot deliver a train service to Maroochydore soon, the question should naturally turn to what can it deliver in the interim while residents wait for trains to reach Maroochydore?

We think the answer is a limited stop express bus service that acts in place of the railway, until the railway is fully built out. Running every 15 minutes all day, this service would be limited to only stopping at future DSCRL train station locations, guaranteeing both access and high speed travel during the planning and construction phases of the project.

Bus lines have been used elsewhere to act in place of train lines during a construction period. For example, the NSW Government created dedicated express bus lines for both the Epping to Chatswood Rail Link conversion to Metro and the current Sydenham to Bankstown Metro line conversion. The Queensland Government also put on express buses to Springfield to act in place of the Springfield line when the train line at the time terminated at Richlands.

We think such a service could be set up within 18 months and costs could potentially be shared between the Queensland Government and Sunshine Coast Council.

We also invite the Queensland Government to disclose to the public what the train frequency for the DSCRL will be on Day 1 of opening. We believe that the Queensland Government holds this information because calculating the benefit cost ratio presented in the summary report requires knowing it.

Train service frequencies tend to be much better in places outside of Queensland.

For example, in Western Australia, residents of the city of Mandurah enjoy trains every 15 minutes off-peak, including on weekends. Mandurah is located 70 km from Perth and has a population approximately three times lower than the Sunshine Coast.

Can the Queensland Government please confirm if the DSCRL be offering an all-day train service frequency comparable to or less than what Mandurah residents in Western Australia are currently enjoying?

Once again, we thank the Federal Government for the funding boost, and thank the media for again highlighting the major train service frequency deficit in South East Queensland.

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

References:

Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line business case summary released
https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/99856

Welcome to Sunshine Coast Council Community Profile
https://profile.id.com.au/sunshine-coast

"Sunshine Coast Council Estimated Resident Population for 2023 is 365,942..."

Welcome to the City of Mandurah Community Profile
https://profile.id.com.au/mandurah
"The City of Mandurah Estimated Resident Population for 2023 is 99,272..."

Mandurah Railway Station
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandurah_railway_station

TransPerth Mandurah Line Timetable, showing 15-minute off-peak train frequency including on weekends. Comparable train lines in South East Queensland have 30 minute frequency on weekends.
https://www.transperth.wa.gov.au/timetablepdfs/Mandurah%20Line%2020231120.pdf

Sunshine Coast rail: $1.15bn in federal budget for Caloundra link
https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/qld-politics/sunshine-coast-rail-115bn-in-federal-budget-for-caloundra-link/news-story/36132a31395d0498d2ca86bf95a33a45

Sunshine Coast rail link to get $1.15 billion budget boost
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/sunshine-coast-rail-link-to-get-1-15-billion-budget-boost-20240512-p5jcxo.html

https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/c-king/media-release/investing-better-future-south-east-queensland

The Hon Catherine King MP
Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government

Investing in a better future for South East Queensland

13th May 2024

The Albanese Government is delivering much-needed investment in the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line, connecting the community to jobs, study, services and Queensland's famous tourism attractions.


We will invest a further $1.15 billion, taking the Commonwealth's investment to $2.75 billion, to ensure Stage 1 of this vital project can be delivered.


The Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line will extend the South East Queensland rail network from the North Coast Line at Beerwah to Caloundra.


The first stage will see a 19-kilometre dual track built from Beerwah to Caloundra, making it the longest spur line in the south-east passenger network.


It will also include the protection of the updated rail alignment from Birtinya and Maroochydore.


This project is all about providing faster, more reliable and environmentally sustainable connections between the Sunshine Coast, Moreton Bay and Brisbane.


Once complete, the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line will save commuters up to 45 minutes, with journeys from the new Sunshine Coast stations to Roma Street station taking around 45 minutes less than driving in peak hour.

This Commonwealth funding builds on the $21.7 billion investment the Albanese Government has made in Queensland infrastructure.


The Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line will help ease congestion on South East Queensland roads while making public transport a quicker, safer and more viable choice for Queenslanders and visitors to the Sunshine State.


Where the previous Morrison Government had a deluge of press releases with a drought of delivery, we are ensuring that projects can be completed and the benefits from them flow to the people. 


We are getting on with delivering a better future for all Australians, one made in Australia that builds economic opportunity and thriving communities.


We will have more to say at Budget time about further investments for Queensland.

More > https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/c-king/media-release/investing-better-future-south-east-queensland

https://x.com/railbotforum/status/1789804523638440196

https://x.com/JarrodBleijieMP/status/1789812062912131195

Sunshine Coast News --> Rail line to coast has full funding after federal government announcement

QuoteThe federal government has committed a further $1.15 billion towards a heavy rail line on the Sunshine Coast.

