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

[Cazza]

Lol, the amount of times he said "we have one chance to get it right for decades to come".

Shame he didn't say that about the hundreds of other projects undertaken in the past few years...

Platform raising, Kippa Ring Terminus, abundance of cash towards road upgrades and PnR "improvements" ring a few bells hey?

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

27th June 2019

Brisbane Metro - State Government please explain!

Good Morning,

RAIL Back On Track members, as well as many citizens no doubt, are perplexed as to why at this late stage the State Government has decided that the Brisbane Metro underground station at the Cultural Centre needs to be moved (1).

This project has gone through a steady and logical process to determine the best outcomes, despite it seems, an apparent lack of genuine cooperation from the State.  This latest intervention by the State smacks of crass politics.  There is an obligation for the State to detail exactly why they have again delayed a critical transport project for SEQ.

In March of 2017, Brisbane City Council announced its revised proposal for the ' Brisbane Metro ' busway upgrade project. This design included new platforms at the Cultural Centre for through services, located underneath Grey St (2).

In June of 2019, the State Government now informs Council that those platforms would now need to be located underneath the Convention Centre?

RAIL – Back On Track calls upon Minister Bailey to provide two explanations.

Firstly:  Why is it that the platforms must now be located underneath the Convention Centre, 100 metres further away from the existing Cultural Centre platforms and on the far side of South Brisbane train station?

Secondly: Why is it that the State Government has over-ridden this aspect of the proposed design MORE THAN TWO YEARS after it was first proposed?

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track https://backontrack.org

References:

1. https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/brisbane-metro-project-pushed-back-again-20190626-p521gx.html

2. http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/brisbane-metro-plan-overhauled-to-include-two-lines-instead-of-one/news-story/3e28ae5ff20760639a128695d6fb47f4

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1143895855960694784

[ozbob]

Facebook ..

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> State accused of withholding millions from project

The State Government has been accused of withholding millions of dollars in crucial federal funds that was supposed to be spent on Brisbane City Council's signature Brisbane public transport project.

THE Palaszczuk Government has been accused of withholding millions of dollars in crucial federal funds that was supposed to be spent on Brisbane City Council's signature Brisbane Metro project.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner yesterday launched a scathing attack on the State Government, pleading with the administration to not make Brisbane Metro "another Adani" as the council fends off crippling delays.

The Courier-Mail can reveal the council is chasing down $10 million in Federal Government funds for the project that it says the State Government is yet to pass on.

Cr Schrinner said the money was part of the council's funding arrangement with the Federal Government and was supposed to be used for land resumptions at Rochedale for the Metro's depot.

"The State Government is not only delaying the works for this critical project, they are also refusing to release the payment for the progress we have made," he said. "This is yet another example of political interference in the fully funded Brisbane Metro project.

"The State needs to pay up the money they rightfully owe us. The land was gazetted in March (so) this money should have been handed over months ago."

Cr Schrinner also yesterday revealed the project had been hit by another major delay after the State Government told the council it would have to scrap the planned Cultural Centre Station.

The station will instead have to be built under the Brisbane Convention Centre, despite the council holding more than 200 meetings in recent years with State Government officials to discuss the project.

The Lord Mayor said Metro had become "Brisbane's Adani and the same people are responsible for slowing it down".

"This project is a project that is suffering the same delays as the Adani mine," he said.

"It is clear to me right now that this project is on a 'go slow' for purely political reasons."

The State Government was criticised for ordering last-minute reviews of Adani's environmental management plans for its Carmichael coal mine.

Cr Schrinner could not guarantee yesterday if services for the Metro would begin as scheduled by 2023, or say if the delays would push the price tag of the $944 million project upwards beyond $1 billion.

"Projects don't get cheaper if they're delayed," he said.

"We don't see any good reason why services shouldn't be up and running in 2023."

State Transport Minister Mark Bailey said the Government supported Metro "in principle", but would not be rushed to suit Cr Schrinner's election timetable.

The next local government elections are in March 2020.

The minister also said more work was required to ensure the project was "done right".

"We made it clear to council last year that if it commenced procurement before the scope of the project was finalised, it would do so at its own risk," Mr Bailey said.

"There are a range of other unresolved issues, including design.

"Which large bus will be selected, its specifications and performance on the busway; scale of construction impacts and managing disruptions to commuters; and who will bear the cost for the operation of the system."

