Eastern & Northern Transit Ways

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> Push for Eastern Busway to avert Brisbane bayside gridlock

COMMUTERS are backing a renewed push to fund the Eastern Busway and fix traffic congestion on the roads to Brisbane's bayside.

Brisbane City Council infrastructure committee chairman Adrian Schrinner and Member for Cleveland Mark Robinson are calling for the State Government to invest in bus infrastructure on congested Old Cleveland Rd.

Cr Schrinner said the Government needed to prioritise funding either the $1.7 billion Eastern Busway expansion or $50 million on the Eastern Transit Way to fix delays from Coorparoo to Capalaba.

The Eastern Transit Way was proposed by the Newman government and included removing the unused tram tracks on Old Cleveland Rd to create a dedicated bus lane.

More than 1000 motorists have signed a petition calling for urgent action on the area's deteriorating traffic conditions.

Council figures show Old Cleveland Rd carries an average of 36,050 vehicles a day, while Stanley and Vulture streets combined carry more than 55,500 vehicles.

Cr Schrinner said the long-awaited infrastructure needed the highest consideration for funding from State and Federal governments.

Dr Robinson said the Eastern Busway was a critical piece of infrastructure and "would provide an efficient and sensible alternative for (bayside) commuters looking to make the trip into Brisbane".

Robert Dow from public transport advocacy group Rail Back on Track said the Eastern Transit Way solution was a cheaper, more effective way to improve bus services.

The second stage of the Eastern Busway was unveiled by then transport minister Annastacia Palaszczuk in 2011 at a cost of $465 million.

It linked Buranda to Coorparoo via two tunnels and included two new bus stations at Stones Corner and Langlands Park.

The next proposed stop is the Coorparoo Square development on the corner of Old Cleveland and Cavendish roads.

Infrastructure Minister Jackie Trad was unavailable for comment.

This >> Cr Schrinner said the Government needed to prioritise funding either the $1.7 billion Eastern Busway expansion or $50 million on the Eastern Transit Way to fix delays from Coorparoo to Capalaba.

The new dawn ...  bus priority by surface road augmentation, bus lanes, transit ways, traffic light priority will deliver much more bang for the buck than rather costly busway extensions delivering benefits for relatively very few ..

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

9th June 2015

Eastern busway

Good Morning,

Interesting item on the Courier Mail web site.

Couriermail Quest --> Push for Eastern Busway to avert Brisbane bayside gridlock

The cost for a busway extension of the Eastern busway is simply not justified, particularly when delivering improved bus priority and access by surface road augmentation and traffic light priority is a practical and cost effective solution.

To quote Cr Schrinner from the the article ' Cr Schrinner said the Government needed to prioritise funding either the $1.7 billion Eastern Busway expansion or $50 million on the Eastern Transit Way to fix delays from Coorparoo to Capalaba. '

We agree that the Eastern Transit Way solution developed by the Newman Government is a sensible thing to do.  Delivering good value for the investment.  Brisbane bus network reform is also a critical step.

Expensive infrastructure and concrete is not the only answer.

Best wishes
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

16th May 2015

Good Morning,

Brisbane City Council should pay $2.2 Billion for Eastern Busway

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers welcomes a petition by Deputy Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner for extending the Eastern Busway.

New Bus Network Proposal (Updated) >> http://tiny.cc/newnetwork

Current Brisbane City Council Bus Network >> http://tiny.cc/checkyourbus

Report: Frequency is Freedom >> http://backontrack.org/docs/bus/reform/BusReformBlueprint.pdf

The latest extension to the Eastern Busway cost $465 million dollars for just 1 km. Substantial home demolition, compulsory land resumption and extremely expensive tunnelling works are necessary for the extension of the Eastern Busway.

We estimate the per-kilometre cost to be around $300 million per kilometre. A 15-km extension of the Eastern Busway to Capalaba would thus cost approximately $4.5 billion dollars. How much of this amount is Brisbane City Council prepared to contribute?

