Cross River Rail Project

[v6hilux]

It seems like you people are suggesting that what they planned for and actually accomplished in Sydney over 100 years ago is the answer. No wonder the people in the rest of the country have been laughing at QLD and the Joe factor for decades. Now everything is PC - the laughing has stopped, but the comedic reality is still obvious to those of us that remember! The CRR had a chance when the properties were resumed and it was going to be from Salisbury to the city - but we later found out about the corruption (property deals that will be in the courts sooner or later) and all went under the carpet!

[tazzer9]

The extra tracks between bowen hills (maybe EJ) and roma street would have no benefit to the southern line, but it would allow a massive increase in services to ipswhich and springfield

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Brisbane Cross River Rail gets funding boost

BRISBANE'S stalled Cross River Rail project has received its first injection of federal funding, moving the project one step closer to reality.

The Commonwealth will provide $10 million to progress planning for the rail link and to support the establishment of the Cross River Rail Delivery Authority (CRRDA).

The funding is the first indication the Turnbull Government is committed to seeing the $5.4 billion project delivered.

It comes before Infrastructure Australia has finished assessing the CRR business case.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will be in Brisbane today for a Cabinet meeting.

The Courier-Mail understands Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher will meet with Deputy Premier Jackie Trad to discuss the long-promised rail link, which has been stuck in the planning stage since 2010.

Cross River Rail's 10.2km rail link would connect Dutton Park to Bowen Hills via a 5.9km tunnel under the Brisbane River and CBD, with new stations at Boggo Road, Woolloongabba and Albert Street.

It would ease congestion on the Beenleigh, Gold Coast and Cleveland lines at the Merivale Bridge, Brisbane's sole rail river crossing in the CBD. The Courier-Mail campaigned for Cross River Rail during its Go Queensland series.

Mr Fletcher said Cross River Rail not only has the potential to improve Brisbane's rail public transport services but to deliver city-shaping benefits.

"This is an opportunity for the Commonwealth Government to work with the Queensland Government to design a transport solution that promotes a productive, accessible and liveable Brisbane," Mr Fletcher said.

The $10m federal contribution tops up $50 million allocated by the Palaszczuk Government in the last State Budget to establish the CRRDA and start early works.

[v6hilux]

Yes, on the other hand, we had Deputy PM Joyce ridiculing the plan (he drew the figure out - "five thousand four hundred million dollars") as a waste of money and there were far more important projects like Beef Roads and Wiers needed upgrading.

Looks like that was either a move against Turnbull or just stupidity.

[#Metro]

we had Deputy PM Joyce

He's good entertainment. At least there is good music while The Titanic sinks.

[Marshal]

Yes, on the other hand, we had Deputy PM Joyce ridiculing the plan (he drew the figure out - "five thousand four hundred million dollars") as a waste of money and there were far more important projects like Beef Roads and Wiers needed upgrading.

Looks like that was either a move against Turnbull or just stupidity.

[ozbob]

http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2016/10/25/federal-government-commits-funding-to-cross-river-rail

Media Statement
Deputy Premier, Minister for Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning and Minister for Trade and Investment
The Honourable Jackie Trad

Federal Government commits funding to Cross River Rail

The Palaszczuk Government has secured the support of the Turnbull Government to finalise planning for Cross River Rail.

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad said the Federal Government has agreed to join the Cross River Rail Delivery Authority and committed an initial $10 million for further development of the project.

"Cross River Rail is our highest priority infrastructure project which will fundamentally transform South East Queensland," Ms Trad said.

"This is a city-shaping project that will be a driver of new jobs, better housing and increased productivity.

"The cooperation of the Turnbull Government will help expedite the completion of the initial stages of Cross River Rail and is the next step towards fully funding this project.

"I'm delighted Malcolm Turnbull has come on board and agreed to partner with us moving forward."

Ms Trad called on Tim Nicholls and the state opposition to join their federal colleagues and embrace the opportunity of Cross River Rail.

"We are taking the politics out of building Cross River Rail," Ms Trad said. 

"The Turnbull Government has recognised its potential and so has the Brisbane City Council.

"The Nicholls opposition are now isolated with no vision or plans for the future.