Labor's lord mayoral candidate Rod Harding said Cr Schrinner loved to blame others for his own problems, adding that he had no confidence that Metro services would commence by 2023.

LNP leader Deb Frecklington said the State Government was standing in the way of the project for "political reasons".

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1143904226566742016

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Schrinner cries foul on metro, but Brisbane City Council was warned

The news was given to Brisbane City Council on Friday, the day that tenders closed - the much vaunted solution to the city's congestion woes, the $944 million Brisbane Metro, would have to be delayed again.

But it took five days for the three bidding companies to be told of the delay and they found out, along with a room full of the city's movers and shakers, at a business lunch on Wednesday.

Lord mayor Adrian Schrinner dropped the bombshell to a host of lunch-goers at a Queensland Media Club event on Wednesday afternoon, announcing the state government now required a total redesign of the planned Cultural Centre Metro Station.

And it would have to be relocated to under the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

After 3½ years of meetings between the council and the state government, Cr Schrinner said, Brisbane Metro was delayed again.

Painting a picture of a project that would be a boon to the city, if not the state, Cr Schrinner asked lunchgoers and a table of assembled media to consider the metro as "Brisbane's Adani".

And "Brisbane's Adani" was now being "go-slowed" by the state government, which was digging its heels in, not giving approvals, and trying to weaken the council's LNP administration ahead of the March 2020 council election.

According to Cr Schrinner, at least.

But the announcement, carefully dropped at the start of a speech ostensibly aiming to outline his vision for Brisbane, didn't mention that the council had forged ahead with procurement without waiting for any state government approvals.

"On Friday we were told that we need to redesign the Cultural Centre Metro station and relocate it underneath the building we're in today - the Brisbane Convention Centre," Cr Schrinner said.

"So a major part of the project, a project that has been underway several years in planning, 276 meetings, the 11th hour, has been asked to be redesigned by the state government."

How long would that take? Cr Schrinner couldn't say.

And the additional cost? It was to be expected delays to such a major project would see the cost increase, he said.

What reason did the state government give for the late news about the sudden relocation and redesign? None, he said.

Sitting the crowd, alongside academics, business owners, contractors and LNP councillors enjoying a fish or lamb lunch, the Queensland Major Contractors Association's chief executive Jon Davies put down his fork and picked up his phone.

The three contractors that had submitted their bids on Friday, and were preparing for pitch meetings with the council this week, were blindsided.

Straight after the lunch, Mr Davies rushed out to speak with the journalists who were setting up to grill Cr Schrinner again on the announcement.

"They're in a state of absolute shock," he said of the three would-be contractors.

"...They submitted their bids on Friday, they're due to make presentations to Brisbane City Council this week and they've all invested significant amounts of money in this tendering process of which they get a small proportion back."

About $3 million would be paid out of those companies' pockets to make their bid, he said, and they wouldn't get that back - and they would still have to wait to see who wins the contract.

"I can't recall in 20 years this ever happening in my experience," Mr Davies said.

Facing the media again minutes later, Cr Schrinner insisted the council had had no similar problems with other major projects such as the Legacy Way or Clem7.

But he didn't say why the council had decided to open procurement without waiting for state government approvals.

Cr Schrinner said questions about why the contractors only found out on Wednesday were "distracting from the real issue" about why the state government was delaying.

"They haven't issued any approvals, for anything," he said.

"We need early works approvals, we need approvals to relocate underground services like electricity and sewerage pipes.

"We need early approvals to relocate the lifts on the QPAC overpass - these are basic things they can issue with the stroke of a pen and we can get started on the project."

A couple of hours later the Transport Minister Mark Bailey stood up, putting the blame for the delayed contracts firmly on the council.

"We said to them very clearly that we want to solve the issues that are unresolved, but if they go out to tender it is at their own risk to do so before the issues are resolved," he said.

"They knew that, they still went out to tender, so that's a responsibility for the council."

The minister also dismissed Cr Schrinner's accusations of political interference, saying his meeting with the lord mayor on Friday was "very positive".

"I'm surprised he would say that given he didn't say that to me on Friday, so I simply say to the lord mayor - keep working with us on this project," he said.

In a measured response, quite different from Cr Schrinner's strong words of frustration and delay, Mr Bailey said the proposed redesign and relocation of the metro stop would be for the benefit of the city.

And the lord mayor's description of Brisbane Metro as the city's Adani?

"I just think that's a little over the top."

