Brisbane: Bus Electric Rapid Transit (' Brisbane Metro ')

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/PaulFletcherMP/status/996627172931420161

[Gazza]

The name Vulture street doesn't sound pleasant.... dunno why people have an affinity for it

[Gazza]

The name Vulture street doesn't sound pleasant.... dunno why people have an affinity for it

PS $315m for the new station isn't a bad deal TBH... Considering some LX removals have cost $200m

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/996633635015966721

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/9NewsQueensland/status/996662910310010880

[achiruel]

The name Vulture street doesn't sound pleasant.... dunno why people have an affinity for it

I'd say mostly for historical reasons. And if they are Powderfinger fans.

[red dragin]

And if they are Powderfinger fans.

That's why it gets my vote 

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Schrinner/status/996884429581664256

(2/3) #BrisbaneMetro will upgrade 17 existing stations, provide faster ticketing & genuine bus network reform. The project will remove up to 340 buses from the intersection of Melbourne & Grey Sts & deliver a 60% increase in public space in the vicinity of the Cultural Centre. pic.twitter.com/gvw8Jw2yaZ

— Adrian Schrinner 🇦🇺 (@Schrinner) May 16, 2018

(3/3) All of this work will result in faster trips for passengers (up to 50% faster) & enable more bus services right across the suburbs of Brisbane, including areas nowhere near the 2 Metro routes. The ball is now in the State Government's court! #BrisbaneMetro #ApproveMetro pic.twitter.com/kcd4qqZ4Pr

— Adrian Schrinner 🇦🇺 (@Schrinner) May 16, 2018

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Brisbane Metro: Is it really a Metro or just a new busway?

IN any other city in the world a Metro is an underground railway network but when it comes to Brisbane, the word has a completely different meaning.

Punters remain confused over exactly what the much-anticipated Brisbane Metro will be: Is it a train system or just a new busway?

The type of vehicle that will run on the Metro line is also a mystery, with both Lord Mayor Graham Quirk and Deputy Mayor Adrian Schrinner – who has special responsibility for the project – admitting the type of transport is yet to be chosen.

"Later this year, Council will undertake a national and international procurement process for Brisbane Metro vehicles. Vehicles have not yet been selected at this stage," Cr Schrinner said.

Cr Schrinner said the BCC wanted a high-capacity and multi-door transport but would not reveal if it would have inflatable wheels, how it would be powered or what it would cost to build.

Labor and rail advocate group Rail Back On Track suggest the Metro will carry bi-articulated buses – banana buses – which would put it at odds with the name of the project.

According to the Oxford Dictionary, the transport-related meaning for the word "Metro" was "an underground railway system, especially Paris".

Rail Back On Track spokesman Robert Dow said the BCC's plan was an upgraded, and necessary, busway and not a Metro by definition and the name may cause confusion with tourists.

Mr Dow said the initial concept included rubber-tyred vehicles, which are a blend of rail and road technology, and did suit the description of a Metro.

"The original plan for this was to use rubber-tyred Metro vehicles which would have fitted the definition of a Metro but it has transformed into bi-articulated buses," Mr Dow said.

"Metro really means an underground railway system ...it's a very good idea and we support it, because they are enhancing the good busway infrastructure ... but the name is misleading."

BCC's Metro includes two busways – one that runs from Eight Mile Plains to Roma Street and another that stretches from the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital to UQ Lakes.

Mayor Graham Quirk has refused to call the vehicles "buses", although he had conceded they would be driveable and not on rails.

"You can't drive it with a bus licence, you can't drive it with a train licence – it's a stand-alone vehicle which will require special licensing in terms of the driver," he told reporters.

Cr Schrinner on local radio this week said it was not essential to name the mode of transport because "moving people efficiently" was more important.

The BCC did not respond to questions about the costing of each vehicle or how they would be powered.

The overall project has been costed at $944 million and will include an underground station at South Bank's Cultural Precinct and the widening of existing bus lanes.

