QLD Votes 2024: Labor transport related policies

[ozbob]

InQueensland --> Ready or not: More than a year out from state election, campaigning has begun

Queensland has entered election mode more than a year out from polling day after the state government and opposition launched major campaign pitches. ...

[#Metro]

Opening Video - Annastacia Palaszczuk - QLD Labor

Brief mentions of transport projects underway.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Analysis: Bribie Island bridge duplication is shameless pork-barrelling $

In a case of shameless pork-barrelling, the state will spend on one 800m bridge what it's pledged in additional funding for the Bruce Highway over three years, writes state political editor Hayden Johnson.

Refusing to spend critical cash on the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Premier Steven Miles's government has resorted to playing games.

On the eve of an election it's on track to lose, the state government is choosing to spend big to save seats. ...

[RowBro]

Couriermail --> Analysis: Bribie Island bridge duplication is shameless pork-barrelling $

In a case of shameless pork-barrelling, the state will spend on one 800m bridge what it's pledged in additional funding for the Bruce Highway over three years, writes state political editor Hayden Johnson.

Refusing to spend critical cash on the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Premier Steven Miles's government has resorted to playing games.

On the eve of an election it's on track to lose, the state government is choosing to spend big to save seats. ...

With all due respect, this columnist doesn't know crap about Bribie Island clearly. The duplicated bridge is necessary at some point in the near future. Whoop de doo a bridge costs more per metre. 

[STB]

Couriermail --> Analysis: Bribie Island bridge duplication is shameless pork-barrelling $

In a case of shameless pork-barrelling, the state will spend on one 800m bridge what it's pledged in additional funding for the Bruce Highway over three years, writes state political editor Hayden Johnson.

Refusing to spend critical cash on the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Premier Steven Miles's government has resorted to playing games.

On the eve of an election it's on track to lose, the state government is choosing to spend big to save seats. ...

With all due respect, this columnist doesn't know crap about Bribie Island clearly. The duplicated bridge is necessary at some point in the near future. Whoop de doo a bridge costs more per metre. 

Honestly, the way the Murdoch media in general rambles on at times, it's like it's advocating for there to never be any infrastructure development or government spending at all, just have the money go into big business and screw everyone else!

[Stillwater]

The Courier-Mail has a vested interest in this story as it has mounted a huge campaign to 'fix the Bruce', which no-one argues against. The newspaper is throwing its weight around, using its influence ... and it wants to show readers that it can bully the government. After all, we all like a bit of pollie bashing.

The Bribie road is 100 per cent a state government responsibility. The Bruce Highway is upgraded/fixed using state and federal money. Having said that, the maintenance funding for the Bruce that the feds contributes to needs to take into consideration the clay soils that it traverses in parts (clay swelling then contracting, breaking up the road surface) and the extreme weather conditions Queensland experiences (flood,s cyclones etc.). It should not be the case that a bureaucratic formula that so many dollars a km in maintenance money should apply across Autralia. It costs more per km to maintain Queensland roads, especially in the tropical North, and this should be reflected in the cost allocations.

[RowBro]

The Courier-Mail has a vested interest in this story as it has mounted a huge campaign to 'fix the Bruce', which no-one argues against.

This frustrates me though. The Courier-Mail is a newspaper, not an advocacy group. It shouldn't be campaigning for anything!

[verbatim9]

4BC is calling it the Bribery Bridge 🤣🙂

[verbatim9]

They do need a new bridge, but the TMR option is terrible. They are going to retain the old bridge rather than build a brand new 4 lane bridge with improved clearance for boaties.

[NothingToSay]

The Courier-Mail has a vested interest in this story as it has mounted a huge campaign to 'fix the Bruce', which no-one argues against.

This frustrates me though. The Courier-Mail is a newspaper, not an advocacy group. It shouldn't be campaigning for anything!

Newspapers have always been about pushing the narrative that is convenient for their owners.

[Gazza]

Why is a bridge costing $800m?

[aldonius]

Why is a bridge costing $800m?

I mean, everything else in civil infra costs 4x as much as you'd expect now, why not a bridge?

[verbatim9]

One of the reasons are deals with the union giving them preference on Government led infrastructure projects.

[ozbob]

Fifty cent fares - permanent ?