We think a fair contribution by the Lord Mayor would be around $2.2 billion dollars.

Our evaluation also suggests significant reforms to the Brisbane City Council bus network are necessary. The problem is this: an extended Eastern Busway will accelerate the dumping of massive volumes of buses into the South East Busway, pushing it to overcapacity and causing a catastrophic flood of congestion at Cultural Centre, blocking the Victoria Bridge and gridlocking the Brisbane CBD during peak hour.

The Cultural Centre busway is already operating over capacity and is flooded with half-empty buses in peak hour. Brisbane City Council's rejection of bus superstops proposed in 2013 also means the kerb space required to drop more passengers off in the Brisbane CBD is lacking. Brisbane City Council must make difficult reforms to its own bus network before funds are released for this new infrastructure.

Brisbane City Council must engage in bus reform to solve these problems. These problems will not go away, and will grow worse with time.

Our New Bus Network Proposal shows that high frequency bus routes could be rolled out to Bulimba (BulimbaGlider), along Macrossan Avenue and Stanley roads in Seven Hills, along Chatsworth Road and Winstanley streets in Coorparoo and Camp Hill, with minimal new funding simply by rearranging the existing bus services.

We look forward to Deputy Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner confirming Brisbane City Council's anticipated contribution of $2.2 billion towards the Eastern Busway project.

Best wishes
Robert

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


References:

Brisbane Bus Reform: Brisbane City Council's Bus Network - What Went Wrong?
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11175.0

E-petition
http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/work-of-assembly/petitions/e-petition?PetNum=2388

Brisbane Bus Reform: 'FREE' bus upgrade for Seven Hills and Carina!
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=11202

[ozbob]

Response to e-petition



https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/apps/ePetitions/Responses/2388-15.pdf

[#Metro]

It was always silly politics and stunts. The Eastern Busway will come at huge expense, and in the context of what to spend money on, we cannot spend billions on everything, everywhere. We also have (a) poor political environment for projects requiring long-term, credible commitments- 4 year fixed terms would fix that, and (b) the financing arrangements to generate and recapture the revenue associated with the land surrounding these projects (Land Value Tax).

Building these projects is like throwing a bag of taxpayer cash over the front fence of surrounding properties. The land holders get a huge value boost, and when they sell, cash in. What did they contribute to the project? Nothing, or very little at all.

Bus reform is the fastest, cheapest and highest value for money project that can be done with the resources at hand.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

16th November 2017

Northern and Eastern Transit Ways - Brisbane

Greetings,

Labor has announced that they will commit $75 Million for the Northern and Eastern Transit Ways.  This is good policy and follows on from previous policy put forward by the Newman LNP Government.     Infrastructure Australia assessed ' QLD Brisbane Transit Ways ' June 2013 [ see  http://infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/policy-publications/publications/QLD-Brisbane-Transit-Ways.aspx ].

From page 2 of the assessment: [ http://infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/policy-publications/publications/files/QLD_Brisbane_TransitWays_Brief.pdf ]

BCR appraisal conclusion
Preliminary BCRs have been provided indicating a BCR of 1.6 for the Eastern TransitWay (7 percent
discount rate, $2011) and 1.8 for the Northern TransitWay (6 percent discount rate, $2012).
These BCRs are higher than the original Eastern Busway proposal, following modifications suggested
by Infrastructure Australia. The capital cost of the Eastern Busways proposal was $685 million
compared to the Eastern TransitWay of $75 million.
Note that the capital costs included in the benefit cost analysis are different to those presented in the
submission. We also note that the submission indicated that the travel times would be the same for
car users on Old Cleveland Road before and after the Eastern TransitWay at 31 minutes, yet these
types of road users receive around half of the benefits in the benefit-cost analysis.
The cost benefit analysis provided so far is insufficient to be able to verify the robustness of these
results. However, the results suggest that the project is likely to lead to net benefits, which is in line
with results provided for the higher cost Eastern Busway proposal.

