Ministerial Statement: First access to Northern Busway as construction ...

[ozbob]

Deputy Premier and Attorney-General, Minister for Local Government and Special Minister of State
The Honourable Paul Lucas
04/03/2011

First access to Northern Busway as construction on the Lutwyche Busway Station begins

Acting Premier Paul Lucas and Member for Stafford Stirling Hinchliffe walked part of the Northern Busway (Windsor to Kedron) as they inspected construction progress on new Lutwyche busway station today.

It's the first time access from Chalk Street to the Busway tunnel has been possible and coincides with the start of construction on the Lutwyche Busway Station - part of the State Government's $444 million Northern Busway (Windsor to Kedron) project.

Acting Premier Paul Lucas said once complete, the 3km Windsor to Kedron section of the Northern Busway will include 1.5 kilometres of tunnel, two state-of-the-art bus stations at Lutwyche and Kedron Brook and eight new bus shelters for north Brisbane residents.

"The Lutwyche Station is unique in that it sits below busy Lutwyche Road," Mr Lucas said.

"After a number of traffic switches, this section of Lutwyche Road was transformed into a bridge enabling further construction on the state-of-the-art station.

"Currently the steel framework for the station's towers is being installed, which will be followed by their glass exterior and by the middle of this year the final design will be complete.

"The four station towers will be 15 metres high and will weigh approximately 46 tonnes each. They will include glass lifts that over-look nearby Bradshaw Park and will be fully illuminated at night."

Mr Hinchliffe said the Lutwyche Busway Station was due to open in mid 2012 and would connect both sides of Lutwyche Road and new green space will also connect Bradshaw Park with Kedron Brook.

"The Lutwyche Busway Station will not only service northern bus routes but will also include an underpass to allow pedestrians and cyclists to access inbound and outbound platforms without crossing busy Lutwyche Road," he said.

"The Northern Busway is a congestion buster and for every bus, 40 cars will be taken off the roads.

"This is good news for locals wanting a fast trip to and from the city and Chermside as it will cut travel times."

Thiess John Holland Project Director Gordon Ralph said the busway will be underground between Truro Street and Norman Avenue at Lutwyche, and between Stafford Road and Sadlier Street at Kedron, with access into the two new architecturally designed busway stations at Lutwyche and Kedron.

"Tunnelling for the busway is almost complete and we have used a combination of driven tunnelling and cut and cover construction techniques," Mr Ralph said.

"Two roadheaders have finished excavation of the 490 metre section of mined busway tunnel and the cut-and-cover structures are nearing completion with the mechanical and electrical fit-out underway.

"We're still building parts of the cut-and-cover along Gympie Road. This involves piling to create the tunnel walls, excavation to the tunnel roof level, installation of concrete beams to form the roof, back filling over the newly constructed roof and then excavation under the roof slab to form the tunnel."

BrisConnections CEO Dr Ray Wilson said the projects were now 70% complete and on schedule for completion in mid 2012.

"By 2016, the busway will have the ability to cater for 47,000 public transport trips per day- more than five times the current number," he said.

"We're proud to be building this vital section of Brisbane's growing Busway network," Dr Wilson said.

Once construction is complete, the Northern Busway (Windsor to Kedron) will be handed over to the Queensland Government for operation by TransLink.

Prior to opening, TransLink network planners will review local services to maximise the reliability and faster travel times offered by the new busway.

The Northern Busway (Windsor to Kedron) is part of a busway network for Brisbane that will eventually span the city and will combine with the existing rail network to complete the city's major public transport system.

When complete, the Northern Busway will be a vital link in the expanding busway network and will reduce travel times for people travelling to and from Windsor, Lutwyche, Kedron, Chermside, Aspley and Bracken Ridge.

The Northern Busway (Windsor to Kedron) is being built by Thiess John Holland as part of the Airport Link project.

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[#Metro]

The Northern Busway (Windsor to Kedron) is part of a busway network for Brisbane that will eventually span the city and will combine with the existing rail network to complete the city's major public transport system.

This is great, but the current rail 'rapid transit' system is a shambles on all service characteristics. Low frequency, poor connections etc. TL has no problem re-routing bus routes to take advantage of busway. So why is the rail system exempt?

[BrizCommuter]

The question is, will there be any service improvements when the Northern Busway is extended?

[#Metro]

I suspect that they will just re-route the services to use it and that's what you'll get.
Is 333 or 66 the flagship busway service? IMHO 66 should be extended to serve all new busway stations.

[Golliwog]

I disagree. As between RBWH and what is it Truro St? isn't going to be fully seperated, but just bus lanes buses through here will have to be stopping at traffic lights and the like so I think the 333 should be the flagship and the 66 can keep its current terminus. Besides, the 66 has enough troubles with the loads it takes as is.

[dwb]

The question is, will there be any service improvements when the Northern Busway is extended?

Like the opening of the last section of Northern Busway (and Eastern busway for that matter) one must wonder if the timetables will be upgraded.

Perhaps now is the time to start adding pressure about what service improvements will occur when it opens in about a years time?

And for that matter, the next stage of the Eastern Busway is due to be open late 2011 (or possibly mid 2011??)... will this have any service improvements.

And FURTHER, when both the Eastern Busway and Northern busways sections opened and are catering to their promoted 47k/day and 16k/peak patronage in 2016, where are all the buses going to go in the city?? Perhaps its time for RBOT to be pressuring the Govt to implement closed stations at KGS and QSBS with all door (tag-less) boarding?