#FutureSEQ What will Queensland look like in 2043?

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/couriermail/status/1048839447339573248

[Fares_Fair]

Looking forward to this futuristic infrastructure examinisation series by the Courier-Mail.

[verbatim9]

Looking forward to this futuristic infrastructure examinisation series by the Courier-Mail.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> High-speed rail: $70b plan to cut commute times

A BOLD $70 billion proposal to fast-track southeast Queensland's development into a world-class super- metropolis of the future has been unveiled.

A new report recommends a rapid rail network that would carry passengers to the centre of Brisbane from the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Ipswich and even Toowoomba in under 45 minutes.

Vast improvements to public transport and carefully-targeted road projects would enable people to travel across individual cities within half an hour.

The blueprint is outlined in a report by major infrastructure consultants SMEC, who were commissioned by the SEQ Council of Mayors to investigate transport as part of a feasibility study into a possible Olympic Games bid.

It proposes a major shift in priority to public transport, reversing a trend towards private car use over the past 30 years.

The centrepiece is a new "faster rail" network of frequent trains travelling at up to 250km/h. That is slower than so-called bullet trains overseas but average speeds of 150km/h would be almost three times the current 60km/h.

It would halve the travel time from the Gold and Sunshine Coasts to the capital, and slash up to two-thirds off the journey from Ipswich.

Stage one of the "SEQ People Mass Movement Study'' found that enormous population and employment growth would increase transport demand across the region 31 percent by 2031, and by 53 percent a decade later.

Current planning and investment would not keep up, resulting in serious congestion, lower quality of life, slower economic growth and a decline in global competitiveness.

"Intervention is required, both in terms of investment in the missing 'gaps' of the transport networks, and in terms of shifting away from the private car usage towards more sustainable mass transit passenger services," Jason Van Paassen, SMEC's transport planning team leader for Queensland . said.

A "base'' scenario, including existing projects such as Cross River Rail and Brisbane Metro, would allow major centres to become half-hour "smart cities"

But a recommended ''advanced scenario" envisages the state's southeast corner becoming an interconnected "smart region'' over the next quarter of a century, securing its position as the country's most liveable and efficient metropolitan area.

The rapid rail network would involve existing lines and new ones. They would include the North Coast Connect proposal -- which has already received federal Government funding for a business case -- for a new 40km track from Beerwah to Maroochydore.

It proposes a new fast link to Southport from the current Gold Coast corridor. A fast initial connection to Ipswich would be extended to Toowoomba, although another recent $15 million business case grant to determine passenger rail requirements to the Darling Downs city could also see that brought forward.

Trains carrying 500-plus passengers would be expected to run about every half-hour throughout the day -- offering an express alternative to existing services and stopping at a limited number of stations in other council areas including Moreton Bay, Logan and Lockyer Valley en route to the capital city.

Those stations could include Caboolture and/or Petrie from the north, Beenleigh from the south and Gatton from the west.

Modelling suggests it would take 45 minutes from Maroochydore to Brisbane -- 41 minutes quicker than the current trip from Mooloolah. The 35-minute Southport-Brisbane journey would be under half the current 73 minutes from Nerang.

Trains from Ipswich could take 20 minutes, compared to the current 58 minutes.

The initiative would be expected to take thousands of cars off the region's highways but the proposal does also factor in major new road infrastructure.

More than 50 projects were identified in the study and a second stage, due to be completed by the end of the year, will determine the optimal priorities to achieve the strategic vision.

A spending model for the transport plan, which includes the $944 million Metro and $5.4 billion Cross River Rail, puts the total cost between now and 2041 at $68 billion.

That works out at $2.9 billion a year -- close to the average historic combined infrastructure spending in SEQ by State and federal governments of $2 billion to $3 billion.

But the report suggests that a bid by southeast Queensland to host the 2032 Olympic Games could be used to accelerate the investment, bringing forward the delivery of the projects by more than a decade.

That would mean spending just over $4 billion a year to 2031 but only $1.5 billion per annum for the decade afterwards.

It proposes a City Deal-type funding agreement between federal, state and local government and says more than a quarter of the money needed could be sources from the private sector through things like new tolled motorway links and developments around stations.

Deputy Premier and Treasurer Jackie Trad said: "I love fast rail. It's a terrific people mover but you need the population density to support it. We need the right investment at the right time.

"It's something that in a city region -- rather than a region of cities -- it will make much more sense.

We are preserving rail corridors where we think it's important."

International cities expert Professor Greg Clark said: "Southeast Queensland is going to need to continually invest in its connective infrastructure as it becomes one very successful globally-oriented integrated region over the next couple of decades. There will need to be more rail infrastructure in particular."

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Mayors weigh in on what is needed to transform SEQ

DAVID Rudland travels from the Sunshine Coast to Brisbane every day for work.

He said his commute was often very crowded around Brisbane due to service cuts.

"I think there is a lot of scepticism on the Sunshine Coast around the future of rail," he said.

"Things haven't progressed in the past 15 years.

"It's often very crowded nowadays because my train is no longer express (from Caloundra to Bowen Hills). It was changed to allow for more services at more stations."

Rail advocates hope a faster route will be in place by 2043.

Sunshine Coast man Jeff Addison said a high-speed rail network should be built to connect people quicker.

"The population is only going to grow which means more cars on the roads," he said.

"It would make sense to have a high speed rail from Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast to get people around a lot quicker and take the hassle out of driving.

"We're not really hopeful of any improvements which is a bit sad."

SO WHAT IS NEEDED TO GET US MOVING FASTER?

A faster rail network would transform southeast Queensland, say the region's leaders.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk, who also chairs the SEQ Council of Mayors, says it is achievable, affordable and essential to protect liveability and economic prosperity.

"What the report demonstrates is that we have significant infrastructure needing to be built to ensure the future of southeast Queensland," he said. "This region is growing at twice the rate of OECD countries. We simply have to ... prepare for that growth."

The expected rise of automated vehicles presented an opportunity for long-term transition from roads to mass passenger transport options.

Faster rail would allow satellite residential and employment hubs to flourish, he said.

Toowoomba Mayor Paul Antonio said the rail boost would usher in the most exciting era in his city's history.

Rapid passenger rail would be the final piece in a multi-billion dollar transport infrastructure build – after the construction of the Wellcamp Airport, the Second Range Crossing bypass and the inland rail line through the region from Brisbane to Melbourne.

Cr Antonio agreed it would position Toowoomba, perched on the Great Dividing Range, as Brisbane's equivalent of the Blue Mountains to Sydney – a prime lifestyle location with easy travel access to the state capital.

