Ministerial Statement: Twelve months of success for Brisbane Airport Task Force

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Minister for Main Roads and Local Government
The Honourable Warren Pitt
14/12/2008

Twelve months of success for Brisbane Airport Task Force

Improved safety, an upgraded alternative route, better public transport and rapid traffic-incident response times are key outcomes that have been delivered since the Brisbane Airport Task Force handed down its recommendations a year ago.

Releasing the task force's first anniversary report today, Main Roads Minister Warren Pitt said the task force had implemented several key short-term strategies aimed at relieving access to the Brisbane Airport precinct.

"I am pleased the task force has been so successful in implementing its list of recommendations to provide short-term relief for traffic congestion in the airport precinct," Mr Pitt said.

"The task force has successfully upgraded and signalised the alternative driving route to the airport precinct via Sugarmill Road and Lomandra Drive, resulting in a 38 per cent increase of traffic using the route between November 2007 and April 2008.

"This has helped to reduce traffic congestion and travelling times on Airport Drive and reducing the volume of traffic needing to travel through the Airport Drive roundabout.

"Public transport to and from the airport precinct has also been boosted by extending the 380 and 320 bus routes and increasing the frequency of these services.

"There are now an additional 25 trips per weekday on the 320 bus route, providing connections to the Airtrain and offering passengers and workers a practical alternative to driving to the airport precinct."

Frequency of Airtrain services to Brisbane and Gold Coast stations has also increased and the task force has included an additional 8pm service from the domestic terminal.

"The task force has also achieved faster response times and clearances of incidents through the Motorway Breakdown Response Service operating on the Gateway Motorway and airport interchange roundabout," Mr Pitt said.

"While implementing a range of measures, the task force has been actively inf orming the public about travel options to the airport precinct.

"The airport travellers' website was launched last year to provide a central repository for information, with links to web cameras, roadworks, traffic incidents and transport options."

Mr Pitt said that for safety reasons, the task force had ruled out turning off the traffic signals at the airport roundabout in its initial report issued in December 2007.

"The safety record of the airport roundabout post-signalisation has significantly improved," he said.

"Main Roads has not received any reports of accidents at the roundabout on Airport Drive since the installation of the traffic signals in August 2007.

"More than 17 million motorists use the roundabout each year and these signals have played a major part in improving safety and reducing accidents in this area."

Mr Pitt said some initiatives recommended by the task force had not been implemented for various reasons.

"One of the task force's recommendations was for a permit system to allow only motorists with legitimate business into the Brisbane Airport precinct," he said.

"With the high volume of vehicles accessing the precinct on a daily basis, a permit system was considered too difficult to police and therefore it will not be introduced.

"The other recommendation that has not been implemented is free travel on TransLink services between home and train stations to encourage the use of Airtrain.

"While it has not been feasible to implement this initiative during the past 12 months, this recommendation has not been ruled out for future implementation."

Mr Pitt said while the Brisbane Airport Task Force played an important role in providing short-term relief for traffic congestion, the Queensland Government's Airport Link and the airport roundabout fly-over would provide the long-term solutions.

He said the task force would launch a carpoo ling and sustainable travel program called Brisbane Airport Trippers (BAT) in the new year for the 16,000 Brisbane Airport precinct workers.

"The BAT program will help reduce congestion by encouraging and rewarding precinct employees that carpool or catch public transport to work," he said.

A copy of the report card is available on request.

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