The entire network would cover 21km with 18 bus stops and 11 interchanges.

Mr Dow said there were no bi-articulated buses in Australia, but they are used globally and to great effect.

"Maybe a better name would be Brisbane Transit but the Mayor has an exception to calling them buses but they are an articulated bus," Mr Dow said.

"There are some Metro systems which use rubber-tyre vehicles but they are on tracks, they are not free-wheeling."

He said it would be ideal for the vehicles to be electric with rapid-charging batteries or at worst a hybrid vehicle but not solely run on diesel or gas.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/997146882362097664

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/997154147437658112

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Schrinner/status/998784571872169985

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> Brisbane Metro: $5m upgrades for CBD and inner-south intersections after Victoria Bridge closure

BRISBANE City Council's transport chairman has announced $5 million in intersection upgrades in the CBD and the inner south, to keep the free William Jolly Bridge flowing when Victoria Bridge closes to general traffic for Brisbane Metro.

Deputy Mayor Adrian Schrinner insisted residents would not be forced to use the Go Between toll bridge after the Victoria Bridge closes to private vehicles.

He said traffic modelling showed the closure would divert 70 per cent of drivers to the free William Jolly Bridge and 30 per cent would "go elsewhere".

He announced the council would upgrade Grey St and Peel St, Peel St and Merivale St, Roma St and Countess St and Upper Roma St and Skew St.

The public transport boss said that same modelling showed that the amount of traffic on the Go-Between Bridge, which is a toll bridge, would not change.

"Modelling shows there will be no change to Go-Between Bridge as a result of the Victoria Bridge closure," he said.

"They will in fact choose to use the William Jolly Bridge in the main."

He said the travel times from West End to the CBD via the Go-Between Bridge was 10 minutes, and it was 11 minutes via the William Jolly Bridge."

"With the upgrades, the travel time on William Jolly Bridge will be the same as Victoria Bridge or even less. Even less."

Opposition public transport spokesman Jared Cassidy said the upgrades were "essential and a no-brainer".

"The project will have an enormous impact on traffic and I doubt the State Government would approve works without a plan for dealing with traffic chaos," he said.

Cr Cassidy called on Cr Schrinner to release the traffic modelling.

"I find it difficult to believe that the modelling shows not one single vehicle currently using the Victoria Bridge will use the Go Between Bridge," he said.

"While we would like to take the Deputy Mayor on his word, we've learnt you really need to see it on paper first when it comes to their commitments on Brisbane Metro."

He said the William Jolly Bridge was often congested with immense infill development in West End, while Grey St would be reduced to one lane.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Victoria Bridge closure prompts $5 million spend on alternative route

Brisbane City Council's planning boss has assured residents that booting cars off the Victoria Bridge to fix the daily bus jam will not force motorists to pay for toll roads.

The council proposed banning cars from Victoria Bridge and turning it into a 'green bridge' as part of the $944 million Brisbane Metro project in 2016.

This has since sparked concerns motorists would be forced to use the Go Between toll bridge as an alternative route, but public and active transport chairman Adrian Schrinner said this was not the case.

"Council has done detailed modelling on what will happen when Victoria Bridge does close to general traffic and that modelling shows that 70 per cent of cars using Victoria Bridge will divert across to William Jolly Bridge, the remaining 30 per cent will go elsewhere," he said.

"Now, more importantly, we've done the modelling on the Go Between Bridge as well and that modelling shows there will be no change in traffic volume on Go Between Bridge as a result of the closure of Victoria Bridge."

Cr Schrinner said the council would spend about $5 million to upgrade the four intersections on the approach to the William Jolly Bridge to ensure it has extra capacity.

The four intersections to be upgraded include Grey and Peel streets, Merivale and Peel streets, Roma and Countess streets and Upper Roma and Skew streets.

Cr Schrinner said with the upgrades the travel time on William Jolly Bridge would be the same as Victoria Bridge or less.

Opposition public transport spokesman Jared Cassidy said the Brisbane Metro project would not proceed unless the upgrades were done.