"It means we can have people living in this beautiful environment and going to Brisbane as many days as they like."

It would also fire up the tourism industry and attract new businesses to set up in the city – as well as reinforcing its position as one of Australia's leading regional capitals and opening opportunities in surrounding small communities such as Oakey, Pittsworth, Helidon, Clifton and Cambooya.

"These are exciting times," Cr Antonio said.

REGIONS FEELING DISCONNECTED

Lockyer Valley Mayor Tanya Milligan agreed. If there is one area holding the region back from a growth perspective, it's connectivity.

"We are nestled between Ipswich – the fastest-growing local government area in Queensland – and Toowoomba, Australia's largest inland city, yet in many ways we are worlds away."

Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson said his council had been "strongly advocating" for public transport improvements for years.

"A faster rail solution between Brisbane and Nambour and Maroochydore would provide substantial social and economic benefits for our region and ease the pressure on the Bruce Highway," he said.

RAPID RAIL WON'T WORK ON ITS OWN

An integrated solution, including a light rail suburban system, is desperately needed.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said: "I support any public transport infrastructure that ensures SEQ residents, and the tens of millions of annual visitors, have greater access to our region.

"A smart federal or state government would test the market on a public-private partnership for infrastructure like this. People are happy to pay if the service delivers them where they want to go quickly and reliably. Lost productivity is no good for anyone.''

Acting Logan Mayor Cherie Dalley said a fast train network ''would generate economic benefits across our entire region".

Moreton Bay Mayor Allan Sutherland said the Redcliffe Peninsula line had shown how transformational rail could be.

"We've seen rapid increases in the number of businesses residents, new development and investment along the rail corridor," he said.

And Scenic Rim Mayor Greg Christensen said it would also "allow residents more time with family and community involvement".

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Future SEQ: What south east Queensland will look like in 2043

Population statistics
Infogram

A CITY almost twice the size of Brisbane will be added to southeast Queensland's population over the next quarter of a century.

Just over two million more people will live here, swelling the number from 3.5 million to 5.5 million – more than currently live in the entire state.

"The southeast Queensland of 2043 will be the same size as Sydney or Melbourne is today," said leading demographer Bernard Salt who has conducted exclusive research for The Courier-Mail's Future SEQ series.

"It is quickly emerging as Australia's third global force and, as such, it will offer all the urban amenity and quality you would expect from an urban conurbation of that scale.

"And yet it is quite unlike any other city in the country.

"Others are capital city-centric, like a fried egg with a big yolk in the centre and the white spreading outwards.

"Southeast Queensland is like the inside of a clock, with a big cog surrounded by several smaller cogs working together – the surrounding council areas in Greater Brisbane, the Gold and Sunshine Coasts and Toowoomba.

"They are independent but connected. You can be part of a greater whole but not be swamped by a Los Angelian sprawl as you might get in Sydney."

The series will run over the next fortnight exploring the opportunities and challenges ahead before developing an action plan to ensure an effective path forward for the region.

The Future SEQ series will culminate in a major lunch event on October 23 which will include Mr Salt as keynote speaker along with other infrastructure leaders.

The latest long-term population projections will be published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics next month. But on current trends, the southeast corner will grow by about 80,000 people every year – about twice the rate of OECD countries.

Accommodating the additional people will require 794,000 extra homes by 2043, and 954,000 more jobs will be needed.

Debbie Smith, the Brisbane managing partner of professional services firm PwC, which conducted exclusive research and analysis for the series, warned the surge of people would see "demands grow on current infrastructure and the natural environment, as well as placing pressure on the provision of services".

"Population growth and urbanisation are likely to increase pressure on supplies of food and fresh water at a time when any change to the climate may make it harder to grow food crops in some regions.

"On the other hand, it presents significant opportunities to create smart, accessible, exciting cities with social and economic development and sustainable living."

Density would be the "defining characteristic'' of SEQ 25 years from now, Ms Smith said. "In inner-city areas, we expect to see super highrise buildings functioning as mini-cities and communities – no longer single-use buildings but vertical mixed-use developments incorporating any combination of uses from schools, retirement living, gyms, shops and commercial offices to residential apartments.

"Meanwhile, in our middle and outer ring suburbs, we will see a push towards the creation of 30-minute neighbourhoods, where residents can access the majority of their needs within a 30-minute trip, be it walking, cycling or public transport.

"In our outer ring areas, we will see more upscaled master-planned communities to accommodate population growth."

Ms Smith said we were on the cusp of a "step change in transportation" – driven by connected and autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles and ridesharing.

"Other technologies are also set to have an impact such as drones and robotics that could revolutionise the movement of goods."

Brisbane's current population of 1.2 million will grow by 29 per cent to 1.5 million by 2043, but both the Gold Coast and Ipswich will add more people than the capital.

The Gold Coast will leap 427,000 (76 per cent) to about one million, with Ipswich more than tripling from 200,000 to 632,000. Both Moreton Bay and Logan will be larger than the Gold Coast is today. The Sunshine Coast will rise from 300,000 to 510,000 and Toowoomba from 134,000 to 180,000.

Mr Salt said the largest driver of population growth "will continue to be overseas migration" and Queensland is the only state with uninterrupted positive net interstate migration, including many overseas arrivals shifting here after periods in other states.

Asia will be an enormous influence in shaping SEQ's future, through migration and economic opportunities.

At just 12 per cent, the proportion of people in the region with Asian heritage is about half that in Sydney (25 per cent) and Melbourne (21 per cent) and much lower than other Pacific Rim cities, including Vancouver, San Francisco, San Jose, Honolulu and Auckland.

"There is no logical reason southeast Queensland would remain at that low level going forward," Mr Salt said.

The combined population of Asian cities with more than one million people has exploded. From 61 million in 1950, it is now 975 million and will hit 1.3 billion by 2030.

"The more developed, polluted and congested those ­cities become, the more attractive southeast Queensland becomes. China has 85 cities bigger than Adelaide," Mr Salt said.

It is a similar picture in India which has grown from the world's 12th largest economy a decade ago to fourth, just behind Japan now. Mr Salt predicts it will be third after the US and China by 2030. Increasing air connectivity and trading links to the two Asian giants and their rising wealth would be a major plank in SEQ's future prosperity, he said. "It's not the only one, but it's a major driver and likely to increase."

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Bernard Salt: Is it time to re-name southeast Queensland?

