Ministerial Statement: $8 million 750-bike RBWH cycle centre ...

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Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
31/01/2009

$8 million 750-bike RBWH cycle centre to provide jobs and ease congestion

Work has begun on construction of a new, environmentally friendly $8 million cycle centre, with capacity for up to 750 bikes, at the Royal Brisbane Women's Hospital site in Herston.

Marking the start to construction of the project today, Transport Minister John Mickel said the cycle centre would not only play an important congestion-busting role, but would also generate 63 jobs during construction.

The cycle centre is being built by the Northern Busway Alliance in combination with the Northern Busway from Herston to Windsor.

The 750-bike cycle centre will be even larger than the existing 400-bike facility at King George Square, which was constructed as part of the Inner Northern Busway.

"The construction of this cycle centre alone will generate 63 new jobs in 2009 during tough economic times," Mr Mickel said.

"When finished in September this year it will provide end-of-trip facilities for cyclists and pedestrians to encourage healthy travel and get more commuters to leave their cars at home.

"It will also provide facilities for those of the 18,000 staff, outpatients and visitors who attend the RBWH complex every day and who choose to cycle, as well as others who live or work in the Bowen Hills and Herston areas.

"The centre has been designed to provide secure storage for cycles and clean, modern change facilities, so people can ride to the centre, leave their bike and take a bus to the CBD for work or shopping.

"To make cycling and walking options even more attractive, we need quality end-of-trip facilities where people can securely park their bikes, change clothes and freshen up," he said.

"This new end-of-trip facility will complement existing government cycle centres, including the first class King George Square Cycle Centre, and the end-of-trip facilities in Queensland Government buildings."

When completed the cycle centre will be operated by Queensland Health who will charge a modest fee to users cover the operating costs of the centre.

Mr Mickel said the busway and the cycle centre were being built with state-of-the-art environmental features.

Underneath the cycle entre will be three huge rainwater tanks with total capacity of 91,000 litres, which will be used to clean the busway station and to water the adjacent hospital gardens.

Mr Mickel said the new cycle centre would have:

    * 750 bicycle parking spaces - capable of being expanded to 900 spaces in future
    * 40 showers with a movable dividing wall so the proportion of male/female showers can be altered to meet demand
    * 900 lockers
    * A towel service
    * CCTV and other security measures
    * Direct connection to the new Northern Busway RBWH Station.

"The Queensland Government's Q2 vision is for a Strong, Green, Smart, Healthy and Fair Queensland and this centre ticks just about all of those boxes."

Mr Mickel said that since the busway construction started in early 2008, the Alliance workforce hasdnotched up 50,000 training hours on the project.

"In February they expect to reach the tremendous milestone of 500,000 hours with no lost time incidents," he said.

The Minister said the new RBWH Cycle Centre was one of many Queensland Government initiatives aimed at tackling congestion around the CBD.

"It coincides with the government's recent announcement of an $18 million boost for 89 new cycle network projects across South East Queensland, which will make it easier for cyclists and pedestrians to commute to the city for work and leisure," he said.

"More cyclists and pedestrians mean less private cars, less congestion and less harmful exhaust gas emissions. It's also healthy and saves money for the people involved."

Mr Mickel said that transport connections to the new cycle centre were considered as part of the project development.

"The new centre is located close to many current and future cycle connections, including the Bowen Hills Urban Development Area, Airport Link connections at Enoggera Creek, and the North South Bypass Tunnel connections to O'Connell Terrace," he said.

"Improved cycle facilities and connections that have already been provided by the government to the south and west of the CBD have resulted in a seven fold increase in bicycle mode share in the past 20 years.

"I believe additional and enhanced dedicated facilities for cyclists and pedestrians will encourage more inner north residents to embrace healthy and sustainable transport options."

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