The bi-articulated buses proposed for the Brisbane Metro would be able run on these transit ways, so this offers good network expansion opportunities as the Brisbane Metro is developed.  Transit ways are of a much lower cost than busway extensions and deliver much the same benefits.

We don't care if the ALP or the LNP do these transit ways.  Just do it, who ever is in Government please.

Best wishes,
Robert

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

[#Metro]

WOW. Did I just see rational policy? It cannot be true!!  #Shocked

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/930904894873124864

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/930957770488029184

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

17th November 2017

Bus Network Reform: A High Impact, Low-Cost Success Solution

Greetings,

RAIL Back on Track welcomes Labor's policy announcement for Northern and Eastern transit ways (1). This is informed by previous consideration of the transit ways by the former LNP Government (2). The transit ways have been evaluated in 2013 by Infrastructure Australia (IA) and have been shown to stack up very well.  Much more cost effective than busways for extensions. In time the bi-articulated buses of the Brisbane Metro would be able to further reach distant suburbs by transit way running.

Improving the existing bus network generally is a low cost, high impact initiative. Bus reform is "low hanging fruit" and we are surprised that neither of the major parties have taken full advantage of it.

Greens candidate for Chatsworth Dave Nelson is right on the money: "By streamlining duplicate or redundant routes and reorganising the bus network, we can provide frequent, reliable services in more areas without losing any existing corridors."

Three years ago RAIL Back on Track prepared a New Bus Network Proposal > http://tiny.cc/newnetwork. While other cities spend millions on expensive consultant fees, here we present our proposal, for FREE, on a silver platter. Just take it!

In our proposal, we reorganise the entire Brisbane bus network. As the total distance travelled on the network is similar to that of the existing network, we believe that it will be cost-neutral overall. Major highlights include a frequent BulimbaGlider service, formed from existing routes, a CentenaryGlider service, also formed from existing routes, and new bus services to The University of Queensland St Lucia Campus from Mitchelton, Ashgrove, and Bardon.

We urge the major parties not to miss the bus on a high impact, low-cost opportunity to promise multiple frequent bus routes in all electorates around Brisbane.

Best wishes,
Robert

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

References

1. ALP promises bus Transitway to fight gridlock
http://www.couriermail.com.au/questnews/southeast/alp-promises-bus-transitway-to-fight-gridlock/news-story/b7052f8fb340320aec50690b7f380dca

2. IA: QLD Brisbane Transit Ways June 2013 http://infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/policy-publications/publications/QLD-Brisbane-Transit-Ways.aspx

Sent to all outlets:

16th November 2017

Northern and Eastern Transit Ways - Brisbane

Greetings,

Labor has announced that they will commit $75 Million for the Northern and Eastern Transit Ways.  This is good policy and follows on from previous policy put forward by the Newman LNP Government.     Infrastructure Australia assessed ' QLD Brisbane Transit Ways ' June 2013 [ see  http://infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/policy-publications/publications/QLD-Brisbane-Transit-Ways.aspx ].

From page 2 of the assessment: [ http://infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/policy-publications/publications/files/QLD_Brisbane_TransitWays_Brief.pdf ]

BCR appraisal conclusion
Preliminary BCRs have been provided indicating a BCR of 1.6 for the Eastern TransitWay (7 percent
discount rate, $2011) and 1.8 for the Northern TransitWay (6 percent discount rate, $2012).
These BCRs are higher than the original Eastern Busway proposal, following modifications suggested
by Infrastructure Australia. The capital cost of the Eastern Busways proposal was $685 million
compared to the Eastern TransitWay of $75 million.
Note that the capital costs included in the benefit cost analysis are different to those presented in the
submission. We also note that the submission indicated that the travel times would be the same for
car users on Old Cleveland Road before and after the Eastern TransitWay at 31 minutes, yet these
types of road users receive around half of the benefits in the benefit-cost analysis.
The cost benefit analysis provided so far is insufficient to be able to verify the robustness of these
results. However, the results suggest that the project is likely to lead to net benefits, which is in line
with results provided for the higher cost Eastern Busway proposal.

