A look back - Connecting SEQ 2031

[ozbob]

" Few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events,
and in the total; of all those acts will be written the history of this generation. "

Robert Kennedy

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https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/62582

Rail Revolution at centre of State's 20 year transport plan
Published Tuesday, 31 August, 2010 at 12:30 PM

JOINT STATEMENT

Premier and Minister for the Arts
The Honourable Anna Bligh

Minister for Transport
The Honourable Rachel Nolan

Premier Anna Bligh has set out plans for a rail revolution in south east Queensland with the Cross River Rail project as the lynchpin of a world class network.

South East Queensland's passenger rail capacity will nearly triple by 2031 under the State Government's $123 billion transport blueprint, released today.

Ms Bligh said Connecting SEQ 2031: An Integrated Regional Transport Plan for South East Queensland mapped a clear way forward for our transport networks.

"Connecting SEQ 2031 is a clear statement of intent. The next 20 years will see a concentration on new railways and new services to manage growth in our region," she said.

"This plan for a rail revolution in SEQ is the next stage of our journey towards an absolutely world class public transport system.

"When we published our first integrated plan in 1997 to build dedicated busways in SEQ there wasn't a single kilometre of dedicated busway in the State.

"Today we have 24 km of busway in Brisbane, more than any other city in Australia and more under construction right now.

"This new plan is visionary, but I believe our experience with the busways shows that when you have a clear plan for the future you can make it happen."

The 20 year plan outlines 207km of new railway lines including:

15km rail line between Alderley and Strathpine using the predominantly government-owned North West Transport Corridor

Extensions to Maroochydore (38km), Coolangatta (17km), Moreton Bay Rail Link (12.6km), Springfield (16.5km), Ripley (13.5km) and Flagstone (31.5km)

Extending the Gold Coast Rapid Transit project on the Gold Coast to Coolangatta.

A 8km Brisbane subway from Toowong to West End to Newstead/Bowen Hills, with extensions to Hamilton Northshore/Airport Village and Bulimba possible in the longer term.

Ms Bligh said the plan also outlined revolutionary new services including:

UrbanLink with more frequent services and higher capacity trains operating inbound of Darra, Strathpine, Loganlea, Ferny Grove, Manly, Springfield, Shorncliffe and the Airport

ExpressLink with high speed express services from Ipswich, Cleveland, Ormeau and Caboolture

CoastLink rail from Brisbane to the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast with high speed European style trains.

"The Cross River Rail project, now undergoing a $25 million feasibility study, is a vital lynchpin for the future of rail travel here," said the Premier.

"Cross River Rail will transform south east Queensland's rail network by providing essential capacity at the core of the network that could double the number of train services from the suburbs to the city.

"It will allow us to provide higher frequency and improved reliability on all lines, making it possible for the rail network to move up to 240,000 people into the inner city during the two-hour morning peak, compared to the current 54,000.

"And the subway system we flagged in November last year will support the overall rail revolution, helping move commuters and enabling the city centre to be a place for people."

Transport Minister Rachel Nolan said a fully loaded suburban train carries more than 700 people, taking about 600 cars off the road, which is equal to a line of cars stretching more than four kilometres.

"With a rail revolution, we can increase that capacity by deploying new trains that can carry more than 1000 people each and under this plan our numbers of three car trains would increase from 200 now to 400 by 2031."

Ms Nolan said other important initiatives in Connecting SEQ 2031: An Integrated Regional Transport Plan for South East Queensland included:

Ambitious targets for cycling in south east Queensland including a 3000 km network of cycleway by 2031 including new bikeways and walkways within a 5km radius of urban centres.

Plans to remove heavy vehicles from suburban roads and provide a 'ring road' system to navigate around Brisbane - including the new north-south connection between Toowong and Everton Park.

Continuing the busway network with construction of the Northern and Eastern Busways to Bracken Ridge and Capalaba.

Major freight investment to support the economy, including the full development of Acacia Ridge freight terminal, a dedicated dual gauge freight line from Acacia Ridge to Port of Brisbane in the existing rail corridor.

Introducing new technology to better manage road and public transport movements (such as information on travel options, real time management of motorway flows and improved railway signalling).

"Consultation on the draft plan is now open and it's important everyone has their say," said Ms Nolan.

"I encourage every South East Queenslander to carefully consider the draft plan – after all, it's about our future and the future of our families."

For more information visit www.connectingseq.qld.gov.au or phone 1800 038 178.

Key projects delivered under previous IRTP:

Integrated ticketing and fares for all modes of public transport implemented through the TransLink Transit Authority

Development of Brisbane's busways including:
Construction of the South East Busway to Eight Mile Plains
The Northern Busway CBD to Windsor
Boggo Rd Busway from Buranda to Dutton Park and the Eleanor Schonell Bridge from Dutton Park to University of Queenslan
Inner Northern Busway
Starting delivery of the Eastern Busway from Buranda to Coorparoo

Bus priority initiatives:
Gold Coast Highway bus lanes Broadbeach to Miam
Smith Street bus priority/transit lanes.