COME with me, Queenslanders, on a journey through time and space to the place we now know as southeast Queensland, but which in the future might be known as something else entirely.

The Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast are new names for new cities that burgeoned with new concepts like lifestyle and retirement and intercity commuting in the second-half of the 20th century.

Perhaps it is time, Queenslanders, to think of a new term to describe the surging, beating, 21st-century heart of your state that now goes by the geography-book descriptor of southeast Queensland.

I had thought something along the lifestyle line similar to the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast, or maybe something that suggests a system of cities that work together like a clock's cogs.

After all, there is no other place in Australia quite like the system of cities that comprise SEQ.

My thinking on this issue isn't so much to create a market-friendly term for southeast Queensland (although that is a by-product), it is to galvanise the community and the political leadership of this region into a focused force.

Southeast Queensland is an amalgam of powerful tribes – a series of independent, and independently-minded, communities – cohabiting broadly the same space.

Sometimes there is a greater good to be achieved for the collective by subjugating individual desires.

Maybe building bigger motorways and more railways connecting all the bits and pieces of a disparate southeast Queensland, isn't the way to go. Maybe the best way to organise the five million or so residents of what we now call SEQ in 2043 is to create a series of decentralised mini-me CBDs in the southern and northern suburbs of Brisbane, on the Gold Coast, on the Sunshine Coast and in Toowoomba.

A single unified community – maybe as a kind of "SEQ rebranded" – would be more inclined to see a bigger and a better vision for the region.

Local political leaders wouldn't be measured so much on what goodies they managed to snaffle from state and federal budgets for their patch, but rather on how they contributed to making the broader region a better place to live, work and play.

Make no mistake, the region we now know as southeast Queensland is Australia's rising third global force closely following a trajectory of Sydney and Melbourne, but doing it differently and, some would say, better.

By 2043, SEQ will be the size of Sydney and Melbourne today, but spread across a wider and more democratic canvas, meaning where power centres are multiplied and dispersed as opposed to chauvinistically centralised in a single "glorious" CBD.

Make no mistake, central Brisbane cultivates hipster enclaves that are every bit as fashionable and as smashed-avocadoesque as Sydney's Surry Hills and Melbourne's North Fitzroy.

But whereas the outermost reaches of these southern behemoths offer pleasant but sedentary coastal living, SEQ's "coasts" are vibrant hubs pulsing with energy, students, visitors and global connectivity: they're the electrifying edges of the SEQ urban system.

SEQ's a bit like, we see you Sydney and Melbourne, and we reckon we can create something better, much better. But in order to create that something better, the tribes – the collection of cogs that make SEQ tick – must work together for the greater good.

And this brings me to the next point in how SEQ might look, feel and operate in 2043. At some point over the next 25 years, the Olympics will return to Australia following Melbourne in 1956 and Sydney in 2000.

It'll be "our turn" again at some point from about 2032 onwards. Amid the jockeying and the jostling between states and cities for the right to represent the Australian nation in the bid process, are the people of Queensland happy to have the games return to Sydney or Melbourne?

And if so, would this not represent an abrogation of SEQ's sovereign right as the nation's third-biggest city to host Australia's third games?

This is an important hurdle in the development of SEQ, and not just in terms of leveraging Commonwealth resources into the region – although that is a benefit – but in terms of having the alpha-state determination to claim, to exercise and to deliver all that is rightfully Queensland's.

This is an issue that can be politely avoided for some years yet, but at some point maybe two administrations into the future if not earlier, Queenslanders will ask why the proud nation of the SEQ lands are not representing Australia in a dead-set pitch to compete globally and forthrightly for the right to host the 2036 Olympics.

Do not let an opportunity to host the next Australian Olympics go to waste.

This can be the cause, the unifying force, an alpha-state aspiration, that ties the disparate bits of SEQ together, and that projects the region, its name and the nation to the rest of the world.

Bernard Salt is managing director of The Demographics Group, bernard@tdgp.com.au

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> The Editor: Now is the time to work together for the future

FOR many Queenslanders, an enduring memory of the Brisbane skyline has the old Lennons' Hotel rising up past the dome of City Hall with the then-named SGIO building across King George Square, the jumble of the Riverside Expressway in front.

That view now is dramatically changed: buildings scores of stories high rise over the river, a combination of hotels, apartments, shops and offices reshaping the skyline.

In the very near future, the world-class casino precinct will signal a new stage of development in the CBD; as will the Brisbane Live, Brisbane Metro and Cross River Rail projects.

The roads that lead into and around the city, taking us to our jobs, schools and recreation are now multiple lanes wide, with tunnels and bridges moving the growing population.

Many of us now live in one city and work in another, making the south east of Queensland, from the NSW border to the northern reaches of the Sunshine Coast and west to the Toowoomba region, one big collective.

With the population expected to jump by an extra two million in the next 25 years, now is the time to establish a clear direction for our region. It's time to use the power of the lifestyle, work and connectivity opportunities that can supercharge Queensland's economy.

And as hosting an international event like Expo 88 transformed South Bank and the Gold Coast is reaping benefits from the light rail and other infrastructure built for this year's Commonwealth Games, there is a significant argument for the benefits that an SEQ-wide bid for a future Olympics would bring.

A remarkable region has to be united as one, building a strong brand that can show the rest of Australia and the world the potential that lies here. And it is vital that these changes get the governance right.

This has been a community that has always taken chances. A convict colony that has grown into one of the best places to live and work in the world. Working together, the future is limitless.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Future Brisbane: Growth's great but we have to live here


Chair of Infrastructure Australia Julieanne Alroe

BUILDING liveable cities should be the keystone of any plan to capitalise on southeast Queensland's future population growth.

Like much of the rest of Australia, Queensland's population will grow significantly over coming decades, reaching 7.3 million by 2036.

Most of this growth will be concentrated around SEQ, with an additional two million people expected to call the region home by 2043.

Growth offers enormous opportunities for Queenslanders – but only if we engage in long-term planning to ensure Brisbane and employment hubs like the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Ipswich and Toowoomba remain liveable as they grow.

The rapid growth of the Gold Coast during the 1960s and 70s is a lasting example of accommodating growth while delivering a celebrated lifestyle.

While accommodating high density living, thanks to its beaches, transport connections and diverse housing, the Gold Coast has maintained its international reputation for liveability and remains one of the fastest-growing regions in the country.

The Gold Coast boom also highlights the economic opportunities growth brings. Traditionally a hub for trades, tourism and hospitality, it is now evolving to attract new, highly skilled and knowledge jobs to support a new phase of economic growth in the region.

