Sunshine Coast: North Coast Connect

[Stillwater]

I wonder where that North Coast Connect Business Case is at?  Hopefully at the printers.  Any day now?? 

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> Fast rail funding options set to be explored

AN INQUIRY seeking the best options to finance faster rail has kicked off in Canberra.

The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Infrastructure, Transport and Cities chairman and MP John Alexander announced the inquiry had launched into options for financing fast rail.

"Fast rail connections between our capital cities and regional centres will strengthen economic and social ties and connect people to housing, jobs and services," Mr Alexander said.

As well as providing funding for the Geelong to Melbourne fast rail, the Federal Government had identified a number of other fast rail corridors in its Faster Rail Plan which included Brisbane to Sunshine Coast.

Mr Alexander said work was currently under way to assess the viability, and requirements, and the government had funded a number of business cases, including the Brisbane to Sunshine Coast.

The inquiry's terms of reference were options for financing faster rail, and submissions were being sought by December 6.

Fairfax MP Ted O'Brien, who was a member of the committee and had led the charge for the North Coast Connect Brisbane to Sunshine Coast fast rail, said the business case was nearly complete.

"Big bold ideas don't just happen, they have to be well planned and they have to be fought for," he said.

"I don't believe there's any opportunity more worthy of fighting for than a fast rail link between the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane, but it's going to take more than just strong advocacy — it'll also take a lot of money.

"When you do the economics for large projects like rail, it's about far more than the price tag for construction, it's also about the commercial structure and smart financing.

"There's no shortage of unfunded good ideas out there, and this is why we need to understand best practice."

[Stillwater]

Will the Sunshine Coast Community get a Christmas present – the North Coast Connect Business Case?  It is running behind schedule and the various web pages that discuss the project have not been updated either.

AM Project Partners says the business case would be ready in the 'first half of 2019'.

https://amprojectpartners.com.au/2018/06/12/what-the-fast-rail-project-means-for-the-sunshine-coast

TMR says 'in 2019'.

https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Projects/Name/N/North-Coast-Connect-Project

[ozbob]

North Coast Connect

https://northcoastconnect.com.au/

[Gazza]

The Section A scope includes:

curve easing at key locations to facilitate faster rail speeds
level crossing removals where required
system upgrades and other key measures

None of those are a bad thing, and the legacy line is well trafficked enough to warrant this even without NWTC.

Obviously I'd rather NWTC get done though.

[Stillwater]

ABC Radio Sunshine Coast now reporting that the North Coast Connect Business Case will be ready 'early next year'.

[ozbob]

ABC Radio Sunshine Coast now reporting that the North Coast Connect Business Case will be ready 'early next year'.

Yes, Ted let it drop in this article: https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=12393.msg231189#msg231189

[ozbob]

https://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/projects/north-coast-connect

North Coast Connect

Developed as part of the Australian Government's Faster Rail Prospectus process, the North Coast Connect proposal is designed to provide a faster rail connection between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast. This will include a new dedicated track along the existing North Coast Line between Brisbane and Beerwah, and a new rail corridor to connect coastal population centres including Maroochydore and Caloundra to the North Coast Line.

The business case was accepted for Infrastructure Australia's evaluation on 18 August 2020.

[timh]

https://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/projects/north-coast-connect

North Coast Connect

Developed as part of the Australian Government's Faster Rail Prospectus process, the North Coast Connect proposal is designed to provide a faster rail connection between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast. This will include a new dedicated track along the existing North Coast Line between Brisbane and Beerwah, and a new rail corridor to connect coastal population centres including Maroochydore and Caloundra to the North Coast Line.

The business case was accepted for Infrastructure Australia's evaluation on 18 August 2020.

Is the business case to be published somewhere?

[ozbob]

^ No, not that we can locate.

[kram0]

This should be made public. Useless.

[ozbob]

I suspect it has been passed on to IA to keep it from being published.

[Stillwater]

There are some private sector players involved, so a case could be mounted for the project details to be 'commercial in confidence'. That doesn't stop the financial details being withheld while the project parameters are made public.  :conf

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> Fears Nambour's fast rail dream has become ghost train

Nambour's fast rail dreams might've already run out of steam, with fears the former economic hub of the Coast has been left off high-speed rail plans.