14th September 2024

Greetings,

RAIL Back On Track notes the Premier's  commitment to make 50 cent fares permanent if Labor retains office after the October State election.
[ Couriermail --> Premier: 50 cent transport fares here to stay if Labor wins state election https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/premier-50-cent-transport-fares-here-to-stay-if-labor-wins-state-election/news-story/baca6d66d727c784efd7a68037b99487  ]

Our principle concern with this is that it may lead to a lack of funding for public transport service improvements throughout Queensland.  Fifty cent fares are fine if there is a bus to catch!

We do note, and particularly welcome however the comment by the Premier "The patronage boost, he says, will also help Translink expand services, should it become an independent transport authority after October". 

The Policy to set up an Independent transport authority is in our eyes a very significant policy for the future of public transport throughout Queensland. 

See RAIL Back On Track media 7th August 2024  "The best news! Re: State Government commitment to make Translink an Independent Authority welcomed!"  https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?msg=286183

Best wishes,
Robert

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

[ozbob]

https://x.com/QLDLabor/status/1836878540199104530

 

[#Metro]

Did we just secede from the rest of the country as suggested by that tweet? 🤔

[SilverChased]

https://x.com/QLDLabor/status/1836878540199104530

 

Doesn't ACT have free fares?

[ozbob]

^ only temporarily while they upgrade their ticketing system.

https://x.com/Transport_CBR/status/1836908646954877182

[GonzoFonzie]

Did we just secede from the rest of the country as suggested by that tweet? 🤔

Civil War: Down-under?

I guess that's one way to get out of hosting the Olympics. 

[Cleveland Line]

Queensland Labor Party Policy Platform 2023

Note: these are *not* election commitments - they are statements of what the party membership expects its elected representatives to do/follow. So they're useful to keep in mind as Labor election commitments are made.

Section 7 - TRANSPORT

LABOR BELIEFS

7.56 Labor believes in a transport system that is:

• a public good, to be provided in the public interest to all Queenslanders, with community service obligation payments where necessary
• safe for users and for those who build, operate and maintain it
• sustainable, and considers environmental, social and health impacts
• affordable and accessible for all members of the community
• efficient, integrated, connected and reliable, and supports growth of the economy
• well planned in consultation with the community, with corridors secured in advance of development
• facilitates and contributes to the just transition to a low carbon economy
• encouraging of walking and cycling as a commuting option through increasing the application of passive sun protection.

LABOR PRIORITIES IN GOVERNMENT

Policy and planning

[Refer to points 7.57 to 7.61]

Public transport

[Refer to points 7.62 to 7.82]

Source: https://queenslandlabor.org/policy/our-policy-platform/

[Cleveland Line]

Labor ushers in taxpayer-funded rebates for electric scooters, bikes

The Queensland government will introduce a rebate for e-scooters and e-bikes to encourage commuters to become less reliant on cars and reduce carbon emissions.

After its electric vehicle rebate scheme closed earlier this month, the government has set aside $1 million for the new e-mobility scheme, offering $200 towards the purchase of new e-scooters and $500 for e-bikes.

...

The government was expected to release further information on the scheme on Monday, including further information on eligibility criteria and how to apply.

With an election approaching, the caretaker convention will limit Labor's capacity to make major decisions from October 1.

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/labor-ushers-in-taxpayer-funded-rebates-for-electric-scooters-bikes-20240920-p5kca4.html

[The Vinelander]

https://x.com/QLDLabor/status/1836878540199104530

 

Doesn't ACT have free fares?

Wonderful news. So when I next venture forth from sunny Victoria for a winter holiday in Cairns, I can roll up at Roma Street and pay .50cents to travel to Cairns...yes? Perhaps .25cents because I have a concession as well!

Mike.

[ozbob]

^ no, sorry Mike.  50 cent fares only applies to Translink services, not long distance rail.

No concessions with 50 cent fares, but hey you can catch a bus in Cairns for 50 cents.

[ozbob]

https://x.com/MarkBaileyMP/status/1840893502772699606

[SilverChased]

^ no, sorry Mike.  50 cent fares only applies to Translink services, not long distance rail.

No concessions with 50 cent fares, but hey you can catch a bus in Cairns for 50 cents.

One thing I noticed is how it is so much more expensive to do long distance travel in QLD vs NSW.
As a family, there were significant discounts to travel Brisbane to Sydney. If I remember correctly, kids were $1 or free.

[ozbob]

In Ipswich this morning with Jennifer Howard MP and Wendy Bourne - Labor for Ipswich West to announce that a reelected...