While 'liveability' might sound like an abstract concept, it is simply about building cities with housing that is well-connected to jobs and other opportunities, and are safe, socially cohesive and environmentally sustainable.

A forthcoming paper from Infrastructure Australia has identified the greatest challenges to the liveability of Australia's largest cities as access to diverse and affordable housing, public transport and green spaces.

The paper will argue that as SEQ grows, the focus for governments at all levels must be creating liveable cities that maintain Queensland's enviable quality of life and give communities a share in future prosperity.

As the Coast continues to grow and Brisbane stretches across the Logan and Beenleigh regions to meet it, we need to focus on those strategic investments that will set SEQ up for the future and provide value for taxpayers.

Investment in roads and public transport will be essential to support growth in the region.

This investment must be coordinated and integrated, to both address congestion and attract jobs and activity to established transport hubs.

Beyond the personal costs of living in neighbourhoods characterised by congestion and constraint, there is a real economic cost to failing to properly plan for population growth.

Without action, the 2015 Australian Infrastructure Audit found that road congestion across Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast could cost the state's economy $9.2 billion in 2031.

Reflecting the significance of this challenge, Infrastructure Australia's Infrastructure Priority List highlights Brisbane to Gold Coast transport corridor upgrades as a national priority.

Also critical to accommodate growth is Brisbane Metro, which has also now been identified as a High Priority Project on the Priority List.

Brisbane has amongst the best bus networks in the country, however with growth there is a need for a step change in capacity.

Brisbane Metro will increase capacity on the network, removing key bottlenecks and supporting interchange between bus services and rail. This will reduce travel times from the outer suburbs by up to 10 minutes.

These kinds of targeted investments aimed at getting more from what we already have should be a continued focus for Southeast Queensland.

Important, but often overlooked when we think about infrastructure, is the role green and public spaces play in maintaining a city's liveability.

As our cities grow and densify, more people will rely on shared green spaces like parks, and blue spaces like beaches, lakes and waterways.

As SEQ increases in density, we therefore need to make a concerted effort to plan for, appropriately use and protect these spaces.

At Infrastructure Australia, we acknowledge that governments, industry and the broader community have a crucial role to play informing decision-making as we prepare for growth.

That's why, as Australia reaches the next major population milestone, it is important we can identify infrastructure gaps and the most pressing concerns in the short, medium and long-term.

In consultation with our colleagues in state and local government, Infrastructure Australia has commenced the 2019 Australian Infrastructure Audit and Infrastructure Priority List.

These documents will create a, cross-sectoral picture of our infrastructure challenges to help guide infrastructure decision making and reform.

The Audit will help identify the most pressing infrastructure gaps in our cities as well as our regions, and it will have a particular focus on outcomes for individual users.

It will provide an evidence base to help Australia's governments accommodate growth and extract the most value out of existing infrastructure and make smart, strategic decisions about future investments.

It is inevitable that Southeast Queensland will grow and change significantly over coming decades. There are enormous opportunities for Southeast Queensland as the region grows, but only if we plan for it.

Julieanne Alroe is Chair of Infrastructure Australia

[Cazza]

Let's be real here, we have been talking about planning for the future for years and years. But, nothing has happened. One article said that the Sunshine Coast line hasn't changed in 15 years (except for a reduction in services ). Every single time something is proposed, politics gets in the way and delays, modifies or even cancels the whole thing completely.

We need politicians with balls, that will propose projects that have been thoroughly investigated and researched by both professionals and the community and then actually complete them within a suitable time frame. This is what we lack in Australian politics. Politicians that will focus on the long term development rather than just making it through the next election.

This is why I will be forever skeptical of these announcements until they actually become a reality.

[ozbob]

2043 is the ' new ' 2031?

I have spoken at length to the CM re this series.  The good thing is they are talking about (regional) rapid rail in the texts.   

Yes, it is hard to have confidence but where there is life there is hope!   

[#Metro]

We need politicians with balls, that will propose projects that have been thoroughly investigated and researched by both professionals and the community and then actually complete them within a suitable time frame.

I think a major contributor is that States don't have income tax. And they are loathe to use land tax.
This means they must negotiate with the Australian Government, which is highly unstable due to its 3 year term.

We have seen the mess and delays this adds to the process, Cross River Rail and Sunshine Coast line, for example.

Direct taxation will also discourage low or no BCR projects that State gov't likes to engage in from time to time.

[Stillwater]

What gets in the way of these plans is politicians' reluctance to talk about revenue-raising, because they always promise 'no new taxes' as part of their elect-me mantra.  How do you plan something that's going to cost $70b over 10 years without talking about the money side of things?  The argument is fudged by saying that the private sector is involved, but that would raise only about 25 per cent of the money needed.  The other issue is whether money is diverted from road projects to rail projects.  The problem there is that every motorist is a voter and there are more motorists than commuters, therefore more votes for roads rather than rail.

Brisbane is headed to become Australia's most congested city unless major investment occurs in rapid rail linked to satellite CBD areas, TODs etc.  Land use planning is just as important as rapid rail.  The state cannot, for example, inflict rapid rail to Toowoomba on the people of the Lockyer Valley without also considering how Gatton will grow as a result and how valuable agricultural land there can be preserved.

Queensland must consider a 'betterment tax', similar to what applies in the ACT.  If you buy sheep paddock land 25 years before it is needed for development, then lobby the state to put a free railway line through that land, increasing its value via that action and via a rezoning from sheep land to prime residential A, you gain a free gift courtesy of the taxpayer. A portion of that bounty should be returned to the taxpayer.

Likewise, if a developer develops a TOD around a station upgrade, the state pays and the council benefits from the rates it collects on newly-priced properties within that TOD.  It would be hugely unpopular with councils, but the state should legislate for councils to add to the rates bill of each and every one of us a 'betterment tax' component.  If you live in Mt Isa, that tax will go to a bus interchange, for instance.  In Gympie, it might go to the electrification of the Banks Pocket section of track to restore passenger services to the centre of town and not Gympie North.  Every bit of the state should expect to benefit from the pool of money raised through a betterment tax.

In fact, the basis of this future gazing should start with the amount of money that reasonably could be raised, then we cut our cloth accordingly.  That would be more realistic.  Otherwise, we are forever chasing our tails.

Or we stick with an endless round of policy documents titled 'SEQ 2040', 'SEQ 2060', with the same projects rolled over, from one plan to the next, without completing the big stuff we need to maintain SEQ's lifestyle advantage.  And, please, don't let's have more of the blame game ... if only the Feds gave Queensland our fare share of the GST etc'.  Or announcing a miniscule amount of the project cost by way of state contribution to snooker the Feds to cough up the remainder.