Mapping published in September as part of the SEQ Council of Mayors' push for a connected fast rail network in southeast Queensland showed Nambour left off the proposed fast rail corridor.

Adding further concern is the inability of North Coast Connect representatives to confirm whether Nambour was even included in the group's fast rail proposal which is currently at a business case assessment stage with Infrastructure Australia.

North Coast Connect was first floated in 2018 as a fast rail project set to slash travel times to 45 minutes from the Sunshine Coast to Brisbane.

The project was being driven by a corporate consortium of Stockland, KPMG, Urbis and Smec, and backed by a group of Queensland MPs including Member for Fairfax Ted O'Brien.

It was initially pitched as a plan to deliver fast rail services to Nambour and Maroochydore to Brisbane, with a connection to Nambour in five years and Maroochydore in 10 years.

It was envisaged a possible 2032 Olympic bid could fast-track federal and state investment in the project, which was seen as a critical element of the SEQ Council of Mayors' vision for a fast rail-connected southeast, with links from Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Toowoomba.

The council of mayors pitched their vision, ConnectedSEQ, with two pricing options, $16.9 billion for a 60-minute region and $28.8 billion for a 45-minute region model.

The State Government had already contributed to a fast rail business case currently with Infratructure Australia for high speed services between Nambour and Brisbane, with a spur line to Maroochydore.

But it was understood the numbers were not stacking up to justify a fast train to Nambour, and the omission from recent mapping, which showed a fast rail link diverting at Beerwah and running from Caloundra to Maroochydore, was cause for concern for long-time rail advocate Jeff Addison.

Mr Addison said he understood why the large population centres would be serviced, but he was disappointed if what had initially been touted as a fast rail service to Nambour would now ignore the former mill town.

"There's a lot of disadvantage heading Nambour's way," Mr Addison said.

He said in "20-50 years" Nambour would be in the centre of the Coast's major population hubs, and it needed improved rail services for freight and passenger needs.

A North Coast Connect group spokeswoman was unable to confirm if Nambour was being considered by Infrastructure Australia as part of the proposal, or if it had been removed, or only included as an option.

"The business case is subject to a rigorous and independent assessment by Infrastructure Australia and at this stage we cannot comment further while this process is under way," the spokeswoman said.

Fast rail: Travel from Brisbane to Coast in 45 minutes

The spokeswoman had earlier pointed out the North Coast Connect business case had been prepared "independent of the ConnectedSEQ plans" which had been prepared by the Council of Mayors, and it "therefore is not a matter we can comment on".

The North Coast Connect business case was accepted for Infrastructure Australia evaluation in mid-August.

"Why can't they confirm it (Nambour is still included in the proposal)," Mr Addison said.

He questioned the impartiality of the business case if Nambour had been overlooked, given Stockland was involved in the consortium, and had a "clearly vested interest" in ensuring its major residential development at Caloundra South was serviced by fast rail.

Fairfax MP Ted O'Brien said the business case was currently before Infrastructure Australia and he understood it had been presented to the assessment body with options including Nambour.

Meanwhile early works were set to begin on the $550 million Beerburrum to Nambour rail duplication upgrade project next year, with first-stage tenders being assessed by the State Government in September.

Last week the Council of Mayors said their fast rail network plans were on track, after pre-election commitments from Labor, LNP and the Greens to commit to further exploration of the project, although questions still surrounded the ALP's intention regarding the western corridor.

[Fares_Fair]

Confirmed.

[ozbob]

There are some private sector players involved, so a case could be mounted for the project details to be 'commercial in confidence'. That doesn't stop the financial details being withheld while the project parameters are made public.  :conf

Exactly.  More non transparency from the secret state.  Something not quite right with this.   

I am thinking a RTI to TMR might be order ..

[Fares_Fair]

 

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> REVEALED: The $10b rail plan 'bypassing' Nambour

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1328165881344475137

[ozbob]

North Coast Connect

https://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/projects/north-coast-connect

... the North Coast Connect proposal is designed to provide a faster rail connection between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast. This will include a new dedicated track along the existing North Coast Line between Brisbane and Beerwah, and a new rail corridor to connect coastal population centres including Maroochydore and Caloundra to the North Coast Line.
...