Posted by Bart Mellish MP on Wednesday 9 October 2024

[ozbob]

"A re-elected Miles Labor Government will fast track business cases to upgrade Eagle Junction, Bray Park and Sunshine Stations as part of the Station Accessibility Upgrade program."

Bart Mellish MP at https://www.facebook.com/reel/1234478867894645

[ozbob]

We've struck a deal with the Brisbane City Council to bring the Metro to the Northside! More buses, better pedestrian...

Posted by Bart Mellish MP on Wednesday 16 October 2024

[#Metro]

^

There you go HTG. The premier and transport minister is literally in a video holding the map while making the announcement for Brisbane Metro extensions to the northside and layover space at Chermside.

[Jonno]

Fiddle fiddle fiddle

[#Metro]

Let's break this down a bit more:

We've struck a deal with the Brisbane City Council to bring the Metro to the Northside! More buses, better pedestrian access along Gympie road including an overpass to Chermside shopping centre and an extension of the transitway. I will always fight to deliver better public transport on the Northside

- More buses, so this implies a new Metro Bus order will be placed with HESS.
- It also implies additional standard buses will be freed up and a reorganisation of Northside bus routes, particularly along Gympie Road.
- Overpass to Chermside shopping centre - would be good to have details on what that precisely is.
- Extension of the transitway. Between where and where?

Official Media Release (28 August 2024)

Brisbane better connected: Plans for major Brisbane bus expansion unveiled
https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/101184

Quotes attributable to Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Bart Mellish

"Our 50 cent Fare initiative has been a huge success and it's great to see so many people back on public transport.

"I'm really pleased to be able to partner with Brisbane City Council to improve our network even further by introducing more stations and stops across the city and into the suburbs, including northern suburbs.

"TMR has undertaken transport demand modelling which indicates that the corridor north to Chermside and Carseldine is the priority for the high-capacity Brisbane Metro vehicles and we are investing in the short and medium term works to support this."

It has BCC backing, BCC land has been identified for the Northside depot as well. There's also $450 million waiting to be released from not building Woolloongabba busway station which could be diverted to this project.

All in all, the overall it looks like BRT will be rolled out to the Northside and the Northside BCC bus network re-arranged in the next term, regardless of which party gains office.   

[aldonius]

I don't have a source to link, but I saw an RTBU ad this morning saying that the South Pine Rd level crossing at Strathpine is going to be eliminated.

I had a chat with Nikki Boyd MP earlier this month and we talked about this (as we all know there'd been a disruption there fairly recently).

I believe the current funding commitment is for a planning study, and then further funding would proceed based on study outcomes. I'm personally not sure if it's possible to grade separate in place, or whether it would be better to e.g. upgrade Kremzow Rd and just close the LX, or if an alternative route would be buildable (e.g. an overpass along the Mott St alignment / through the car yard and the Red Rooster). I guess that's what the study is for!

[SilverChased]

Let's break this down a bit more:
...
- Overpass to Chermside shopping centre - would be good to have details on what that precisely is.
- Extension of the transitway. Between where and where?

I assume they aren't going to bother going in to the Interchange. Just as they did with route 77 to make it fast (stopping Hamilton Rd), the buses will likely stop on Gympie Rd to avoid the lights and traffic nightmare there.
As these are very busy roads, they need to make it safer and faster to cross to the shopping centre.

Transitway so far has been a bus lane. So we are just looking at this bus lane extending to Carseldine along the current road path.

[Jonno]

- Overpass to Chermside shopping centre - would be good to have details on what that precisely is.

The urban design and walkability community slowly dying on the inside.  QLD is the concrete over-engineering Capital of the World. Leading the way with World Class Unwalkable/Ugly/Unsafe Urban Design.

[Cleveland Line]

Looks like electorate level promises are still rolling out through MPs. Anyone spotted any others from local MPs?

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/ECUuU8SmBZCoukft/

JOAN DELIVERS ✅ $3.4 MILLION FOR BUSES IN HEMMANT

There's even more good news for the Bayside. The Miles Government has just announced a funding commitment of $3.4 million for a shuttle bus service for the growing suburb of Hemmant.

Hundreds of new homes have been built in Hemmant in the last two years. Having doorknocked much of Hemmant, residents kept telling me about a clear need for better roads, better amenities and better connectivity. Infrastructure and services must keep up with growing community needs.

This $3.4million towards a new bus shuttle service in the suburb will help connect families, school kids and seniors, getting them to where they want to go. And the best part - Translink fares are now permanently 50 cents!