[verbatim9]

2043 is the ' new ' 2031?

I have spoken at length to the CM re this series.  The good thing is they are talking about (regional) rapid rail in the texts.   

Yes, it is hard to have confidence but where there is life there is hope!   

I agree there will most likely be fast electric rail (140-160kph) to Toowoomba, OOL and Maroochydore by 2028-31

All that other stuff like more autonomous flying cars and personalised transport etc... will be slowly introduced over the next 25 years.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Prime Minister Scott Morrison praises vision for fast rail network

PRIME Minister Scott Morrison has praised the vision of mayors for a fast rail network for southeast Queensland.

However, the PM said there was a lot of work to do before he would consider supporting it.

While he praised southeast Queensland mayors for thinking big, Mr Morrison said the proposal did not have a business case and there were questions about its viability.

"I love vision. I love it when people have big ideas and there is no shortage of big ideas whether it is here on the Gold Coast or anywhere else around the country," Mr Morrison said.

"But those big ideas and those visions have to get translated into something workable.

"I think there is a lot more work to do on those projects before they sort of get on the table for consideration by the federal government."

The Prime Minister made the comments as he visited the Gold Coast to promote a deal for Hollywood blockbuster Godzilla v Kong to be shot in Queensland.

He said the federal government's infrastructure focus for the region was on Gold Coast light rail and upgrades to the M1.

And while he welcomed the idea from the mayors he also urged them to pay attention to residents' immediate needs.

"I commend them for the initiative and having a big vision about southeast Queensland," he said. "But don't forget the rates, the roads and rubbish."

[Stillwater]

What the PM is saying: "Good on people for having a vision, but can we please see a Business Case for all of this (i.e. feasibility, resources, estimated budget, estimated benefits etc)."  Queensland is not good at doing business cases.  It makes up for its lack of expertise through bluff and bluster, creative accounting, assumptions and politicking.  And if that doesn't work, snot and tears ... 'we've been robbed' and 'let's have a fair go' etc.

[SurfRail]

I just ignore this stuff now.  If they can't make buses run after 5pm, then they can't be trusted with anything more complicated.

[#Metro]

I just ignore this stuff now.  If they can't make buses run after 5pm, then they can't be trusted with anything more complicated.

Will the bus back door open to allow boarding in 2043?? 

[SurfRail]

^ In 2043 we will probably still be buying buses with a stair in the side door. 

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> Olympic bid to get rail worth it: Advocate, MP



FIGHTING: Fairfax MP Ted O'Brien and rail advocate Jeff Addison are pushing for fast rail on the Coast.
Scott Sawyer

COAST rail advocate Jeff Addison is prepared to run in "every event" of the Olympics if that's what it takes to deliver high-speed rail from the Coast to Brisbane.

His tongue-in-cheek pledge came as Fairfax MP Ted O'Brien called for community support to ensure the Sunshine Coast was the starting point for a southeast Queensland, high-speed rail network.

Infrastructure consultants SMEC put together a report commissioned by the SEQ Council of Mayors, as part of a feasibility study into a potential southeast Queensland Olympic bid.

SMEC are part of the private consortium including KPMG, Stockland and Urbis, who are driving the North Coast Connect vision for a fast rail service from Maroochydore and Nambour to Brisbane.

The business case is currently being developed for North Coast Connect and is due for release early next year, but Mr O'Brien said it was reliant on State Government data.

The release of the broader, regional report and vision has led Mr O'Brien to call on the community to mobilise and make vocal its support of fast rail, which required upgrade and duplication of the North Coast Rail Line.

Mr O'Brien and Mr Addison were eager to see the Sunshine Coast leg of the high-speed network rolled out as the first stage in any southeast Queensland project.

"The good thing is we're in the box seat," Mr O'Brien said.

"There's no doubt that everywhere else in southeast Queensland wants to see more infrastructure."

The high-speed network could be rolled out for about $15 billion between now and 2041, according to the SMEC report.

The North Coast Connect's ambitious timelines identified by Mr O'Brien had fast rail connected to Nambour in five years and Maroochydore in a decade.

A successful bid to host the Olympic Games in southeast Queensland in 2032 could accelerate State and Federal government investment and delivery of the projects by more than 10 years.

Mr Addison, a long time rail campaigner and spokesman for SC Rail Back on Track, said he would compete in the 2032 Olympics if he had to.

"If that's what it takes I'd run in them, put me in every event," he said with a laugh.

Mr O'Brien said a southeast Queensland Olympic bid was "absolutely worthy of consideration" if it could expedite major infrastructure delivery.

"We need to use whatever lever is in front of us," he said.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/RACQOfficial/status/1049126886675075072

[Fares_Fair]

Meet Dave, a long-haul commuter from the #SunshineCoast.

https://twitter.com/SEQMayors/status/1049069001685364736

[Jonno]

What the PM is saying: "Good on people for having a vision, but can we please see a Business Case for all of this (i.e. feasibility, resources, estimated budget, estimated benefits etc)."  Queensland is not good at doing business cases.  It makes up for its lack of expertise through bluff and bluster, creative accounting, assumptions and politicking.  And if that doesn't work, snot and tears ... 'we've been robbed' and 'let's have a fair go' etc.

What we need is a business case like WestConnex in Sydney aka Pure Horse*&!#

[SteelPan]

OK....so SEQ 2043 Replaces SEQ 2040...or did they really actually do a SEQ 2041??? Can we expect a new front-cover to this latest "report"?   

[#Metro]

Are we at Q2 yet? 

Regional Rapid Rail using established tilt train technology has a lot of merit IMHO.

HOWEVER, I think CM and others are being carried away with the speeds. This idea that people will get to the Gold Coast in 30 min is
a bit unrealistic.

- Higher speeds offer diminishing returns. As speed increases, less and less extra time is saved. Infrastructure costs also go up massively (straight track, broad curves, etc). So there is a "sweet spot" for the optimal speed.

- Overall speeds (and therefore journey times) are determined by stop spacing. It is not relevant if the vehicle is high speed, but then it is stopping everywhere. The number and distance between stops is journey time determining.

- Political effects. As everyone wants an express from "their" station/location, the overall effect is to reduce overall speed and thus blow out journey times.

- Express services reduce line capacity. There would need to be some new track or upgrades of old track so that fast and slow services do not mix.