"It is not something they are doing proactively, they have to do it for the project," he said.

Cr Cassidy said the modelling that showed there would be no increase in traffic on the Go Between Bridge did not make sense.

"I would like to see the modelling before I believe it," he said.

"When it comes to this project you can't trust what is written down, let alone what is said off the cuff."

RACQ spokesman Paul Turner welcomed the intersection upgrades, but still questioned the flow-on effects of the bridge closure to Stanley and Vulture streets.

"Nearly 11,000 cars use the Victoria Bridge, so when it's closed 70 per cent of traffic is expected to move onto the William Jolly Bridge," Mr Turner said.

"We'd still like to see improvements at the other end of South Brisbane along Stanley and Vulture streets which are expected to become more even more congested."

Construction of Brisbane Metro is expected to commence in 2019, with the services operational in 2023.

[achiruel]

Or maybe West End and Highgate Hill residents will see a mode shift toward public transport, as the upgrade should see a reduced travel time for the 199 and 60 during peak hours. I'm actually surprised why any standard 9-5 (or 8:30-5:30) or whatever their standard hours are CBD worker from West End would drive anyway? Improving 192 frequency as discussed elsewhere on this board would also help, servicing the area along Dornoch Tce between the 199 and 196.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Deputy Premier calls for the Go Between Bridge toll to be removed

Queensland Deputy Premier Jackie Trad has called for tolls on the Go Between Bridge to be removed just hours after Brisbane City Council's transport boss ruled it out.

On Tuesday council's public and active transport chairman said the council would spend $5 million upgrading four intersections near the William Jolly Bridge to cater for extra capacity when Victoria Bridge is closed for Brisbane Metro.

A few hours later Ms Trad said on Facebook that while the city needed more public transport and green bridges there had been no community consultation on the closure of the Victoria Bridge which had been servicing the southside since 1969.

"The Brisbane City Council cannot simply shut a free bridge and assume that traffic won't be a problem," she said.

"I'm calling on the Lord Mayor, councillor Schrinner and their LNP council to consult with the community as soon as possible on this issue.

"If there are any closures, then the toll on the Go Between Bridge should be removed.

"This will come as a surprise to a lot of people and they shouldn't be forced to waste their time and even pay a toll to move between the southside and the northside of our city."

Cr Schrinner said the council made it "crystal clear" at the 2016 election the Victoria Bridge would be repurposed as a "green bridge" as part of Brisbane Metro.

"We know that the Victoria Bridge is used by less than 9000 cars a day and far more people walk across the bridge each day than drive across it," he said.

"The Go Between Bridge doesn't take people to the CBD but has always been a CBD bypass route.

"If motorists want to go to the CBD, the Go Between Bridge is not a convenient or direct route."

The council's second round of consultation on the Brisbane Metro draft designs will close Friday.

[ozbob]

When it suits the Deputy Premier all is rosy hey?

Connecting Brisbane > http://dsdmip.qld.gov.au/infrastructure/connecting-brisbane.html

> > http://dsdmip.qld.gov.au/resources/publication/connecting-brisbane/connectingbrisbane.pdf

https://www.railexpress.com.au/brisbane-metro-crr-both-included-in-joint-strategy/

The Queensland State Government and Brisbane City Council have released a joint roadmap for the future of the city's public transport, which includes plans for the "complementary" Cross River Rail and Brisbane Metro projects.

Cross River Rail is the long-talked-about underground rail line through Brisbane's CBD, between Dutton Park and Bowen Hills, designed to free up capacity on multiple lines by removing the bottleneck across the Brisbane River.

The Brisbane Metro is a proposal from Brisbane's Mayor, Graham Quirk, to build a high-frequency metro network across 21 kilometres of existing busway.

Previously the two projects have been framed by local media as competing; while they don't serve the same purpose, and could feasibly both be built, both would need significant funding to come to fruition.

But the new plan, outlined by Mayor Quirk and transport minister Jackie Trad on Tuesday, describes both proposals as "vital and complementary". The combined plan, called Connecting Brisbane, has been designed around the federal government's Smart Cities Plan.