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/9NewsQueensland/status/1143794817601683456

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/team_schrinner/status/1143723281108725761

[ozbob]

Facebook ..

I think this post will attract a lot of attention, particularly from the rail only types.  Might need some reinforcements over at Facebook if you get my drift ..   

>> https://www.facebook.com/RAILBackOnTrack/posts/2700293819984788

[#Metro]

At the risk of buying a gigantic drum and banging it - pum... pum... pum... BCC needs to move forward with BUS REFORM.

This metro project looks like it could be caught up in political wrangling for decades, perhaps it is another CRR saga, which took ten years and three separate incarnations to get to digging stage.

BUS REFORM is something we needed years ago, and is an interim pressure release measure so that some measure of improvement can proceed while the politicians fight over who pays and where the station will go.

BCC should also look at whether the larger METRO vehicles can be introduced to the busway prior to the heavy infrastructure.

Bus reform could be completed within 18 months IMHO. Auckland already moved and completed their transformation. Time to move forward with it.

[ozbob]

It is arguable that if the network reform in 2013 had been pushed through the ' Brisbane Metro ' may never have happened.

I am past it these days.  BCC, Government and their under-performing transport agencies find doing the basics simply beyond them.

Perverse I know.

They cannot even the address the chronic problems in the Southern and Western bus regions particularly.

They will not move on forming a proper authority that could and would drive network reform.  Too many petty silos on our transport landscape.

It is all very rooted sadly ... 

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/team_schrinner/status/1144021563307524097

[verbatim9]

^^Updated report on the Saga

BrisbaneTimes----------------->https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/council-demands-10-million-brisbane-metro-payment-from-state-20190627-p521r3.html

[verbatim9]

^^Updated report on the Saga

BrisbaneTimes----------------->https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/council-demands-10-million-brisbane-metro-payment-from-state-20190627-p521r3.html

^^TMR doesn't want another King George Sq scenerio?

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> 'We don't want another King George Square,' Bailey warns Schrinner

An argument over the approvals process for the $944 million Brisbane Metro between the state government and Brisbane City Council has seen the lord mayor Adrian Schrinner accuse Transport Minister Mark Bailey of withholding federal funds from the council.

On Wednesday afternoon, Cr Schrinner launched a broadside against Transport Minister Mark Bailey for requiring the planned Cultural Centre Metro stop to be moved to a site under the Brisbane Convention Centre.

Mr Bailey responded by saying the proposed shift from an underground Metro station beneath the Cultural Centre to beneath the Convention Centre would give new life to the notorious Cultural Centre precinct intersection.

Cr Schrinner decried the move as a political delaying tactic the same day that the council had closed procurement tenders, but Mr Bailey dismissed that claim and said the shift from the Cultural Centre to the Convention Centre was necessary.

Standing up on Thursday morning, Cr Schrinner again accused the state government of delaying the project, claiming the state had withheld a $10 million milestone payment for land acquisition.

"Each and every day, people are sitting in congestion at the Cultural Centre precinct. This is congestion in the transport network which the state government has failed to do anything about for years," he said.

"Council, together with the federal government, has come together with a fully funded project, the Brisbane Metro, to help deal with these issues, to get people home quicker and safer.

"The state government continues to stand in the way."

Mr Bailey responded by releasing draft images of what the notorious intersection between Grey Street and Melbourne Street at South Bank would look like if the new plan for the metro station was adopted.

Mr Bailey said the council and the state had "one chance" to get the complex South Brisbane precinct right for the next 50 years.

"Judging from the comments from by the lord mayor, the new lord mayor Adrian Schrinner - he's certainly no Clem Jones, he's no Jim Soorley and I don't think he's even a Campbell Newman," Mr Bailey said.

"We saw what the council did to King George Square, we don't want to see that happen here at QPAC and on the Metro project.

"Let's be very clear: the council is aware that the tender process was done at their own risk because there were unresolved issues and we said that to them in writing in December last year."

Queensland Government Architect Malcolm Middleton said shifting the metro station would give the city an "excellent opportunity" to make major upgrades to the notorious Cultural Centre intersection.

The new plans would see Brisbane Metro vehicles travelling into the city turn right to an underground station under the Convention Centre, and re-emerge at the Victoria Bridge.

The Grey and Melbourne Street intersection would continue having two lanes of traffic along Grey Street but would allow the traffic intersection to become a parkland and an active walkway and cycleway.

