Article: Race to plug 'holes' in rail network gains pace

[ozbob]

From Brisbanetimes click here!

Race to plug 'holes' in rail network gains pace

Race to plug 'holes' in rail network gains pace
Tony Moore | June 15, 2008 - 2:57PM

A tidy $7.3million for Brisbane's train network is tucked away in the latest version of the South-East Queensland Infrastructure Plan under this month's state budget.

The substantial sum has caused relatively little "noise" although it will be spent on inner-city rail projects over the next 20 years.

Brisbane rail lobby group Rail: Back on Track this week highlighted holes in Brisbane's suburban Citytrain network.

The group says Brisbane needs an inner-city loop service to reap better value from inner-city stations near emerging population hubs such as Bowen Hills and Kelvin Grove.

Rail: Back on Track also questions why the Exhibition rail spur - connecting Roma Street, Normanby, Exhibition, Brunswick Street and Central stations - is dormant, except during the annual two-week RNA Ekka and other special events.

Opening the station to commuters could help take up to 10,000 cars belonging to staff at the nearby Royal Brisbane, Royal Women's and Royal Children's hospitals off the road, brisbanetimes.com.au, owned by Fairfax Media, reported on Friday.

The answers to Queensland's inner-city rail woes may come in the $5million Inner City Rail Capacity Study that consultant Maunsell Parsons Brinckerhoff is preparing for Queensland Transport.

Infrastructure and Planning Minister Paul Lucas launched the study in August. "We already know that by around 2016 we'll face congestion on the Merivale Bridge because of the massive number of new [rail] services we're putting on," he said.

"Rather than simply deciding to put up another rail bridge right next to it, I want to look at options that will provide smart solutions for the next 50 years and beyond."

Possible options include a five to six kilometre underground rail line from Park Road, Buranda, to Woolloongabba and across the river to connect with the Exhibition line, and major new train stations at Woolloongabba, Gardens Point/QUT and in Brisbane's financial district.

Tristan Peach is an urban transport lecturer at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and spokesman for public transport lobby group Community Action for Sustainable Development.

He said Brisbane's outer suburbs, not the inner city, had a pressing need for better rail services.

"The inner-city links do need to improve capacity but the major public transport issues are in outer areas," he said.

"I'm not saying that these ideas aren't good ones, but without knowing the exact [rail commuter] demand details it is hard to say when we are going to reach capacity."

Mr Peach said short-term improvement on Brisbane's inner rail network could come through better services on the loop servicing Yeerongpilly, Sherwood, Roma Street, Normanby, Exhibition, Brunswick Street and Central.

Improvement to the city loop and the setting up of bus connectors with the inner-city stations would be a short-term solution to overcome a lack of access, he said.

For the longer term, Mr Peach saw merit in an underground tunnel linking Park Road Station to Woolloongabba.

"You are not duplicating the track going through South Brisbane, so people coming in from the south side or the west side could get straight to where they need to go," Mr Peach said.

"And there is potential for a loop like the Sydney inner-city rail loop, with the RNA and Bowen Hills and Roma Street." However, he said the locations of links in the Brisbane CBD would need careful consideration.

He pointed to QUT and Gardens Point, accessed by 30,000 people a day, the hospital precinct at Herston, the Exhibition Grounds and Brisbane's financial district as obvious choices for stations.

Links to South Bank might also be considered, Mr Peach said.

Mr Lucas has already indicated the rail links through Brisbane's heart may not be underground.

Mr Peach said Mr Lucas' comments suggested a rail network could be linked to existing road bridges.

"They could get on to Ipswich Road and straight across the Story Bridge, straight into [Fortitude] Valley," he said. "But there would have to be some form of political impetus to be able to do that."

A light rail network was a more likely option, Mr Peach said.

"If they go underground to Woolloongabba, possibly you could have an interchange there ... coming from Buranda, and you could have light rail running across to the city, either by the Story Bridge or across the Captain Cook Bridge.

"And light rail you can ... run on the electric track, so potentially you could get a loop going around there."

Mr Lucas was unavailable for comment last week when The Sun-Herald contacted his office.

However, Queensland Transport (QT) said its Inner City Rail Capacity Study would "identify and assess the options for the future development of the inner-city rail network.

A QT statement said the study would also focus on supporting an integrated inner-city transport network, as well as supporting the future expansion of the CBD and inner city.

"This will include consideration of underground rail line options, as the intensive development in the inner city and the need to cross the Brisbane River heavily constrains the opportunities for above-ground upgrades to the rail network," the statement said.

The study is due for completion in coming months.
Source: The Sun-Herald

[ozbob]

Excellent to see the traction on these issues continuing.  Well done Brisbanetimes (and SMH).

RAIL Back On Track has pressed relentlessly for more outer urban rail links, and we should also continue to see what can be done to maximise the present asset such as the Exhibition loop and the Corinda-Yeerongpilly link.

I am encouraged that some progress might be possible with Springfield and Petrie to Kippa-Ring (see http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=35.0 ).

The standard gauge corridor in from Bromelton has potential as well (another 3'6" line with  station loops for a commuter feed into the main southern line?).

Great the issues are being raised publicly!!

[albiwan]

You are to be congratulated on getting so much coverage on this Bob! I believe that one of the reasons the media has run with it, is that it is easy to understand and uses existing resources. I also think your "7 and half, 15 and 20" minute peak and off peak frequencies you have previously detailed deserves media attention as well, again for the simplicity of the concept, the easy to understand use of existing resources and the ability to capture the public imagination. I have no doubt that with all suggestions there are complications, but I would imagine the complexities of instigating loops would have nowhere near the complications of tunnels and overpasses under rivers and to airports that the people of Brisbane currently face.