Really? 

The cost of this is eye watering ...   

There is also a 700 metre tunnel proposed through Little Mountain.

My understanding it is a single track as well.

I think electric locos on the Kuranda range is more likely than this ever happening ...   

[Gazza]

Woah, no idea that there was a tunnel planned for this route. Guess that's why stage 1 would go to Caloundra. Starts getting expensive further north.

Still, its worth pointing out the realignment to Nambour also includes a tunnel so is equally a cost driver.

[verbatim9]

North Coast Connect

https://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/projects/north-coast-connect

... the North Coast Connect proposal is designed to provide a faster rail connection between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast. This will include a new dedicated track along the existing North Coast Line between Brisbane and Beerwah, and a new rail corridor to connect coastal population centres including Maroochydore and Caloundra to the North Coast Line.
...

Really? 

The cost of this is eye watering ...   

There is also a 700 metre tunnel proposed through Little Mountain.

My understanding it is a single track as well.

I think electric locos on the Kuranda range is more likely than this ever happening ...   

Woah, no idea that there was a tunnel planned for this route. Guess that's why stage 1 would go to Caloundra. Starts getting expensive further north.

Still, its worth pointing out the realignment to Nambour also includes a tunnel so is equally a cost driver.

Tunneling is inevitable for fast rail where land is not flat

[Arnz]

Some parts of Little Mountain/Aroona/Meridan Plains is hilly, so tunneling was inevitable for a (medium) HSR corridor.

[timh]

Can anyone post the text of the article for those of us that are locked out from the paywall?

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

[ozbob]

Publisher has requested that it not be re-published and we will respect that.

A digital subscription is worthwhile, it gets access to all the sites under that group. 

[ozbob]

The article appears to be based on some information that was from some sort of briefing in 2019.

I understand the $10 billion cost in the headline is worst case.  Cheapest option is around $6 billion or so.

Frankly, I think the best that might happen is a branch line from the existing Sunshine Coast line into Caloundra some time in the future.

Another rail corridor from Beerwah to Brisbane is very costly and not sure it is reasonably doable unless NWTC was used in any case.

Until IA releases the business case it remains mostly speculation.

[Gazza]

A digital subscription is worthwhile, it gets access to all the sites under that group.

Ugh it sucks though, I dont want to give money to Murdoch.

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> Rail advocate calls for audit office probe of Nambour 'snub'  $

This is a follow on from yesterday's article.  Local rail advocate Mr. Jeff Addison is suggesting the business case process has been "suborned" and is suggesting the Australian National Audit Office need to get involved. The local member Mr Ted O'brien has been left out of the loop.

It is all very murky .. 

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1328419197395714048

[timh]

If there's two different cost options, one is $10bn and the other is $6bn, without knowing any major details, I dare say it's likely the more expensive option is standard gauge, vs the cheaper narrow gauge option. This would match up with the SEQCOM fast rail project cost estimates, with a standard gauge option providing much higher speeds but being much more expensive.

I don't think it's likely we'd ever see a standard gauge line to the Sunshine Coast in the next few decades, so I think it's safe to assume the $6bn cost estimate is more accurate of what we'd actually be looking at if the project goes ahead.

[kram0]

If this line is straightened to a satisfactory standard, with a max speed of 160kph (and a decent average speed), with both a link to Caloundra (and beyond eventually) and NWTC built, that would be a win and reduce travel times.

I would not at all be surprised to see light rail link up to the heavy rail at Caloundra or Maroochydore and to use this form on transport to continue further north reducing costs.

We really need the Olympic Games 2032 bid to be successful and we might see the state and feds worked closer together towards a common goal.

[ozbob]

Sunshine Valley Gazette 18th November 2020

O'Brien seeks clarification from Minister and agency

"Fairfax MP Ted O'Brien, pictured, is seeking a 'please explain' over Nambour's omission from fast rail plans for South East Queensland. ... "

====

'Keep Nambour on the map'. Locals outraged

"Nambour Chamber of Commerce President Timothy Smith said locals were outraged to learn that the recently published mapping for the Fast Rail project failed to include Nambour . ... "

[Gazza]

The fast rail map doesn't include Beaudesert either  :conf

[verbatim9]

The fast rail map doesn't include Beaudesert either  :conf

That's because its just going to OOL, WTB and MCY Having all four Airports connected will ensure airfare and airport competition well into future for Se Qld.

