Article: Target traffic turmoil: Newman

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Target traffic turmoil: Newman

Target traffic turmoil: Newman
TONY MOORE
August 5, 2010 - 5:18PM

Federal politicians of all persuasions were ignoring traffic congestion as southeast Queensland's number one priority for the 2010 election campaign, according to Lord Mayor Campbell Newman.

"The number one issue for people in southeast Queensland - in greater Brisbane particularly - is traffic congestion," Cr Newman said this morning.

"I don't care who they are, but you have all these federal people running around our town at the moment - of all political persuasions - and they never talk about traffic congestion.

"Get with the program. Smell the coffee. This is the issue. We would like to see some real commitments and real planning to help fund some traffic-busting initiatives in southeast Queensland."

This morning Cr Newman and Redland City mayor Melva Hobson, pressured both major political parties to find $800 million for the next stages of the Eastern Busway through the electorates of Kevin Rudd (Griffith) and Labor backbencher Kerry Rea (Bonner).

The Eastern Busway runs down crowded Old Cleveland Road and into the seat of Bowman at Capalaba, held by the LNP's Andrew Laming.

Despite mistakenly referring to Mr Rudd as the prime minister, Cr Newman recovered to suggest traffic congestion should be the number one local issue for Mr Rudd in the campaign.

"I would say this would be a great project for him to be advocating for, for the people of his electorate," Cr Newman said.

"But it services people all the way into the Redlands, so it positively affects the people of the Bowman and Bonner electorates as well."

Seven infrastructure projects have been highlighted by Southeast Queensland's mayors as part of their Magnificant Seven campaign during the 2010 election campaign.

The campaign has had some impact. The ALP have promised to upgrade the Blacksoil interchange outside Ipswich and the Coalition have promised to fund the Toowoomba Bypass.

This morning Cr Newman challenged both the ALP and the LNP to bring forward $800 million in federal funds to get the next stages of the Eastern Busway completed early.

The Bligh Government has funded the project from the Eleanor Schonell Bridge, through the Boggo Road Busway and out to Stones Corner.

Now southeast Queensland mayors want the new Federal Government to find $800 million to extend the busway from Easts Leagues Club to Coorparoo Junction and then to build bus lanes on Old Cleveland Road, east of the Gateway Motorway towards Capalaba.

"The Federal Government should add its $800 million under the Infrastructure Australia process to the $800 million or so from the Bligh government to allow the next stages to go forward," Cr Newman said.

Up to 35,000 vehicles a day drive through Old Cleveland Road in the morning and afternoon peak periods and that is projected to increase to 70,000 over the next 10 years.

Cr Hobson said there were simple measures that could fast-track the project from the Capalaba end.

"There is a park and ride that is going to be build this financial year in Capalaba," she said.

Cr Hobson said it would be relatively easy to include bus priority lanes, bus priority lights, or to make changes to lanes on Old Cleveland Road.

But she said the priority remained in the Coorparoo area near Cavendish Road.

"Because that is where it blocks up. You get not too bad a run until you get to that Cavendish Road end.

"But if can do some work at the Capalaba end, so you can get a speedy exit from Capalaba, then it makes the need to do work on Old Cleveland Road less of an issue."

Last week Mr Laming suggested a "budget busway" from Capalaba to get the Eastern Busway completed earlier than 2027 as planned.

[#Metro]

This morning Cr Newman and Redland City mayor Melva Hobson, pressured both major political parties to find $800 million for the next stages of the Eastern Busway through the electorates of Kevin Rudd (Griffith) and Labor backbencher Kerry Rea (Bonner).

The Eastern Busway runs down crowded Old Cleveland Road and into the seat of Bowman at Capalaba, held by the LNP's Andrew Laming.

The Eastern Busway should be subjected to a rigorous financial acid test, one that compares against alternatives such as modification of the Cleveland line (Newstead-Bulimba rail tunnel plus spur), a median busway, and a light rail/tram option. Benefits, not just costs, should be calculated.

When it comes to railway, everyone is quick to scream "costs!" but because it is BUSway, it has no upper limit to the level of costs per kilometre, which is comparable not to light rail, but heavy rail and metro rail costs.

800 million is almost enough to have a Gold Coast Light Rail system in Brisbane, almost 27 km of double track LRT with stations.

Much of this inflated cost is likely to come from inflated land prices and the need to resume hundreds and hundreds of homes, and place many bridges and tunnels. If this were Sunnybank-Browns plains, people would be up in arms, but because it is BUSway, it can do no wrong and resume as many houses as it likes! Running services in the median (means some road space may be lost) is much cheaper and requires less housing resumptions.

If it is all too hard, it should go to local referendum to decide what option they want and what level of tax/rates/levy they want to impose on themselves to pay for their portion of the costs.

[paulg]

Much of this inflated cost is likely to come from inflated land prices and the need to resume hundreds and hundreds of homes, and place many bridges and tunnels. If this were Sunnybank-Browns plains, people would be up in arms, but because it is BUSway, it can do no wrong and resume as many houses as it likes! Running services in the median (means some road space may be lost) is much cheaper and requires less housing resumptions.

There aren't very many resumptions required for the Eastern Busway as currently proposed, since the section from Coorparoo to Camp Hill is all in tunnel. Where there is a wide median (from Camp Hill to Carindale), they are indeed planning to put the busway in the median. The alignment and property impact maps are here: http://www.translink.com.au/eastern_maps.php

I'm not saying that the Eastern Busway is great value for money, and I agree that it needs to be measured up against alternative schemes. The reason for the high cost of the current proposal is the extensive tunnelling (which is chosen precisely because they want to avoid large-scale resumptions).

Cheers, Paul

[somebody]

If a branch off the Cleveland line at Norman Park were implemented, then I would expect far more resumptions than the Eastern Busway.  Other rail options would also be far more disruptive than the Eastern Busway.  Perhaps the price mightn't be too different, but I am cautiously supportive of the Eastern Busway, I'm afraid.  Even with a rail line, you would still need to keep the 204 bus.  You may be able to abolish the 200 BUZ and truncate the 250, but I don't see too many other changes to the full time services.  Obviously rocket services need changes.

[#Metro]

Other rail options would also be far more disruptive than the Eastern Busway.

What, like LRT in the median?

[somebody]

Other rail options would also be far more disruptive than the Eastern Busway.

What, like LRT in the median?

Where are you going to go after the median shrinks down to nothing?  Along the Eastern Busway alignment?  Obviously not.

[#Metro]

Where are you going to go after the median shrinks down to nothing?  Along the Eastern Busway alignment?  Obviously not.

Where does it do this?

[somebody]

Where are you going to go after the median shrinks down to nothing?  Along the Eastern Busway alignment?  Obviously not.

Where does it do this?

West of Orwell St, Camp Hill.