"I call on Tim Nicholls and the opposition to join their federal and council colleagues and support Cross River Rail, a project that is vital for South East Queensland's future growth.

"Our only frustration with Cross River Rail is that it is not currently under construction because the Newman-Nicholls Government tore up a 50/50 funding deal with the Federal Government in 2013."

ENDS

[ozbob]

http://www.timnicholls.com.au/premiers-pet-project-sent-back-drawing-board/

Opposition Media release

Premier's pet project sent back to the drawing board


    The $10 million from the Turnbull Government shows Cross River Rail needs more work
    Palaszczuk will have to backflip on Brisbane Metro if she accepts funding
    Labor can't get the trains to run on time let alone build a $15 billion project
    Annastacia Palaszczuk couldn't get it right as Transport Minister and nothing has changed

The funding from the Turnbull Government today shows more work is required on Cross River Rail despite Annastacia Palaszczuk saying the project was shovel-ready in September 2013.

Shadow Infrastructure Minister Deb Frecklington said this was an embarrassing setback for Annastacia Palaszczuk whose pet project was underdone and needed another $10 million spent on planning.

"On a day when Labor's incompetence has left passengers stranded, the Turnbull Government says Cross River Rail needs more work," Ms Frecklington said.

"After 20 months of being in government, Labor hasn't allocated any funding in its budget to build Cross River Rail and the project costs have blown out to more than $15 billion.

"The Turnbull Government has made it clear today that it will only support an integrated transport solution for Brisbane – not a project turf war between Annastacia Palaszczuk and Brisbane City Council over the Brisbane Metro project."

Ms Frecklington said Annastacia Palaszczuk last month told the Lord Mayor to ditch his metro-style plan, even though it would remove hundreds of buses that currently choke the city streets during peak hour.

"If Annastacia Palaszczuk accepts this money from the Turnbull Government, it will be an embarrassing backflip that she was wrong on Brisbane Metro," she said.

"Annastacia Palaszczuk needs to stop fighting with the Brisbane City Council and support the Brisbane Metro project.

"Annastacia Palaszczuk still hasn't ruled out new taxes on property owners and higher public transport fares to fill the Cross River Rail black hole."

Ms Frecklington said it had been 118 days since the LNP revealed Labor's funding plan for Cross River Rail involved six secret taxes – and Labor still had not ruled out four of these taxes that could cost Queenslanders more than $4.8 billion.

"Enough is enough, Annastacia Palaszczuk needs to come clean on which secret taxes Labor will use to fund cross river rail," she said.

[ozbob]

^

this is basically why Queensland is a basket case.  Cheap clueless politicisation of major transport policy ..

[#Metro]

"After 20 months of being in government, Labor hasn't allocated any funding in its budget to build Cross River Rail and the project costs have blown out to more than $15 billion."

NSW Power grid lease released $16 billion. Comparing against projects in Sydney and Melbourne, even if the project cost reached $15 billion, it would not be unreasonable or unusual. For projects that go into the CBD core, it is going to be expensive. That is a given.

Main thing is that the project have a BCR equal to or above 1 and more importantly, that the NPV generates large benefit to society.

"Annastacia Palaszczuk still hasn't ruled out new taxes on property owners and higher public transport fares to fill the Cross River Rail black hole."

This is stupid politics. Building infrastructure like CRR is the same as throwing bags full of gold (taxpayer paid for) over the front fence of residents and landowners in that area.

Why should they get a free windfall property value boost when they did nothing to bring the project about? Makes no sense.


PM ties Cross River Rail funds to Brisbane Metro Project
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/pm-ties-cross-river-rail-funds-to-brisbane-metro-project-20161025-gs9x0u.html

Looks like the solutions are converging... on a combined project. If that happens, a lot of people here are going to be eating humble pie. 

Mr Turnbull said it was important to get the Cross River Rail planning right and that meant integrating it with Lord Mayor Graham Quirk's pet project, the Brisbane Metro.

"The important thing is the coordination of effort, to make sure that both bus and rail services are improved in our city, and that means there has to be a single plan going forward.