Cr Schrinner said the $10 million federal funding had been paid to the state government in March but it had not yet been transferred to the council.

In response, Mr Bailey said the funding had some complexities involving GST and had been delayed by the federal election.

At a press club speech on Wednesday, the lord mayor labelled the metro as "Brisbane's Adani" - a comment the Transport Minister dismissed as "over the top".

Mr Bailey wrote to the council in June last year following former lord mayor Graham Quirk's announcement that the council was about to begin procurement for the Brisbane Metro vehicles.

He warned that the council began procurement without consultation with the state, and "at its own risk".

A second letter was written to Cr Quirk in December last year raising concerns that the council's "desired time-frames for approvals" did not give enough time for the state to thoroughly assess the project.

"This is particularly the case for the final Cultural Centre station design, where options are still being evaluated by the [Brisbane City Council] project team," Mr Bailey wrote.

He warned again that if the council began procurement, it would do so "at its own risk".

Cr Schrinner on Thursday said Mr Bailey was being "disingenuous" and the letters did not clearly identify what the state government wanted to change.

"The Minister understands this process - he's being disingenuous with the comments that are being made about starting the tender process," he said.

Mr Bailey said Cr Schrinner was being "a little cute and loose with the truth" about the information given to the council about the state's concerns with the Cultural Centre precinct designs.

[verbatim9]

^^I can see a blow out on this project It will probably require another Billion.

The only major advantage of moving the Station to BCEC is that it will allow a future tunnel from the Adelaide Street portal under the river. I guess it would also benefit the convention centre when events are running.

[ozbob]

As incompetent the State Govt is, they will win out in the end.  That is the political reality.

I find it intriguing the way LM Schrinner has gone on the attack, he must know that.  It may be a little bit more to it all then what is coming out publicly I reckon.

No matter though, the bus jam on Victoria Bridge will continue with no end in sight.  The joint is really stuffed now.

The rail network is precarious to say the least, the bus network getting a lot worse.  The Governments over the past decade have largely been hopeless, very reactive certainly not pro-active.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Why the state wants the Cultural Centre metro station moved

It's a complicated mess of bus lanes, traffic lanes, pedestrians and 'keep right' signs that contradict all instinct: the Cultural Centre precinct on the corners of Grey and Melbourne streets in South Brisbane.

But while both the state government and the council want to see the mess fixed, they are now in a fight over how and when.

Lord mayor Adrian Schrinner has angrily pointed the finger at the state government for a last-minute notice that the state wouldn't sign off on the original plan to have an underground metro station beneath the Cultural Centre precinct.

Instead, the $944 million project will have to be delayed to begin new design works for a new metro stop located under the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, just to the south.

Cr Schrinner blamed the state for an "11th-hour" notification to the council that the station would have to move to under the BCEC, saying the council was only told about the change on Friday.

He claimed the change meant the council was now forced to suspend procurement, after closing tenders on Friday.

"Each and every day, people are sitting in congestion at the Cultural Centre precinct. This is congestion in the transport network which the state government has failed to do anything about for years," he said.

"Council, together with the federal government, has come together with a fully funded project, the Brisbane Metro, to help deal with these issues, to get people home quicker and safer.

"The state government continues to stand in the way."

Transport Minister Mark Bailey, in response, released new images showing the state's vision for the intersection: buses disappearing underground and a park instead of traffic lights.

The new plans would see Brisbane Metro vehicles that are travelling into the city turn right and disappear to an underground station under the Convention Centre, re-emerging at the Victoria Bridge.

The Grey and Melbourne street intersection would continue having two lanes of traffic along Grey Street, but would allow the traffic intersection to become a parkland and an active walkway and cycleway.

Mr Bailey insisted the change was a carefully planned alteration to make sure the notorious intersection was fully restored and refreshed for the long-term future.

"We've been working closely and collaboratively with [the council] over the last 12 months to two years, and this issue around the station design was first raised with them in August of last year," Mr Bailey said.

"So Adrian Schrinner's been a little cute and loose with the truth here, they saw a firm proposal in October last year in terms of an alternative.

"We've been having five different workshops with the city council over the last couple of months, the results of which we were looking at on Friday in my meeting with him."

Queensland government architect Malcolm Middleton said shifting the metro station would give the city capability to leverage off the Brisbane Metro project for a wider upgrade.