The bi-articulated buses proposed for the Brisbane Metro would be able run on these transit ways, so this offers good network expansion opportunities as the Brisbane Metro is developed.  Transit ways are of a much lower cost than busway extensions and deliver much the same benefits.

We don't care if the ALP or the LNP do these transit ways.  Just do it, who ever is in Government please.

Best wishes,
Robert

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

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/931190205373079553

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> Southeast Queensland Mayor launches fresh appeal for Eastern Busway extension

A FRESH appeal for the Eastern Busway to be extended to Capalaba has been launched.

Redland City Mayor Karen Williams and State ALP MP for Capalaba Don Brown have joined forces to call on the State Government to undertake a business case into the delivery of the long-awaited Eastern Busway to Capalaba in 2019.

"This petition will provide residents with the chance to tell the government how important the Eastern Busway is for their daily commute," Cr Williams said.

"Extending the Eastern Busway to Capalaba has been spoken about for a number of years and is an important project to help with traffic congestion in and out of the Redlands.

"While an Eastern Busway is not currently included in his government's SEQ regional plan, it is comforting that Mr Brown is willing to put his name to this petition to call for a business case to be completed by Building Queensland to investigate the long awaited project for the Capalaba community."

"We are committed to delivering the $25 million Eastern Transitway which will improve travel times for Redlands bus commuters to Brisbane City and help pave the way for an Eastern Busway," he said.

[ozbob]

Redland City Bulletin --> MP Mark Robinson has challenged the state government to keep its promises to build the Eastern Busway to Redlands

OODGEROO MP Mark Robinson has challenged the state government to build the Eastern Busway to Redlands.

NFRASTRUCTURE: MP Mark Robinson says the government has broken promises on the Eastern Busway.

Mr Robinson said a series of broken promises by successive Labor governments amounted to a state government transport infrastructure freeze on the Redlands.

He said Redland commuters were waiting for train services, the rail duplication and the Eastern Busway.

"Redlanders see right through Labor's latest hollow promises of big public transport infrastructure projects because they have heard it all before," he said.

"Labor promised many times to build the Eastern Busway to the Redlands by 2026 and have failed to honour their commitment, despite having the power to deliver it while in state government for over 80 per cent of the last 30 years.

"In 2011, Labor stated that they would even go it alone and that the state government would fully fund the Eastern Busway to the Redlands by 2026, even if federal funding wasn't available.

"In (August) 2011 Premier Anna Bligh, with (then) Transport Minister Anastacia Palaszczuk standing by her side at Coorparoo, promised the people of Queensland that they would build it, with or without anyone else's help.

"When the LNP came to power in 2012, we found that there was no funding set aside for the busway."

Mr Robinson said this resulted in the LNP government appealing to the federal Labor government for funding, but the request was rejected.

"In effect, state and federal Labor governments killed off the Eastern Busway by their failure to plan and to commit the necessary funds to the project," he said.

Instead, the LNP developed the Transitway strategy.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey is on leave but a spokesman said it was rich for an LNP MP to complain about a lack of public transport funding, when his party failed to commit a cent to Cross River Rail in their election transport policy last year.

"Not only are we building Cross River Rail, which will free up the network across south-east Queensland, having significant benefits for bay residents, but we are investing $22 million for the delivery of the Eastern Transitway along Old Cleveland Road between Langlands Park and Creek Road in Carindale," he said.

"This is a staged approach to the busway solution."

He said the government recognised the need for the Eastern Busway and the corridor would be protected but he did not respond to questions about when the government might build the infrastructure.

"The Eastern Transitway will provide cost effective, on-road bus priority measures as the first step in providing a high quality public transport corridor along Old Cleveland Road," he said.

Mr Robinson said he hoped the LNP federal government, state opposition and greater Brisbane councils would work together for the extension of the LNP's Brisbane Metro plan.