[Gazza]

The fast rail map doesn't include Beaudesert either  :conf

That's because its just going to OOL, WTB and MCY Having all four Airports connected will ensure airfare and airport competition well into future for Se Qld.

Its not going to WTB, just the same as Kuranda isn't getting electric rail.

Time to separate fact from fiction

[verbatim9]

It is going to WTB. Its gone through consultation with local Government and businesses in the area and is currently before IA. The business case will prove that WTB is worthwhile as it will be a future international departure and arrival hub as well as domestic. Nambour and Beaudesert in the future will have straight enough lines in each direction to run trains up to 140kph.

[Gazza]

It is going to WTB. Its gone through consultation with local Government and businesses in the area and is currently before IA. The business case will prove that WTB is worthwhile as it will be a future international departure and arrival hub as well as domestic. Nambour and Beaudesert in the future will have straight enough lines in each direction to run trains up to 140kph.

Why will the Business Case prove anything? Unless it is being deliberately written for a foregone conclusion.

It is difficult to see all 4 airports being busy enough for rail.
We're not London.

[Fares_Fair]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> Rail advocate calls for audit office probe of Nambour 'snub'  $

This is a follow on from yesterday's article.  Local rail advocate Mr. Jeff Addison is suggesting the business case process has been "suborned" and is suggesting the Australian National Audit Office need to get involved. The local member Mr Ted O'brien has been left out of the loop.

It is all very murky .. 

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1328419197395714048

Tonight I have written to the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO)  seeking an investigation into the circumstances of this business case.
It appears that $6.6 million of federal money was used to create an apparent pre-conceived outcome, 5 months before the business case was completed.

[ozbob]

Well done!

[kram0]

It is going to WTB. Its gone through consultation with local Government and businesses in the area and is currently before IA. The business case will prove that WTB is worthwhile as it will be a future international departure and arrival hub as well as domestic. Nambour and Beaudesert in the future will have straight enough lines in each direction to run trains up to 140kph.

Why will the Business Case prove anything? Unless it is being deliberately written for a foregone conclusion.

It is difficult to see all 4 airports being busy enough for rail.
We're not London.

100% spot on, we are not London and it would be wasted money. A metro from UQ to Hamilton via the city and Newfarm/Bulimba would be far better for the commuters. 

If we can connect GC and BNE airports and have some form of faster rail alignment from the Beenleigh area, I will be amazed. At the rate existing infrastructure is being built, I am still not holding my breath for this unless we are successful with the SEQ2032 Olympic bid.

I suspect all we will get is a 3rd and maybe 4th track in areas, in the existing corridor, with the removal of a few level crossings.

Either party in Queensland is not that committed to major rail infrastructure like in the southern states. Sydney Metro has a price tag of $50+ BILLION and this will be well worth it when you look back and see the patronage in 20 years time.

We do things on the go slow and by halves here in Queensland and CRR is a prime example of that.

[verbatim9]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> Rail advocate calls for audit office probe of Nambour 'snub'  $

This is a follow on from yesterday's article.  Local rail advocate Mr. Jeff Addison is suggesting the business case process has been "suborned" and is suggesting the Australian National Audit Office need to get involved. The local member Mr Ted O'brien has been left out of the loop.

It is all very murky .. 

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1328419197395714048

Tonight I have written to the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO)  seeking an investigation into the circumstances of this business case.
It appears that $6.6 million of federal money was used to create an apparent pre-conceived outcome, 5 months before the business case was completed.

Every business case needs to be scrutinised. But Maroochydore is the best contender for fast rail. I am not against improvements North of Landsborough re: duplication and realignment etc..for faster journey times and better freight movements.

[Gazza]

^This,

both are worthwhile projects, but it would be crass to ignore hundreds of thousands of people on the costal strip making torturous bus journeys to Brisbane , to offer time savings to place like Eudlo which only have 1200 residents.

You offer a bigger time saving to more people by prioritising rail to the coast.

And you'll get good time savings purley through reduced waiting/ reversing movements at the passing loops.