[verbatim9]

Are we at Q2 yet? 

Regional Rapid Rail using established tilt train technology has a lot of merit IMHO.

HOWEVER, I think CM and others are being carried away with the speeds. This idea that people will get to the Gold Coast in 30 min is
a bit unrealistic.

- Higher speeds offer diminishing returns. As speed increases, less and less extra time is saved. Infrastructure costs also go up massively (straight track, broad curves, etc). So there is a "sweet spot" for the optimal speed.

- Overall speeds (and therefore journey times) are determined by stop spacing. It is not relevant if the vehicle is high speed, but then it is stopping everywhere. The number and distance between stops is journey time determining.

- Political effects. As everyone wants an express from "their" station/location, the overall effect is to reduce overall speed and thus blow out journey times.

- Express services reduce line capacity. There would need to be some new track or upgrades of old track so that fast and slow services do not mix.

There were a few articles published. It has been stated that it will be fast rail (140-160kph). They are getting confused with HSR which is planned for longer distances Bne-Syd-Cbr-Mel. Fast rail is used for short to medium distances integrated into the city network. At least the same rolling stock can be used for all these new lines. Maybe the next 50 trains the Government order can easily do 160kph on upgraded sections of track. No doubt tracks will also be upgraded between Caboolture and Beenleigh and of course new electrified track out to Toowoomba.

(This whole campaign maybe also electioneering by the Courier mail for the LNP both local and Federal. Just 5 years ago the Federal Government wasn't interested in expanding Public Transport. It's either a legitimate turnaround or just electioneering to retain votes for the upcoming Federal election in 8 months and Local elections  in 17 months.  I hope it's legitimate!).

[James]

Yet another foam fluff piece from the Courier Mail, complete with patriotic sentiments. Queensland is the best, southern states trash, world clarse new world city, HSR running every 15 minutes to Toowoomba blah blah blah. I could sit here forever typing up a rant, but it simply boils down to this:

We struggle to get more than 1bph to parts of Brisbane which are merely 4km from the CBD. If we can't even get people who can see the CBD from their front door in reasonable time, what hope do we have of building a decent rail link to each coast?

Get back to me when the government invites a tender for design or construction.

[aldonius]

Maroochydore to Petrie in 45 minutes. Via what looks to be the existing corridor south of Beerwah. That's... interesting. I think the average speed for the entire trip might just be higher than the line speed on any existing section of track in that corridor!

Standard reminder that the Tilt Train, which is already capable of doing 160kph, presently takes 45 minutes just to get from Roma St to Caboolture... in the middle of the day when the track ought to be moderately clear.

[ozbob]

Queensland Times 9th October 2018 page 8

Premier slammed for dismissing rapid rail concept

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Committed to a better commute

WHAT will southeast Queensland look like in 25 years?

The decisions we make as a region in the next 12 months will shape how we live, work and relax in the decades to come, and it is clear that now is the time for us to plan for the transport and infrastructure we need.

Southeast Queensland is on the brink of big change.

We are one of the fastest growing regions in Australia and our population of 3.5 million will grow by another 1.9 million over the coming 25 years.

Our challenge is to be ready to accommodate this growth with transport infrastructure, so that we can capitalise on the potential benefits it may bring.

When growth comes without infrastructure, it becomes a costly and problematic exercise to rectify connectivity issues — an experience that Sydney and Melbourne have learned the hard way.

Fortunately, we still have time to learn from the lessons of our southern neighbours and ensure we prepare for the future of southeast Queensland.

The Council of Mayors (SEQ) is currently delivering a first for the region, a roadmap to solving southeast Queensland's future congestion challenges that has been developed by assessing the state of our infrastructure and transport networks.

What is clear is that this challenge will not be solved continuing to work in isolation — it can only be solved with a cohesive and collaborative approach across the region.

While our initial transport findings have started to deliver some home truths, they have also started to shape some achievable solutions for the future.

Firstly, our governments need to deliver public transport that works for this region. We need public transport that is efficient, reliable and attractive.

Investment in our road network will still be important, particularly for freight movement, but we need to get smarter about the way we invest in solutions to move commuters around our region.

A southeast Queensland faster rail network is one of the potential solutions and provides the opportunity to create a "45-minute region".

This network would run from the Sunshine Coast to the Gold Coast via Brisbane and to Ipswich, with a future expansion to support the Lockyer Valley and Toowoomba communities.

This faster rail network would halve travel times to just a 45-minute commute to Brisbane (or in 20 minutes from Ipswich).

Faster rail is not a new or untested concept, it has been used effectively in other countries for years. What it represents is a sensible and achievable public-transport solution for our region.

Partnered with strategic investments such as Cross River Rail and the Brisbane Metro, we can avoid repeating the costly mistakes that currently face Sydney and Melbourne.

To realise a "45-minute region", it is clear from our initial findings that we cannot keep doing what we have done in the past. Ad-hoc upgrades and one-off infrastructure commitments are not going to cut it anymore.

The Council of Mayors (SEQ) has been investigating the possibility of a City Deal — a funding agreement between all levels of government to deliver long-term and co-ordinated infrastructure funding.

This same model secured a commitment for Townsville's new stadium, and a new airport for Western Sydney.

An SEQ City Deal would be the largest deal in the nation, and a game-changer for our region.

Such a deal would empower southeast Queensland to reach its full potential as a "45-minute region", which would not only help us overcome the challenges of the population boom, but also provide new economic and tourism opportunities.

If our industries are to remain competitive globally, and if we want to harness our full potential, we need to secure strategic transport infrastructure for our future.

Without a co-ordinated and strategic approach to the way we plan, develop and execute our
vision for the future, southeast Queensland will suffer the same fate as Sydney and Melbourne sooner rather than later.

Our ability to negotiate an SEQ City Deal in the next 12 months will reshape the region's future.

As leaders, the opportunity is before us right now to not only protect the liveability we enjoy across this region, but ensure we lay strong foundations for our future.

[verbatim9]

Queensland Times 9th October 2018 page 8

Premier slammed for dismissing rapid rail concept

As I mentioned before it seems very political this "vision of division". The Federal Government is already getting the business case on the way for the Toowoomba leg. So I would say *within a decade"

[SteelPan]

Pretty sad when the Premier of the State, who'll be long gone, by the time any of this stuff even gets anywhere near the starting-gate, can't come out with something semi-maybe-kinda supportive for such stuff! 

Queensland Beautiful one day and just be thankful...the weather's pretty much all we've got going for us...it sure ain't our world-class rail infrastructure!!!!