"We are bringing together the vision of the Palaszczuk Government and Brisbane City Council in a strategy that will lay the foundation for us to transform transport and tackle congestion in Brisbane and the wider region, as well as drive economic growth," Trad said.

"It is a blueprint that will free up the bottlenecks and increase mobility around the region through two cornerstone public transport projects – Cross River Rail and Brisbane Metro."

Trad said the two projects would together allow the whole public transport system to provide faster, more frequent transit through, to, and from the city.

"It will transform Brisbane from having a radial network, with buses and trains making journeys into the city centre, to an integrated 'turn up and go' high-frequency with improved connections and reduced duplication," she said.

"This strategy also shows how Cross River Rail and Metro will provide the long term backbone for the next wave of medium and long term infrastructure projects to improve transport for the whole of South East Queensland."

Quirk said the business case for Brisbane Metro, released last week, confirmed the project is a cost-effective solution.

"Right now, buses carry two of every three public transport patrons in Brisbane," Quirk said. "Our existing bus infrastructure is already at capacity in a number of areas and cannot cope with the continued forecast growth of our city. Brisbane Metro will provide significant benefits for both the city and the region, complementing the Cross River Rail project and existing heavy rail services."

[verbatim9]

Brisbanetimes --> Deputy Premier calls for the Go Between Bridge toll to be removed

Queensland Deputy Premier Jackie Trad has called for tolls on the Go Between Bridge to be removed just hours after Brisbane City Council's transport boss ruled it out.

On Tuesday council's public and active transport chairman said the council would spend $5 million upgrading four intersections near the William Jolly Bridge to cater for extra capacity when Victoria Bridge is closed for Brisbane Metro.

A few hours later Ms Trad said on Facebook that while the city needed more public transport and green bridges there had been no community consultation on the closure of the Victoria Bridge which had been servicing the southside since 1969.

"The Brisbane City Council cannot simply shut a free bridge and assume that traffic won't be a problem," she said.

"I'm calling on the Lord Mayor, councillor Schrinner and their LNP council to consult with the community as soon as possible on this issue.

"If there are any closures, then the toll on the Go Between Bridge should be removed.

"This will come as a surprise to a lot of people and they shouldn't be forced to waste their time and even pay a toll to move between the southside and the northside of our city."

Cr Schrinner said the council made it "crystal clear" at the 2016 election the Victoria Bridge would be repurposed as a "green bridge" as part of Brisbane Metro.

"We know that the Victoria Bridge is used by less than 9000 cars a day and far more people walk across the bridge each day than drive across it," he said.

"The Go Between Bridge doesn't take people to the CBD but has always been a CBD bypass route.

"If motorists want to go to the CBD, the Go Between Bridge is not a convenient or direct route."

The council's second round of consultation on the Brisbane Metro draft designs will close Friday.

The council relies on funds from increased tolls to pay for the inner city bypass upgrade.

It will never happen unless the State pays for the inner city bypass upgrade and the via duct at the intersection of Hale street and Coronation Drive. "This statement is just a popularity stunt to look good in her electorate."

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> There'll be no shelter here: Deputy mayor rules out Victoria Bridge improvement

Victoria Bridge is crossed on foot more than 7 million times a year, but there is no shelter from sun or rain and the footpaths are narrow.

Brisbane City Council is moving ahead with its plans to remove cars from the bridge so the road can be used solely by Brisbane Metro vehicles and other buses, leaving pedestrians and cyclists competing for space on the footpath which is less than three metres wide.

Speaking on a BDA The Committee for Brisbane panel, the council's public and active transport chairman Adrian Schinner agreed trees and shade were critical to a walkable city.

In a survey conducted before the event asking residents what were the best and worst walk and pedestrian experiences in Brisbane, Victoria Bridge ranked second-worst.

