Queensland Parliament: Queensland Rail, Solar Energy

[ozbob]

Questions without notice, 15th April 2010 Queensland Parliament Hansard

Queensland Rail, Solar Energy

Mr WELLS: My question is to the Minister for Transport. I ask the honourable lady will she explain how Queensland Rail is adapting solar power to new railway stations and reducing our carbon footprint?

Ms NOLAN: I thank the member for Murrumba for his question. As we all know, public transport is already the green way to travel, but now Queensland Rail is doing the bright thing too. At all of its new railway stations Queensland Rail constructs solar panels as part of the design and those solar panels feed into the electricity grid creating clean, green solar energy for all Queenslanders to consume.

When Indooroopilly Railway Station was upgraded in 2008 that redesign included solar panels. The new Varsity Lakes Railway Station, as part of the Labor government's commitment to extend rail back to the Gold Coast, includes solar panels as part of its sustainable design. Now the new Richlands Railway Station, which is currently under construction and due to open next year, also includes solar panels generating clean, green electricity as part of its design.

Public transport is already the green way to travel. For every kilometre travelled on public transport each passenger generates on average 30 grams of carbon dioxide. If that same person were travelling in a car 250 grams of CO2 would be generated.

Queensland Rail is not stopping there. In addition to doing the bright thing with its solar panels on new stations, new stations also include other elements of sustainable design. Varsity Lakes Railway Station, for instance, has an airy, subtropical design with natural air flows and lighting and a tremendous use of glass. Queensland Rail is in the process of rolling out a major recycling program with 250 recycling bins being established across the Queensland Rail network.

Queenslanders want to go green. They want as individuals to do the right thing. That is why they are in increasing numbers choosing public transport, and Queensland Rail—not just in providing sustainable ways to travel but also doing the bright thing and creating sustainable stations as part of its new design—is helping Queenslanders every day to make the green choice.

[#Metro]

Queenslanders want to go green. They want as individuals to do the right thing. That is why they are in increasing numbers choosing public transport, and Queensland Rail—not just in providing sustainable ways to travel but also doing the bright thing and creating sustainable stations as part of its new design—is helping Queenslanders every day to make the green choice.

While I generally agree, what evidence is there for the last claim? Isn't recent rail patronage stagnant?
BCC buses and ferries all offset all carbon emissions.

[ozbob]

Rail patronage is increasing.  The published figures are nonsense, adjusted for this and adjusted for that.  One only has to travel regularly to see what is happening.  I am impressed with the increase in off peak and weekend as well.

What is needed is an increase in train frequency. 

[Golliwog]

I really wish politicians would stop wasting so much time in parliament. Is it really necessary to point out at every opportunity that it was a Labor plan, or stick to all the formal thanking of each other for asking a simple question?