Minister for Transport Catherine King on Monday announced the funding boost, which should see Stage 1 of the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line come to fruition.

The federal government has now pledged a total of $2.75 billion towards the project, wile the state government has also committed $2.75 billion, to fully fund the $5.5 billion job.

The first stage will see a 19 kilometre dual track built from Beerwah to Caloundra, making it the longest spur line in Queensland's south-east passenger network.

But the State Opposition said the funds failed to deliver the line to Kawana and Maroochydore, and added that Caloundra will essentially turn into a car park. ...

Brisbanetimes --> Miles rails against LNP's 'car park' criticism of Sunshine Coast link $

QuoteThe state and federal Labor governments have defended their staged approach to delivering the Sunshine Coast rail line, amid LNP claims it would turn Caloundra into a "car park".

In a pre-federal budget announcement on Sunday night, Infrastructure Minister Catherine King announced an additional $1.15 billion in Commonwealth funding for the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line, bringing Canberra's commitment to $2.75 billion.

Premier Steven Miles said on Monday the "heavy construction" on the project would begin in 2026, with stage one to be completed in time for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games. ...

I think the "Car Park" thing is a lot of hot air.

Why isn't Varsity or Cleveland or Springfield a "Car Park"? These are all locations where the rail line finishes short of where it "should" and people often have to drive in.

The intersection of Caloundra Road and Nicklin Way, adjacent to the Caloundra Railway Station site, is the town's most congested intersection. It is not unusual in peak periods for cars to take 10 minutes to pass through it. To add buses and cars associated with the railway station to the mix of traffic will be very problematic. A rail terminus at Birtinya would make more sense, and would better serve the SCUH medical precinct, but the money runs out at Caloundra under the existing budget.

Quote from: Gazza on May 13, 2024, 16:11:13 PMI think the "Car Park" thing is a lot of hot air.

Why isn't Varsity or Cleveland or Springfield a "Car Park"? These are all locations where the rail line finishes short of where it "should" and people often have to drive in.

They also have the most enormous carparks known to humankind. Eight Mile Plains is equally at the end of a line and has an enormous carpark.

I don't think the statement around "turning the place into a carpark" necessarily means that cars will be parking all over the nearby roads (some yellow paint should fix that quickly), but I do think the Park N' ride that will be built at Caloundra will need to be enormous to accommodate the traffic. A HF bus as you have proposed would certainly mitigate demand but it won't outright remove it.

Quote from: timh on May 13, 2024, 21:08:33 PM

Quote from: Gazza on May 13, 2024, 16:11:13 PMI think the "Car Park" thing is a lot of hot air.

Why isn't Varsity or Cleveland or Springfield a "Car Park"? These are all locations where the rail line finishes short of where it "should" and people often have to drive in.

They also have the most enormous carparks known to humankind. Eight Mile Plains is equally at the end of a line and has an enormous carpark.

I don't think the statement around "turning the place into a carpark" necessarily means that cars will be parking all over the nearby roads (some yellow paint should fix that quickly), but I do think the Park N' ride that will be built at Caloundra will need to be enormous to accommodate the traffic. A HF bus as you have proposed would certainly mitigate demand but it won't outright remove it.

The "HF" bus is likely to be an extension of the existing HF 600 to Caloundra Station.  However, dusting off the "CoastConnect" busway/bus lane plans may help with on-time running.  It's common during School weeks during pick-up periods/peaks for at least 2x 600 buses to bunch up (i.e 1 bus running 15 minutes late), leaving gaps up to 30 mins.

Quote from: Stillwater on May 13, 2024, 18:16:24 PMThe intersection of Caloundra Road and Nicklin Way, adjacent to the Caloundra Railway Station site, is the town's most congested intersection. It is not unusual in peak periods for cars to take 10 minutes to pass through it. To add buses and cars associated with the railway station to the mix of traffic will be very problematic.

Literally not the only place in SEQ with a crappy intersection Stillwater....

Feeder buses to the station will be tiny % of traffic.

Some of the traffic coming up from Pelican waters is now instead going straight into the station, therefore doesn't need to turn left into Caloundra Rd, alleviating some traffic, won't it.

Maybe feeder buses wouldn't be such a tiny percentage if services were improves. Better frequency, more bus priority.

600 needs to run 8 bph during peak periods once the train opens. 5:30-9:30 am and 3-7 pm. 4 bph on 603/607.

ABC News --> Brisbane-to-Sunshine Coast rail link locked in for Olympics with $5.5b funding

QuoteA critical rail link between Brisbane and the beaches to its north is now locked in with a total of $5.5 billion secured from the state and federal governments.

The Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line will be 19 kilometres long from Beerwah to Caloundra in its first stage.

But long-term planning remains for the line to travel north along the coastline and then into the central business hub of Maroochydore. ...