"Victoria Bridge was mentioned and the reason it was mentioned is because at the time the bridge was built footpaths were a lot narrower than what we would build today," Cr Schrinner, Brisbane's deputy mayor, said.

"Secondly, it doesn't have any shade. Up to 20,000 people a day walking across that bridge, no shade, narrow footpaths."

Cr Schrinner agreed with a point raised during the debate that the lack of shade on the bridge was an engineering challenge.

"In the assessment we have done so far it would almost be more effective to build another bridge next to it for pedestrians and cyclists," he said.

A second bridge crossing has been proposed as part of the Queen's Wharf development, but designs for the pedestrian-only bridge do not show any kind of coverage to protect pedestrians from the sun or rain.

Cr Schrinner has previously called for the $70 million Neville Bonner Bridge that would connect the Queen's Wharf casino to South Bank to be scrapped because he believed its proposed pedestrian-only use was a waste of money.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Schrinner/status/1001320942595751937

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Council gives state 10-year guarantee on Metro operating costs

Brisbane City Council has given the State Government a 10-year guarantee that Brisbane Metro will not leave it out of pocket with the services able to be funded within the existing transport budget.

Currently, every bus and ferry service in Brisbane is funded by Transport for Brisbane, which is 75 per cent state funding and 25 per cent council.

On Tuesday, public and active transport chairman Adrian Schrinner said the existing and projected Transport for Brisbane funding was enough to cover operating the 60 Metro vehicles expected to be running across the city by 2023.

"The business case shows that over a 30-year period the state government subsidy of 75 per cent for Brisbane Metro will be $463.2 million together with a 25 per cent council subsidy of $154.4 million," he said.

"When you take into account that the expected Metro fare revenue of over $800 million over 30 years, all of which goes directly to the state, and you then deduct the cost to the state which are expected ... the state government is not expected to be out of pocket for Brisbane Metro either in the short term or the long term."

Lord mayor Graham Quirk wrote to Treasurer Jackie Trad on Tuesday guaranteeing the state it would not be financially worse-off for a period of at least 10 years if the state approvals for the project were granted quickly.

"If within the first 10 years of operations this is not the case, council will increase its own public transport subsidy to ensure the state is not out of pocket.

Deputy Premier and Treasurer Jackie Trad said she appreciated how critical the Metro was the council.

"We are currently in the middle of detailed negotiations and we look forward to receiving a formal response from council to respond to their issues and proposals," she said.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> LNP would gift state land to council for the Brisbane Metro

A future LNP government would gift two crucial pieces of land to the Brisbane City Council to get the Brisbane Metro back on track.

The state government owns a 1600-square-metre parcel of land at South Brisbane, which the LNP-dominated council has included in its designs for its Brisbane Metro station at the Cultural Centre.

The council also wants a 4.5-hectare block at Rochedale, which would become the new depot for 60 Metro vehicles.

LNP leader Deb Frecklington said the LNP would give the two properties, worth $20 million, to the council to get the Brisbane Metro delivered.

"Brisbane Metro would solve a transport bottleneck that has been at capacity for a decade and would reduce congestion that chokes Brisbane streets," she said.

"The Brisbane Metro is a city-changing project and an elected LNP government would guarantee appropriate approvals were in place to get it built and invest in more bus services to work with the Metro once it is operational."

Opposition transport spokesman Steve Minnikin said the Brisbane Metro project was "hamstrung" by the government and would not progress until the land at Rochedale and South Brisbane was contributed.

"Brisbane Metro would provide high-frequency services as often as every 90 seconds between Roma Street and Mater Hill and would boost busway capacity by up to 22,000 passengers per hour," he said.

Council public transport chairman Adrian Schrinner has previously said he was "confident" the state would hand over the land at South Brisbane.

But if the council failed to acquire the properties, the $944 million Brisbane Metro would not be able to go ahead in its current form.

The council asked for the land in September 2017.

A Department of Transport and Main Roads spokesman in April said the government would work with the council on the Brisbane Metro proposal and the state's infrastructure.