[ozbob]

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/pm-ties-cross-river-rail-funds-to-brisbane-metro-project-20161025-gs9x0u.html

[ozbob]

^ absurd politics again

my feeling is that Mal is finished Tones will be back and this then all becomes moot

Eventually a series of stable governments that can actually govern and projects supported on merit might surface

Until then watch plenty of animated flythroughs 

[petey3801]

Looks like the solutions are converging... on a combined project. If that happens, a lot of people here are going to be eating humble pie. 

No, it means a lot of people will be very highly p!ssed off!
The "integrated transport plan" at this point needs to be CRR + Bus Reform.

[#Metro]

You can do all three measures. Gives strongest result.

The only reason why I left metro conversion of the SEB out of the original bus reform is because I didn't think DTMR or BCC would support it.

I was wrong - things have changed.

(I can't embed google maps in this forum)

http://tiny.cc/CRRMETRO

[achiruel]

Considering we've not had a stable Federal Government since Howard, not a stable State Government since Bligh, would anyone like to suggest when the next ones might occur, simultaneously?

The Quack Metro is a moronic idea. It beggars believe that anyone with an ounce of nouse would support it. It appears that Turnbull is doing so on purely ideological grounds, attempting to shore support for the Queensland Tories.

[ozbob]

Yep.  The Quack metro is nonsense as proposed.

It is politics at its worst to make CRR contingent on it.

Nothing is going to get done at this rate, because following Malcolm's logic, until the business case for the metro is looked at, at least 18 months away, nothing would occur with CRR and so forth.

The State Government has to grow a set or two, and just borrow and start the CRR project themselves. 

Waiting for Federal funds etc. is a just a dream ... just a dream ..

I am more than happy to support a metro.  A REAL FUKING METRO !!  NOT A FUKING TOY TRAIN SET ..

[ozbob]

But that was just a dream
That was just a dream

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

25th October 2016

Second Request: What are the Opposition's Policies on Cross River Rail!?

Greetings,

The LNP have come out attacking Cross River Rail again, criticising the project and financing sources (1).

We again ask Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls and Deputy Deb Frecklington what their policies are in relation to Cross River Rail.

Will the LNP construct Cross River Rail or a second river rail crossing, or not? If so, how will it be funded?

Frankly, RAIL Back on Track and our many members are shocked. Transport has been a race to the bottom for many years. Bus reforms ignored (1). BCC bus on time standards not met for years. Train shortages. Crew shortages. Fare policy abused as cheap pre-election votebait. Corners cut off major infrastructure projects. Chaos unleashed on train and bus.

Cross River Rail is one of the worst examples of this race to the bottom. The Queensland Government is more than capable of financing the entire cost of Cross River Rail itself. (2)

Yet, after almost nine years it has produced nothing but waffle. Every further iteration of Cross River Rail has further degraded the project. Key business case indicators - the BCR and NPV are substantially worse than the original Cross River Rail 1 project.

We have little confidence in either party to be honest. Transport under the LNP was a disaster too. Fares went up, patronage went down. Spectacularly, the LNP lost control of the transport portfolio to Brisbane City Council. They stuffed up the bus reform process and the fares. After that most of their efforts were spent on silly Segways than bread-and-butter rail and bus issues.

We again call on Tim Nicholls and Deb Frecklington - what are your policies on Cross River Rail?

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

References:

(1) Premier's pet project sent back to the drawing board
http://www.timnicholls.com.au/premiers-pet-project-sent-back-drawing-board/

(2) In addition to having assets to sell, lease or borrow against (at record low interest rates)
the Queensland Government throws away hundreds of millions of dollars each year in land tax
exemptions.

[ozbob]

Latest: Second Request: What are the Opposition's Policies on Cross River Rail!?
> https://t.co/iDWTGsv0Pl#qldpol
< vacuum > pic.twitter.com/vjDrJzv9m5

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) October 25, 2016

[Derwan]

Introducing the MaT Tunnel - something you can wipe your feet on after walking through a pile of dog sh!t.

In all seriousness through, all levels of government working together is a GOOD thing.  However they really need to assess each project on its merits, not just accept each project as is to make it "fair" (one from ALP, one from LNP).

• If the current CRR plan is the best idea, build it.
• If the current Metro plan is the best idea, build it.
• If a combined Metro and CRR tunnel is the best idea, build it.
• If an alternative metro is the best idea, plan for it.
• If the bus congestion issues can be put off by bus reform, do it.