[#Metro]

I think a major issue is the opposition. They are not a strong competitor, as demonstrated by just how few years in office they have had over the last 25 years or so.



They are very slow to get off the ground. Sunshine Coast line may be an exception - maybe.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Editorial: Current leaders need to think further ahead

IN MAY this year Queensland welcomed this state's five-millionth resident, Elizabeth Lynne Mackenzie, who was born by caesarean section at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk spoke whimsically in State Parliament about this 3.7kg "special arrival" and mused about Queensland's growing interstate migration rate.

Baby Elizabeth was mentioned again in the forward of the Government's State Infrastructure Plan where State Development Minister Cameron Dick reflected on the population milestone and how it represented opportunities and challenges.

As The Courier-Mail embarks on our FutureSEQ series exploring these very issues, it is worth pondering just what life in this region will be like for 25-year-old Elizabeth in 2043.

She could be embarking on a career after graduating from QUT's Garden Point campus, where she had travelled to daily via Cross River Rail.

She and her friends might like nights out at Queen's Wharf's sky deck, grabbing a bite to eat at the restaurants of Howard Smith wharves and taking a train and then a tram directly to Burleigh Heads beach on weekends.

Elizabeth may embark on her first solo adventure overseas from Brisbane Airport's second runway or even on one of the world's biggest cruise liners that exit regularly from the Port of Brisbane's terminal. These are all infrastructure projects in the pipeline now, under construction or near complete.

How Elizabeth and her generation live, work and play in southeast Queensland in the future, however, is very much dependant on the vision of governments now and the work they are willing to undertake to make it happen.

That is why Ms Palaszczuk's brusque dismissal of a bold $70 billion fast rail plan that has been proposed by southeast Queensland's mayors is so shortsighted and disappointing.

The Premier says southeast Queensland doesn't have the population to support fast rail and her administration is focused on delivering Cross River Rail.

The Palaszczuk Government deserves much credit for backing in this $5.4 billion project after Canberra thumbed its nose at the 10.2km inner-city link. The project is not just about moving extra people from point A to point B faster but will be a catalyst for urban revitalisation and improved lifestyles well into the future.

However, Cross River Rail should be viewed as the beginning of this journey, not the end. It is a challenge for every government to look beyond the electoral cycle. There is much political risk for any administration in staking themselves to a particular vision.

But it is crucial for a region growing as quickly as southeast Queensland that expansion is guided in a holistic way to avoid hideous costly fixes in the future.

The State Infrastructure Plan, which so boldly mentions Elizabeth, is a case in point. It neither embraces the opportunities nor seeks to confront the challenges of a region where 794,000 new dwellings are forecast to be needed over the next two decades.

For a start the document offers just a four-year timetable for infrastructure investment. This is a far cry from the original infrastructure plans that were produced by the Beattie government.

Those plans did come only after The Courier-Mail's reporting over an extended period had highlighted how a dearth of infrastructure planning and investment had failed to keep pace with population. And the plans were far from perfect given the initial editions did not envisage the need for another river rail crossing.

However, they did demonstrate that the Government was cataloguing, planning, pricing and prioritising the region's infrastructure needs over a 25-year horizon.

The Southeast Queensland Regional plan, dubbed ShapingSEQ, attempts to offer a modicum of the necessary foresight. But it is more vague than visionary and shirks many of the contentious debates of the future around housing and transport to avoid any immediate political fallout.

The Palaszczuk Government, the LNP Opposition and Brisbane City Council, as well as the Coalition and Labor in Canberra, all need to step up their game and develop meaningful visions for the southeast Queensland region.

Baby Elizabeth and her generation need more than just platitudes from our current crop of politicians.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Experts call for action amid looming traffic nightmare

SOUTHEAST Queensland's major routes will be choked with traffic volumes beyond their capacity within a quarter of a century, disturbing new data reveals.

Analysis and traffic projections from a range of experts have highlighted a nightmare outlook — with the region's road network heading towards a gridlocked, concrete jungle similar to Los Angeles — unless bold steps are taken to solve the growing problem now. ...

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> 'Game-changing' new fast rail plan

AFTER years of empty promises, a plan to connect some of Australia's busiest regions with high-speed rail is on the table again and this time the multi-billion dollar plan is gathering momentum.

Victoria, Queensland and NSW have all expressed their desire to get fast rail in their states for years but it's a new proposal put forward by southeast Queensland that could finally stick.

Earlier this week, the Council of Mayors of southeast Queensland released information from a feasibility study.

The Council of Mayors, made up of 10 councils from around southeast Queensland and representing more than three million people, first looked into whether the region could host an Olympic Games last year.

The region is hoping to host the 2032 Olympic Games - a global event that the council says would pair perfectly with a high-speed rail network linking all of southeast Queensland's towns and cities.

'$70 BILLION FOR A 45-MINUTE REGION'

Regardless of whether southeast Queensland does decide to put its hand up to host an Olympic Games, the 10 mayors sitting on the council say they will still push for a high-speed rail network to turn the popular area into a "45-minute region".

Population growth and migration to the region is higher than anywhere else in Australia and by 2043, more than 5.5 million people will call southeast Queensland their home.

The cost of building the rail network, which will have its hub in Brisbane and stretch as far west as Toowoomba, will cost more than $70 billion.

The state government estimates the cost of delivering the infrastructure projects - a price tag that includes Brisbane's Cross River Rail and the city's metro - will be around $2 to $3 billion each year.

Brisbane's Lord Mayor and Council of Mayors (SEQ) Graham Quirk said the region had to be ready to

"As a region, we need to ensure we're prepared to accommodate the fast population growth that South East Queensland will face in the coming decades," Mr Quirk said.

"One of the potential solutions of the Council of Mayors' (SEQ) work to-date is an investigation into a regional faster rail network. With a North Coast Connect business case already underway, it's an ideal time to look at what a South East Queensland faster rail network could deliver for the region."

Initial findings from the study found travel times between Brisbane and the Sunshine and Gold coasts could be slashed to under 45 minutes, and reduced to just 20 minutes for Ipswich commuters.

"This could have a massive impact on congestion on many of our major transport corridors and minimise the need for future road upgrades," Mr Quirk said.