Treasurer Jackie Trad will hand down her first budget on June 12, which will include $45 billion in infrastructure spending over the next four years.

In last year's budget, Labor revealed it would fully fund the $5.4 billion Cross River Rail project, a 10.2-kilometre rail link between Dutton Park and Bowen Hills.

Ms Trad has previously said Brisbane Metro was an important project and the region needed both it and Cross River Rail to bust congestion.

The Brisbane Metro was listed as a "high priority" on the national infrastructure list in March.

Under the Brisbane Metro plan, the Victoria Bridge would be closed to general road traffic.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/1005852305521086464

^

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/1005853071103090688

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/DebFrecklington/status/1006073632823447552

[matlock]

It's not exclusively Labor's railfail, Deb. The crock started under Newman's cuts. Let's also not forget NGR was ordered under Newman.

Adding the LNP's silence on CRR at the last election, and I don't understand what Deb's idea here is? Most people I've talked to know more about CRR than Metro, or think they're one and the same. And most people who support CRR and Metro will vote for the red team because blue team just means going back to square one and starting over.

If LNP can commit to building both Metro and CRR (which will never happen because it means conceding that Labor might have one good idea), then Deb has a chance.

[SurfRail]

I guess Brisbane Metro is pretty cold comfort to the people who are in the rail catchment - given the markets are near mutually exclusive.

They seem to be even worse than when they were in government, if that's even possible.  I wouldn't expect the member for Nanango to have a clue about urban transport but surely there must be at least one person on that side of the chamber who can take control of the message and not make them look like complete numpties.

[achiruel]

Isn't Steve Minnikin the Shadow Minister for Transport and Main Roads? Why isn't he the one doing the press conference? Perhaps he has a bit of a clue!

[ozbob]

Isn't Steve Minnikin the Shadow Minister for Transport and Main Roads? Why isn't he the one doing the press conference? Perhaps he has a bit of a clue!

Steve Minnikin was the Assistant Minister for Public Transport in the Newman Government.  He was also the project director for the 2013 Bus Network reform.  He actually does understand well the bus stuff.  The bus reform fell over once he was pushed aside and Emerson and Quirk ran the show.  Rest is history, sadly ...

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Team_Quirk/status/1006704929203843072

https://twitter.com/Team_Quirk/status/1006705814331985922

[#Metro]

More detail released, 150 pax max, bare minimum really. Was hoping for 200+

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Worldwide search will be be launched to find companies to build Brisbane Metro

A worldwide search to try to find the best companies to build Brisbane's tunnels and metro vehicles is about to be launched.

Brisbane City Council is progressing with its $944 million Brisbane Metro, which was first announced in 2016, with plans to go to market with the project within weeks.

To date, the council has finalised the metro routes, the location of the stabling depot and released the draft design report, but many aspects of the multimillion-dollar project remain unknown.

The council has now said it wants a 25-metre-long metro vehicle that can carry 150 people, has Wi-Fi and can run through underground tunnels at the Cultural Centre and Adelaide Street.

Now it must find someone who can build it.

Lord mayor Graham Quirk said the significant contracting plan of works was expected to be approved by the council on Friday before being released to the market globally to call for companies to build the inner-city infrastructure of underground tunnels and stations and deliver the new metro fleet.

"The Brisbane Metro is now fully funded and we are getting on with the job to engage with global industries to deliver this world-class project," he said.

The council's public and active transport chairman Adrian Schrinner said the council would begin formal engagement with the market and an industry briefing to outline the manner in which council will undertake procurement for the Metro vehicles and construction of significant infrastructure in July.

"Council is now gearing up to start procurement for a fleet of up to 60 Metro vehicles that are able to carry up to 150 passengers, be up to 25 metres in length, able to operate on the existing busway, have Wi-Fi access, real-time travel updates and low flood design for quicker boarding and alighting," he said.

Cr Schrinner said the council would release a detailed set of criteria to the market and expected to award the vehicle tender mid-2019 before testing a pilot vehicle in mid-2020.