[#Metro]

There is already a railway line out to that way that can be leveraged in the meantime.

- Duplicate Cleveland line the full length
- Two tier all day express services (easier with CRR)
- Trains every 15 minutes on both tiers, like Perth

It is interesting to look at what the prerequisites are for such a project:

- Duplicate Cleveland line the full length                    <----- Infra $$
- Two tier all day express services (easier with CRR) <---- More trains*, more staff
- Trains every 15 minutes on both tiers, like Perth <--- Cross River Rail to allow capacity release during peak
- Reorganisation of the bus network to feed rail at KIPs like Morningside

* Minor, as most service upgrades will happen in off peak

Transport Minister Mark Bailey is on leave but a spokesman said it was rich for an LNP MP to complain about a lack of public transport funding, when his party failed to commit a cent to Cross River Rail in their election transport policy last year.

Wow, we are going to get sick of hearing this line constantly.

[verbatim9]

I think the Busway (mass transit corridor) to both Chermside and Carindale are warranted.

[techblitz]

indeed.....getting a bit sick of mark baileys CRR statements...
Sounds like he is now given himself carte blanche to ignore everything else.....just because hes building CRR

[Cazza]

Just an observation regarding Eastern Busway: Went for a ride from Stones Corner into the City at around 11:50 today. 222 rocked up with about 25-30 on board.

[#Metro]

Bus services need serious restructuring in the Eastern Suburbs.  A lot of duplication exists on Old Cleveland Road at the expense of decent service on parallel grid roads such as Richmond Rd, Stanley Road, and Chatsworth Roads.

[Gazman]

indeed.....getting a bit sick of mark baileys CRR statements...
Sounds like he is now given himself carte blanche to ignore everything else.....just because hes building CRR

Agree entirely on that. And me thinks we're gonna get a lot more before it's all finished.

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> Tram tracks heritage listing a roadblock for busway plans

HERITAGE listing of the Old Cleveland Rd tramway tracks is threatening to derail designs for the Eastern Busway and the budgeted Eastern Transitway.

The cost of extensive tunnelling in the next section from Langlands Park Station through Coorparoo Junction has seen successive state governments since the Bligh government shelve the Eastern Busway.

Under original plans for the busway, released in 2007, a tunnel was to emerge after Burn St, Camp Hill, where the heritage-listed tram lines start, and run in the middle of Old Cleveland Rd "at street level".

The Old Cleveland Rd Tramway Tracks were listed on the Queensland Heritage Register in 2000.

The government's interim solution, the $22 million Eastern Transitway, runs along Old Cleveland Rd between Langlands Park and Creek Rd, Carindale.

Greenslopes ALP MP Joe Kelly said the Department of Transport and Main Roads would survey the corridor this year, before detailed design for the Eastern Transitway could commence.

"Any works undertaken on the corridor will recognise the importance of heritage-listed features," Mr Kelly said.

"This is a staged approach to the busway solution. The Palaszczuk Government recognises the need for the Eastern Busway and the corridor is continuing to be protected."

Tensions rose last week as Capalaba state ALP MP Don Brown joined Redland City Mayor Karen Williams to call for a business case by 2019 to deliver the busway to Capalaba.

State Opposition transport spokesman Steve Minnikin and Brisbane City Council's Public Transport Committee Chairman Adrian Schrinner said there was no detailed business case study on the next section from Langlands to Carina.

Mr Minnikin said properly costed detailed designs on the tunnelled section to Camp Hill and around the heritage listed tram tracks must be released.

"No-one has seen a business model or proper plans," he said.

"How are they going to fund it and, more importantly, what shape is it going to take? Is it a busway, is it a transitway, is it George Jetson in the middle of wherever?

"They've got to come up with the plan. They've got to come up with the money."

Cr Schrinner agreed there was a need to extend the busway to Capalaba, but said a business case for the full corridor had to be prepared.