[verbatim9]

There was a pic on one of the congestion articles in reference to futher extensions of the Brisbane Metro. Kenmore, Centenary, Chermside and Carindale were all on the map. Regarding the Kenmore extension I hope it's a dedicated Mass transit corridor in form of a proper Metro, Busway or Tramway with a series of some above ground sections, cut and cover and driven tunnels. No one wants just longer buses running on the freeway via Legacy Way and regular congested roads, especially Moggill Road. Metro and LRT should be about connecting points of interest, shopping centres, residential, business and educational hubs with the expectation of further development within those hubs. Rocket style Metro buses that just go on the Freeway from Kenmore and Centenary to the city via Legacy Way is not connecting communities and minimising car use.

A preferred route that connects all these points of interest together regarding the Kenmore line would be Kenmore-Chapel Hill-Indooroopilly-St Lucia-UQ-WestEnd-City-Valley-Newstead-Hamilton-Skygate-Brisbane Cruise Terminal.

[SurfRail]

Is there really anything at Kenmore which justifies fixed mass transit?  At best if you were building something west of Indooroopilly it would be headed towards the Centenary suburbs, which means likely following the M5 alignment (and putting the closest stop at Chapel Hill or somewhere in the vicinity).

[verbatim9]

Is there really anything at Kenmore which justifies fixed mass transit?  At best if you were building something west of Indooroopilly it would be headed towards the Centenary suburbs, which means likely following the M5 alignment (and putting the closest stop at Chapel Hill or somewhere in the vicinity).

Centenary is just as sprawled as Kenmore probably even more so. Yes Moggill road to Kenmore is in need of a Mass transit corridor. Since the 70s it has been mooted. Centenary suburbs have Darra station. Kenmore and the vicinity has a younger demographic more likely to catch PT. Something needs to be done to get people out of cars and onto quick community connecting mass transit in the area as well as take pressure off Moggill road.
P.s.Centenary was also mentioned as a potential extension. Most likely Kenmore will be first.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Brisbane's mega $20b Metro network just the start

A PLANNED $20 billion expansion of the Brisbane Metro would quadruple the public transport network by 2043.

Work on stage one of the Metro is underway with services — from Eight Mile Plains to Roma St, and the University of Queensland to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital — to be up and running in 2023, followed a year later by the State Government's Cross River Rail system.

Crucial as they are, Brisbane Deputy Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the projects were just the start of addressing the region's public transport needs.

"The critical thing is to have a pipeline of projects beyond (those)," he said.

"The planning needs to be done for the next round before Metro and Cross River Rail are completed. We need to move seamlessly from those projects into the next round."

The Courier-Mail's Future SEQ series is examining transport infrastructure as part of developing an action plan for the region's effective growth over the next quarter-century to ensure liveability and prosperity. It will culminate in a major event on October 23.

"The way Metro has been designed is that it's an expandable model. The first two metro lines are just stage one and there will be stages 2, 3, 4 and 5. A network of Metro lines across the city is something we should be aspiring to," Cr Schrinner said.

Future expansions are likely to take the system to Bracken Ridge in the north, Springwood in the south, ­Capalaba in the east and, possibly, Kenmore and the Centenary suburbs in the west.

"Within that 25-year period we should be looking at all those options, absolutely," Cr Schrinner said.

They would add 62km to the 21km of existing busways being repurposed for the first two lines for the high-frequency (every three minutes peak hour, five minutes rest of the day) Metro system.

"While it's a $1 billion project, if the entire two Metro lines were delivered from scratch, I'd say it would be around a $10 billion project," Cr Schrinner said.

"So future extensions, we're looking $10 to $20 billion worth of work."

The expansion of Metro would depend on the construction of new busways by the State Government.

The State Infrastructure Plan includes the extensions to Bracken Ridge, Capalaba and Springwood. Transitways offering dedicated bus lanes to Chermside and Carindale are planned as "medium-term'' solutions. Design will start in the coming weeks on the dedicated 2.3km bus corridor between Kedron and Chermside.

Attracting private sector investment through development opportunities around new stations would be important, Cr Schrinner said, but borrowing to build vital infrastructure was "perfectly reasonable and justifiable".

Initial Metro services will operate 20 hours a day, five days a week and all night Friday and Saturdays.

Cr Schrinner said that by 2043, citywide 24/7 public transport will be the norm.

Buses and local shuttles, possibly operated by rideshare companies, will connect into mass transit such as Metro and train stations. They will be driverless within 10 to 15 years and will change their routes according to demand registered digitally.

"Just imagine you open up your app to find a journey to the city, the app knows where you are and where you want to go and then can start dynamically re-routing some hail and ride vehicles into your area," he said.

"This technology already exists now.

"You may have to take several different modes for travel but it will be delivered in a way that's convenient for people. People are prepared to make those transfers between modes if there is a time-saving or another benefit such as not having the stress of sitting in traffic."

Commuter Rebecca Topp, who catches the bus into the city from The Gap, said she hoped to see more buses serving the suburbs.

Cross River Rail — including a 10.2km rail line between Dutton Park and Bowen Hills, with a tunnel under the Brisbane River and four new underground stations at Boggo Rd, Woolloongabba, Albert St and Roma St — will raise the rail system capacity from 66 trains an hour during the morning peak now to 106 by 2036.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey said the new river crossing was the essential catalyst to enable expansions of the rail system in the future.

The latest rail strategy is currently being prepared. Mr Bailey said priorities included duplication of the Sunshine Coast line from Beerburrum to Nambour and a new spur to Maroochydore; a new line from Salisbury to the new 120,000-resident development at Greater Flagstone and Beaudesert; extending the Springfield line to Redbank Plains, Ripley and then on to Ipswich; extending the Gold Coast line to the airport and completing the Gold Coast light rail to the airport.

Corridors have been protected for the lines from Varsity Lakes to Gold Coast Airport, Beerwah to Maroochydore and Caloundra, the stretch of the Springfield line between Augustine Heights and Ipswich, and the light rail extension. Planning to protect the other corridors is underway.

But none of the projects have any funding.

The Minister said the idea of a regional rapid rail network proposed by the SEQ Council of Mayors this week was appealing, "but it comes with a big price tag. It has to stack up economically."

A report by professional services firm PwC for the Future SEQ series suggests the optimal public transport system for large cities is a series of circular routes, rather than a model which funnels people into a CBD.

"Brisbane and SEQ do not yet have sufficient critical mass to make such a system feasible," the report said.

"However, consideration must be given now for increased population in 2043, and if employment will be decentralised in the form of a series of nodes across SEQ."

Rail Back on Track spokesman Robert Dow calls for an "outer circle railway'' between Cleveland, Beenleigh and Ipswich to service high-growth areas. Growth on the privately-operated Airtrain would also see a need for duplication on that line.