"The opportunity is here and we've been really pushing hard for the public realm to leverage off a major project like this to actually take the city to the next level," he said.

"This is a really excellent opportunity we can get to underground the buses and totally change what is currently ... really quite a dangerous intersection and one that for the long-term the city really can't maintain."

Mr Middleton said there was an opportunity to take the buses out of the precinct's above-ground area and free up space for the cultural institutions to use more creatively.

He said there were two "basic" approaches being considered - one that would run directly under the intersection and partially under QPAC, and the other was to keep it in line underground beneath Melbourne Street and install an underground station in that street which would connect to the Convention Centre.

The total price of the options were not yet fully costed, he said.

QPAC chief executive John Kotzas, standing up with the minister and Mr Middleton, said the precinct had about 10 million visitors a year.

"What we have here at this precinct is a world-class, unique opportunity, but also a world-class institution," he said.

"What we want is for people to arrive seamlessly and to depart seamlessly and be conscious that when they arrive here, they arrive at a special place."

Cr Schrinner insisted the council would overcome the "hurdle" laid out by the state government, but it would delay the Brisbane Metro project again and likely increase the costs.

He called on the minister once more to sign off on early approvals for work that wasn't related to the Cultural Centre metro station, such as electrical and sewerage relocations.

The lord mayor also demanded $10 million in federal funds he claimed the state was withholding from the council to cover the costs of land resumptions in Rochedale for the Brisbane Metro depot.

"This funding was paid to the state government on the 22nd of March this year, we are yet to receive a cent of that federal funding," he said.

"So not only are they creating new hurdles, they're denying the ratepayers of Brisbane funding for this critical project."

Mr Bailey said there were a number of "complicated" GST issues with the funds that needed to be sorted out between the federal government.

"This is not a substantial issue whatsoever, and to be quite frank, the new lord mayor - it's his first big test, he's gone out to tender on a project at his own risk, and it hasn't been a good start for him," he said.

"I'm positive and I want to keep working with him to get through the unresolved issues."

[SurfRail]

Have the new visuals been released anywhere not paywalled?

[ozbob]

Have the new visuals been released anywhere not paywalled?

Haven't seen them yet.  Hopefully they will be published later today or perhaps tomorrow morning.

There may be good reasons to move the station, but it has been handled in the usual bumble fashion that has the imprimatur of TMR and its associates all over it if you ask me.  This will put it back a year at least I reckon and probably more costs.

BCC would not have gone to tender if they had been told that the Government was still looking at issues I am sure.

I don't think we have the real story.

[SurfRail]

I don't know what to believe.  The ineptitude of both the council and the state knows no bounds.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/9NewsQueensland/status/1144133411201699840

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Cultural Centre revamp revealed by State Government

After a war of words erupted between the State Government and Mayor Adrian Schrinner over Brisbane Metro, the Transport Minister has unveiled plans for one of the city's busiest stations and says council knew of issues since last year.

NEW designs have been unveiled for Brisbane's Cultural Centre precinct after the council was forced to move their Brisbane Metro station to the Convention Centre.

It followed a war of words between the State and Council, with Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner on Wednesday accusing the Government of deliberately delaying the $944 million project — even likening it to Adani.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey today released the Government's designs for the Cultural Centre precinct, which would include an underground Metro station on Melbourne St.

Mr Bailey said the Government had warned the council months ago that there were "unresolved issues" with their plan to build a Metro Station in the Cultural Centre precinct.

"Adrian Schrinner has been a little cute and loose with the truth here," he said.

"This issue around the station design was first raised with them in August of last year.

"Judging from the comments by the new Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, he is certainly no Clem Jones, he is no Jim Soorley and I don't think he's even a Campbell Newman."

The Minister said "complicating GST issues" still had to be resolved before the State could pass on $10 million in federal funds to the council, which was supposed to have been used to resume land for the Metro's depot at Rochedale.

This was despite the Federal Government transferring the money to the State more than three months ago.

Cr Schrinner today blasted the State government for standing in front of the project for "political reasons", saying early works could begin now.

He said when the State first floated the idea of a Metro station at the Convention Centre in August, they stressed it was not government policy.

"We made it clear it was not our preferred option and considered the matter was closed," he said.

"State Transport Minister Mark Bailey is trying to cover up the fact his Government has danced around making a decision for almost 12 months and is spreading mistruths.

"The questions that the State Government have been asking will only be resolved by working with the tenderers."