He said the ultimate cost of the busway, including costs involved in preserving the heritage tram tracks, was not known.

"You wouldn't want a former transport corridor preventing a future one," Cr Schrinner said.

"We don't know the ultimate cost of the busway. The big cost is definitely between where the busway ends at the moment all out to Carindale.

"Are there ways that we can prioritise various sections of it. One section of the busway may deliver significant benefits over another section and that is the first stage we should be focusing on. Unless we have a business case we won't know this.

"Let's have the debate. If the cost is unaffordable, we need to be aware of that so that we can work on alternative plans."

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/993523806135246848

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/1002214353376980992

[ozbob]

From the Qld Budget 2018-19

https://budget.qld.gov.au/highlights/#supporting-a-growing-south-east-queensland


$53 million over five years from 2017-18 for the Northern Transitway
to deliver continuous dedicated bus lanes during peak hours from Chermside to Kedron,
while retaining all existing lanes.

$22 million over four years from 2017-18 to deliver the Eastern Transitway with upgrades
to five major intersections, located at Cavendish Road, Bennetts Road, Boundary Road,
Gallipoli Road and Creek Road, which will include bus priority measures on Old Cleveland Road.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/1006434806618419202

[verbatim9]

Pretty good budget for PT. Transit Lanes on Gympie Road and out to Carindale should be a temporary measure. Pitty that no new Bus/Mass Transit ways are in the pipeline.   

Sent from my SM-T380 using Tapatalk

[Cazza]

Will this include fixing the missing link between Fed St and Turo St Stations through Windsor?

[aldonius]

Todo: T-way the length of Mains/Calam Rd.

I'm increasingly thinking that what the Westside ultimately needs is a transit tunnel from Indooroopilly station (eastern side), Shoppingtown buses, and then roughly following Moggill Rd out to the Park and Ride.

Will this include fixing the missing link between Fed St and Turo St Stations through Windsor?

Doesn't seem to. I believe that stretch of road is BCC controlled.

[verbatim9]

Will this include fixing the missing link between Fed St and Turo St Stations through Windsor?

That would be great wouldn't it! Such a bottle neck there too, especially mornings!

Wasn't it originally meant to be driven tunnel from Windsor to Lutwyche?

Sent from my SM-T380 using Tapatalk

[verbatim9]

Todo: T-way the length of Mains/Calam Rd.

I'm increasingly thinking that what the Westside ultimately needs is a transit tunnel from Indooroopilly station (eastern side), Shoppingtown buses, and then roughly following Moggill Rd out to the Park and Ride.

Will this include fixing the missing link between Fed St and Turo St Stations through Windsor?

Doesn't seem to. I believe that stretch of road is BCC controlled.

That area needs a driven tunnel from Shell Chapel Hill to Indooroopilly SC then a series of driven and cut and cover tunnels to UQ, via Indooroopilly Station. Then continuing to West end, then to the city via the Cultural centre.

What ever happened to the Kenmore Village bypass? Back in the Bligh years?

[STB]

Todo: T-way the length of Mains/Calam Rd.

I'm increasingly thinking that what the Westside ultimately needs is a transit tunnel from Indooroopilly station (eastern side), Shoppingtown buses, and then roughly following Moggill Rd out to the Park and Ride.

Will this include fixing the missing link between Fed St and Turo St Stations through Windsor?

Doesn't seem to. I believe that stretch of road is BCC controlled.

Eh, I live out here and IMHO I think a road level T way from Indooroopilly into Kenmore is more ideal at least in the short to medium term, I'd also build a bus/rail interchange at Indooroopilly and reconfigure Indooroopilly station to have the lifts on the western side of the station (closer to the shops) than currently on the eastern side.

As a side note, Coronation Drive is a mess in peak hour and even in off peak, however Coro Drive is at whim of Brisbane City Council due to it being a council owned/managed road.  I'd also look at upgrading the Toowong intersection at Toowong Village (High St/Sherwood Rd/Coro Drive/Benson St).