The council will also seek expressions of interest for the significant infrastructure works, including the Cultural Centre station and tunnelling beneath Adelaide Street in July with the tender expected to be awarded by the end of 2019.

The council was already looking for and hiring employees specifically for the delivery of the Brisbane Metro project including project managers for the early works and design and assurance work.

[ozbob]

More detail released, 150 pax max, bare minimum really. Was hoping for 200+

Think of it as a minimum.  I think as this proceeds manufacturers may will submit designs that have a higher capacity as an advantage?

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Schrinner/status/1009180449887879170

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Schrinner/status/1009180449887879170

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/1009181416318332929

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Team_Quirk/status/1009216432956035072

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Schrinner/status/1009220370254057472

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Brisbane City Council video shows fly-through of the Brisbane Metro

BRISBANE residents are a step closer to knowing the design of the Brisbane Metro vehicles, with the project set to go out to market within weeks.

Significant contracting plans are expected to be approved by the Brisbane City Council on Friday, which will be released to the global market next month.

The council will purchase a fleet of 60 vehicles as part of the $944 million project, which will span two lines that link Eight Mile Plains to Roma St and the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital to the University of Queensland.

The new video of the project shows designs of the proposed underground station at the Cultural Centre on the corner of Melbourne and Grey St at South Brisbane.

It also gives residents a glimpse of the underground link between the new station and Victoria Bridge.

Deputy Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the council would release a "detailed set of criteria to the market" about the vehicle, with the tender to be awarded midway through next year.

"Council is now gearing up to start procurement for a fleet of up to 60 Metro vehicles that are able to carry up to 150 passengers, be up to 25m in length, able to operate on the existing busway, have Wi-Fi access, real-time travel updates and low floor design for quicker boarding and alighting," he said.

Expressions of interests for other major works, including the new station and an underground tunnel beneath Adelaide St, will also be issued next month while tenders will be awarded at the end of 2019.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Brisbane Metro vehicles to be built overseas

IT MIGHT be called the Brisbane Metro but the reality is the "vehicles" for the $1 billion transport project will likely be built in Europe with the council going worldwide to find a supplier.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk announced on Wednesday that Brisbane City Council would hold a special meeting on Friday to approve the public transport project to go to market.

The approval will include early works, the procurement of 60 metro vehicles and major infrastructure construction, and undergrounding the Cultural Centre Station and Adelaide St to the King George Square bus station.

The buses need to carry 150 passengers, be up to 25m in length and able to operate on the existing busway and have Wi-Fi access and real-time travel updates.

"We're hoping to have the first trial bus, I'll start that again, we're hoping to have the Metro Vehicle here in Brisbane in 2020," Cr Quirk said.

"We'll be out to the market across the globe, the reality is these types of vehicles are not

constructed in Brisbane or indeed Australia at this time.

"Europe obviously has been the home of production of these types of vehicles ... They would be one significant area but we will be going worldwide to see what's available and to get the most competitive outcome for the people of Brisbane."

He said the council would encourage international companies to partner with local firms where possible, as Acciona and Ghella partnered with BMD on Legacy Way.

Cr Quirk said there was a lot of international interest and the council would hold a forum for the industry on the public transport project and how to express interest.

Before the council buys the full fleet of 60 vehicles, it wants to test the vehicle in Brisbane's sub-tropical climate and busways to "iron out" any bugs.

[achiruel]

I wonder if they've looked at the Volvo Super Artic 210, only 22m long so fits under their 25m maximum spec and takes 210 pax.

https://www.volvobuses.com/en-en/news/2016/nov/volvo-launches-the-world-largest-bus.html

The Gran Artic 300 would be nice, but apparently at 30m is too long for this project.

[verbatim9]

More detail released, 150 pax max, bare minimum really. Was hoping for 200+

Think of it as a minimum.  I think as this proceeds manufacturers may will submit designs that have a higher capacity as an advantage?

Capacity and emission free. Here's hoping! Maybe those Trackless Trams in China are a contender?

[ozbob]