The council claims they were only told last week about the State's plans to move the Cultural Precinct Metro station to the Convention Centre, despite asking for further clarity about the Government's unresolved issues for months.

Deputy Mayor Krista Adams said any changes to a project the size of the Metro would lead to increased costs but she said it was too early calculate the financial hit.

She denied the State Government had ever warned the council to delay the procurement process until the project design was more complete.

Artist's impressions of the new Cultural Centre bus station in South Brisbane. Picture: Queensland Government


Artist's impressions of the new Cultural Centre bus station in South Brisbane. Picture: Queensland Government



Artist's impressions of the new Cultural Centre bus station in South Brisbane. Picture: Queensland Government



https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1144140878803435521

[verbatim9]

^^This won't be a bus tunnel forever. There are plans for a fully fledged driverless metro network in the future. Look beyond the articulated buses.

I must admit I do like the renders and the open space it will create. Starbucks and surrounding businesses will be on a winner. The tranquil surrounds will provide an appealing pedestrian footprint for the cafes and restaurants. This will add value to the current real-estate and businesses around Fish Lane and the beginning of Melbourne Street to the Fox Hotel.

[verbatim9]

Side by side comparison


Council's Option


State"s TMR's Option

[#Metro]

So let me get this right, the State Govt went behind council's back and drew up their own plans while talking to BCC?

Oh dear.

How about BCC pays for the buses and State Govt pays for the busway modification?

Can we ask for a fly though??

[Stillwater]

I want to know about 'complications around GST issues' involving a $10m grant from the feds, already handed over.  Is it the case that the $10m comes with a GST impost?

[HappyTrainGuy]

I want to know about 'complications around GST issues' involving a $10m grant from the feds, already handed over.  Is it the case that the $10m comes with a GST impost?

I assume it might have something to do with some sort of tax cut/refund as opposed to just getting the funds upfront which would explain the complexities around it.

[#Metro]

I think we should ask for a fly through video for both, surface and tunnel

[ozbob]

So let me get this right, the State Govt went behind council's back and drew up their own plans while talking to BCC?

Oh dear.

How about BCC pays for the buses and State Govt pays for the busway modification?

Can we ask for a fly though??

For the State to have those images they must have been working on this for a while but appear to have let BCC go ahead with the tenders on the old design framework.  It does appear they have deliberately set up BCC.  No wonder LM Schrinner was on the attack.

What a bunch of pr%%ks ...

[achiruel]

On the other hand, the State claims they told BCC they weren't happy with the CC station design back in August last year and BCC went ahead with tenders anyway. Whether they did it didn't is somewhat irrelevant; to go ahead with requesting tenders without final design approval is absolutely moronic on the part of BCC.

[ozbob]

Yo.  But according to LM Schrinner it was concluded that they would stick to the original and hence the tenders.

Very murky waters all of this.  Anyone confident that CRR will be built to the right gauge? 

[ozbob]

I think we should ask for a fly through video for both, surface and tunnel

Absolutely.  Hope they have some good music!   

[Stillwater]

I love the smell of varnish on the pages of a glossy brochure too!

[Gazza]

So are the platforms shown in TMRs option going to be underground too? Are the ones seen in the render just for the 199.

Also, the Bikeway in the middle seems so uncomfortable.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Schrinner/status/1144378081349496832

[verbatim9]

Brisbane Development---------->https://brisbanedevelopment.com/queensland-government-wants-cultural-centre-metro-station-redesign/

Queensland Government wants Cultural Centre Metro Station Redesign

JUNE 27, 2019

Artist's impression of the Queensland Government's plan the Cultural Centre Precinct

The Queensland Government has unveiled its vision of the Cultural Centre precinct following notification to the Brisbane City Council that the planned underground Cultural Centre Metro Station needs to be redesigned.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey made the announcement after Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner accused the state government of waiting till the 11th hour to detail required amendments to the Cultural Precinct design.

The Queensland Government would like to relocate the proposed underground station from beneath the Cultural Centre to instead underneath the BCEC (Convention Centre).

Mr Bailey said that the Brisbane City Council has one chance to get the Cultural Centre Precinct right, as it would last for decades to come.

Artist's impression of the Queensland Government's plan for Melbourne Street

Under the plans, Grey Street would continue to have traffic running through it, however, the intersection would see the complete removal of buses from the Victoria Bridge and Melbourne Street – instead directed underground in the new tunnel.