[aldonius]

I proposed a tunnel because of the NIMBY factor and because I think it would be difficult to find the width in the Moggill Rd corridor.

I think a tunnel would legitimately be the best solution within Indooroopilly anyway, because then the bus/rail platforms can be perpendicular at the station and it's all grade-separated from the mess that is the WT Bridge.

Tunnel to follow Finney Rd out to Moggill Rd - if the width can be found on the surface from there on out that certainly would be more straightforward.

[verbatim9]

Couriermail -->Designated bus lanes for major arterial road has businesses worried

Designated bus lanes for major arterial road has businesses worried

Business owners fear for their livelihoods because proposed express bus lanes threaten to wipe hundreds of car parks from one of Brisbane busiest arterial roads.

The Palaszczuk Government is following through on its election promise of a transitway from Kedron to Chermside that differs from a plan drafted seven years ago.

Instead of the route passing the Holy Spirit and Prince Charles Hospitals, the Northern Transitway will trek solely along Gympie Road, from Sadlier Street Kedron, to Chermside Shopping Centre.

Plans for the $53 million, 2.3km Northern Transitway are still being drawn and it's the unknown and lack of information that's alarmed local business owners.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR) has promised a more efficient public transport system with improved travel times and improved footpaths.

However, there has been no indication of how many car parks will be lost, whether it will be a 24/7 designated bus lane or during peak hours only when it opens in 2020.

"Preliminary work indicates that some kerbside parking along Gympie Road may be impacted by the Transitway," a Transport and Main Roads spokesperson said.

[Paul B]

"crucial" car parks will be knocked out!! how devastating for the nimby's
How dare they. 

[Cazza]

I feel like parking on side streets rather than Gympie Rd itself is 100 times easier anyway, especially ones with traffic lights.

[verbatim9]

I feel like parking on side streets rather than Gympie Rd itself is 100 times easier anyway, especially ones with traffic lights.

Totally agree! There are so many side streets and rear of premise parking for those stores facing Gympie road. Parking shouldn't be an issue. I hope that the Transit way is 24/7 as this corridor becomes congested even on weekends and public holidays It is essential to keep PT moving at all hours to make it an attractive viable alternative.

[verbatim9]

Preliminary Planning for the Eastern Transitway in 2019

https://www.couriermail.com.au/questnews/southeast/gamechanging-developments-planned-for-citys-southeast/news-story/0c227828837e413ee5ffd77c134ba3cb

Eastern Transitway

Survey works have been carried out on Old Cleveland Rd for the $22 million Eastern Transitway's preliminary design.

The project will deliver bus priority improvements between Main Ave, Coorparoo and Creek Rd, Carindale.

[achiruel]

I feel like parking on side streets rather than Gympie Rd itself is 100 times easier anyway, especially ones with traffic lights.

Totally agree! There are so many side streets and rear of premise parking for those stores facing Gympie road. Parking shouldn't be an issue. I hope that the Transit way is 24/7 as this corridor becomes congested even on weekends and public holidays It is essential to keep PT moving at all hours to make it an attractive viable alternative.

Not much point in it being a transitway when buses aren't running. Unless you mean you expect the 333 to run 24/7?

[aldonius]

The Gliders, 140, 199, 222, 333 and 412 all absolutely should run 24/7, IMHO. Only hourly or half-hourly overnight, but still.

[SurfRail]

^ In the long run I believe running the 600, 704 and 750 24/7 would also be justified.  Less convinced about any of the outer Brisbane services except maybe the 555, and in the long run that should keep to the M1 full time with better feeders in the evening at Springwood and the Hyperdome.

[verbatim9]

^^Gosh! You guys are optimistic re 24/7 public transport services. Don't we need more industries to open 24/7 first, like retail, hospitality and more round the clock manufacturing prior to looking into 24/7 public transport. We should aim to 1 am 7 days and better 24/7 frequency on Fri and Sat nights.

[aldonius]

To 1am will be a great start!