Improving the rail network through:
Additional rail lines for the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast with the Helensvale to Robina rail duplication completed in August 2008 and the Caboolture to Beerburrum duplication completed in April 2009
New rail line to the Brisbane domestic and international airports
Extension of the Gold Coast rail line to Varsity Lakes
Duplication of the Ferny Grove line from Mitchelton to Keperra, including two station upgrades
Third track on the Ipswich rail line between Corinda and Darr
Third track on the Salisbury to Kuraby line and seven station upgrades

Road network improvements including:
Gateway Motorway upgrades, including the Sir Leo Hielscher Bridge, new Gateway deviation and Airport intersection upgrade
Nundah bypass on Sandgate Road
Ipswich motorway upgrades
Ted Smout Memorial Bridge (including bus lanes and active transport provision) Brighton to Redcliffe
Port of Brisbane Motorway upgrades
Bruce Highway upgrades between the Gateway Motorway and Caboolture
Centenary Highway extension from Darra to Yamanto, via Springfield and Ripley
Tugun Bypass
Pacific Motorway upgrade to eight lanes from Logan Motorway to Smith Street and six lanes from Smith Street to Worongary
Sunshine Motorway upgrades
Pacific Motorway transit lanes from Upper Mt Gravatt to Eight Mile Plains

Cycling investment to provide 1000s of kilometres of bike paths and bike lanes, and King George Square and Royal women's Hospital cycle centres, Australia's first major end-of-trip facilities for cyclists and pedestrians using active transport to the Brisbane CBD.

[ozbob]

https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/62583

Super commuter trains for coasts
Published Tuesday, 31 August, 2010 at 12:30 PM

Premier and Minister for the Arts
The Honourable Anna Bligh

Commuters from the Gold and Sunshine coasts could reach the centre of Brisbane in about an hour on super fast commuter trains as part of a rail revolution for south east Queensland.

Premier Anna Bligh said the Integrated Regional Transport Plan, which will be released today, would set a target of doubling the share of public transport use from seven to 14 per cent in the next 20 years.

"We need to completely overhaul the way trains operate to achieve this level of growth and provide a level of service that is superior to driving a car," Ms Bligh said.

"We are working to deliver a rail revolution – a network that carries more people, more often, more quickly.

"This plan is a clear statement of intent and we will work to make this vision a reality.

"When we published our first integrated plan in 1997 to build dedicated busways in SEQ there wasn't a single kilometre of dedicated busway in the State.

"Today we have 24 km of dedicated busways in Brisbane, more than any other city in Australia and more under construction right now.

"This new plan is visionary, but I believe our experience with the busways shows that when you have a plan you can make it happen."

The Premier said the European style 'super commuter' trains would run express from the Gold and Sunshine Coasts direct to Brisbane city and reach speeds of up to 160km an hour.

"By 2031 Brisbane City Council area will be home to about 1.3 million people, the Gold Coast will house about 750,000 residents and nearly 500,000 people will call Sunshine Coast home," Ms Bligh said.

"If we link these cities by fast rail, we can avoid the need to expand existing motorways and encourage more people to travel by rail rather than road.

"Currently, travelling by rail between Varsity Lakes and Central stations takes about one hour and 20 minutes, while driving the same distance could take upwards of an hour and a half in peak-hour traffic.

"We're looking at buying different types of trains with bathrooms for the comfort of passengers and 'tilt train technology' to achieve faster travel times of about an hour between these cities."

Ms Bligh said delivery of Cross River Rail, currently being planned in a $25 million study jointly funded by the Federal and State governments, would provide the catalyst for change in 2016.

"Investing in the mode that can carry the most people over the longest distances will help us deliver connections to communities throughout the south east corner, cutting congestion and providing sustainable transport options," Ms Bligh said.

Ms Bligh said the target to increase mode share for public transport reflected and reinforced outcomes of the Queensland Government's Growth Management Summit, held in March 2010.

[ozbob]

Draft Connecting SEQ 2031

https://cabinet.qld.gov.au/documents/2010/jul/connecting%20seq%202031/Attachments/Draft%20Connecting%20SEQ%202031.pdf

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Connecting SEQ 2031
Part A – Setting the scene

http://tmr.qld.gov.au/~/media/Projects/C/Connecting%20SEQ%202031/final/connecting_seq2031_Part_A.pdf

[ozbob]

[ozbob]

Connecting SEQ 2031
An Integrated Regional Transport
Plan for South East Queensland

http://www.ppt.asn.au/pubdocs/connecting_seq2031+(1).pdf

[ozbob]

BrizCommuter: Connecting SEQ 2031 - LameLink to UrbanLink

http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com/2011/10/connecting-seq-2031-lamelink-to.html

[ozbob]

What might have been. 

Failed politics and its bureaucracy.  Is it any wonder there are concerns with Cross River Rail? Particularly with the lack of transparency.