The majority of the intersection would then be transformed into a park and pedestrian space with active walkways and cycleways connecting South Brisbane to the CBD.


The Grey and Melbourne Street intersection has been described by the Government as dangerous and unsustainable into the long-term.

Artist's impressions supplied by the Government show buildings lined along Melbourne Street along with where the former Brisbane Metro portal entry was proposed for.

Artist's impression of the Queensland Government's plan the Cultural Centre Precinct

The Government said they have not yet finalised the details of the proposal with two options still being considered, which appear to be focused on connecting the future station with the BCEC.

A tunnel running under the intersection and part of QPAC with the station underneath the BCEC

A tunnel which is directly in line with Melbourne Street, with an underground station in that street, connecting to the BCEC

The timeline of the Brisbane Metro project has subsequently been delayed however Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said council would overcome the obstacle by the state government, however, noted that it would most definitely increase project costs.

Detailed plan of the previous Brisbane City Council Cultural Centre plan

[achiruel]

https://twitter.com/Schrinner/status/1144378081349496832

This issue could be at least partly fixed before Metro by introducing bus network reform, but apparently that's permanently stuck in the too-hard basket.

[James]

So we have two options here:
1. Brisbane Metro with BCC Cultural Centre station
- Fully costed, fully funded
- The costs of the option, along with how it will be built, would have been scoped out during concept design and even further by the tenderers
- Worked on by design engineers

2. Brisbane Metro with Qld Convention Centre station
- A few glossy images drawn up by an architect
- No costings at all, possibly a rubbery figure off the back of a napkin
- A single drawing is yet to be released of where the underground station will be

This reeks of a last-minute political grab to make the LNP-controlled council look good - as if the ALP State Government is laying siege to LNP-run council in an attempt to remove it from office and win it back for themselves. It was also on 7 News this evening that Rod Harding has referred Schrinner to the Auditor-General over calling the tenders early.

Absolutely disgraceful conduct. Palaszczuk is heading into territory to make her a worse Premier than Newman, likewise Bailey vs. any of his predecessors (Trad, Emerson, Nolan, you name it).

This issue could be at least partly fixed before Metro by introducing bus network reform, but apparently that's permanently stuck in the too-hard basket.

Let it not be forgotten that it was the Premier & Jackie Trad who opposed bus network reform most fiercely in 2013, and again refuse to have TransLink play ball with the network reform process currently occurring out in the Centenary Suburbs.

It is as if the state government wants to maintain an under-performing bus network...

[James]

Artist's impressions of the new Cultural Centre bus station in South Brisbane. Picture: Queensland Government


Artist's impressions of the new Cultural Centre bus station in South Brisbane. Picture: Queensland Government



Artist's impressions of the new Cultural Centre bus station in South Brisbane. Picture: Queensland Government

From what I can make out from these artist's impression drawings:
1. Drawing #1 - this is the most interesting one, so to break it down:
a) This architectural impression demolishes the existing Brisbane Exhibition & Convention Centre. This has never been announced or mentioned by the State Govt or BCEC. I can't imagine such a job would be cheap - or quick - to pursue.
b) Buses mysteriously appear on Melbourne Street in a similar location to BCC's proposed Melbourne Street stops. Given there is no access allowed along the surface from the Victoria Bridge, this will involve the addition of at-grade signals in the busway to allow movements in/out of the busway, reducing busway capacity.
c) The traffic turning down Grey St in Drawing #1 appears to totally vanish in Drawing #2. Talk about experts.

2. The buses dive below surface at the existing Metro location, except surface access is not maintained. Car movements appear to be allowed into Melbourne Street now from Grey Street (previously car access was to be removed aside from a left-in into Hope Street from the south). Unless the crossing at Melbourne & Grey remains a scramble crossing, Grey Street will continue to sever the Cultural Centre precinct from South Brisbane station.

3. The Metro portal shifts from the middle of the Victoria Bridge to the northern side, with the western side dedicated to a bikeway and additional pedestrian space. This configuration would continue across Vic Bridge I'm guessing - no detail on how the merge / diverge of traffic to go in and out of the Adelaide St tunnel / Adelaide St surface would work. Best case would be maintaining the existing configuration on the northern side to at least prevent the addition of even more signals for southbound traffic.

4. There is not a single drawing which shows a concept, layout or anything of the on-busway station. This is a big omission and makes me wonder how serious the State Government is about this plan.