The important things are:

• Working together on all of this.
• Letting the experts do the assessment and provide advice using a non-partisan approach.
• Being willing to accept that the current idea (whomever's it is) may not be the best one - and be willing to accept the experts' assessment.

[petey3801]

You can do all three measures. Gives strongest result.

The only reason why I left metro conversion of the SEB out of the original bus reform is because I didn't think DTMR or BCC would support it.

I was wrong - things have changed.

(I can't embed google maps in this forum)

http://tiny.cc/CRRMETRO

Btw, an 'intergrated transport solution' does not necessarily mean a combined tunnel either It means a co-ordinated approach with interchange possibilities (which can be done at one station, doesn't need a combined, several km long with stations in the same place for both).

[Fares_Fair]

Sent to all outlets:

25th October 2016

Second Request: What are the Opposition's Policies on Cross River Rail!?

Greetings,

The LNP have come out attacking Cross River Rail again, criticising the project and financing sources (1).

We again ask Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls and Deputy Deb Frecklington what their policies are in relation to Cross River Rail.

Will the LNP construct Cross River Rail or a second river rail crossing, or not? If so, how will it be funded?

Frankly, RAIL Back on Track and our many members are shocked. Transport has been a race to the bottom for many years. Bus reforms ignored (1). BCC bus on time standards not met for years. Train shortages. Crew shortages. Fare policy abused as cheap pre-election votebait. Corners cut off major infrastructure projects. Chaos unleashed on train and bus.

Cross River Rail is one of the worst examples of this race to the bottom. The Queensland Government is more than capable of financing the entire cost of Cross River Rail itself. (2)

Yet, after almost nine years it has produced nothing but waffle. Every further iteration of Cross River Rail has further degraded the project. Key business case indicators - the BCR and NPV are substantially worse than the original Cross River Rail 1 project.

We have little confidence in either party to be honest. Transport under the LNP was a disaster too. Fares went up, patronage went down. Spectacularly, the LNP lost control of the transport portfolio to Brisbane City Council. They stuffed up the bus reform process and the fares. After that most of their efforts were spent on silly Segways than bread-and-butter rail and bus issues.

We again call on Tim Nicholls and Deb Frecklington - what are your policies on Cross River Rail?

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

References:

(1) Premier's pet project sent back to the drawing board
http://www.timnicholls.com.au/premiers-pet-project-sent-back-drawing-board/

(2) In addition to having assets to sell, lease or borrow against (at record low interest rates)
the Queensland Government throws away hundreds of millions of dollars each year in land tax
exemptions.

This from memory so I'm open to correction.
The fares did go up under the LNP 2 times I think, but only by half of the 15% proposed increases the prior Labor Gov't initiated (Hon AP was then Transport Minister), before freezing the fares once and then reducing the fares by 5% in November 2014.

Labor initiated the fare freeze in December 2015 for 6 months.
Fare cuts to come in January 2017, something to look forward to 



That said, I reckon Mr R Dow deserves a medal for all his many years of public transport improvements, communications and sheer stoic dedication   

[ozbob]

Fares went up.  Matters little what the quantum was.  There is no guarantee that ALP would have stuck with the fare path in any case.

Fares went up is true.

I just hope things hold together longer enough for SEQ to move onto the new fare structure   

[petey3801]

Sent to all outlets:

25th October 2016

Second Request: What are the Opposition's Policies on Cross River Rail!?

Greetings,

The LNP have come out attacking Cross River Rail again, criticising the project and financing sources (1).

We again ask Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls and Deputy Deb Frecklington what their policies are in relation to Cross River Rail.

Will the LNP construct Cross River Rail or a second river rail crossing, or not? If so, how will it be funded?

Frankly, RAIL Back on Track and our many members are shocked. Transport has been a race to the bottom for many years. Bus reforms ignored (1). BCC bus on time standards not met for years. Train shortages. Crew shortages. Fare policy abused as cheap pre-election votebait. Corners cut off major infrastructure projects. Chaos unleashed on train and bus.

Cross River Rail is one of the worst examples of this race to the bottom. The Queensland Government is more than capable of financing the entire cost of Cross River Rail itself. (2)

Yet, after almost nine years it has produced nothing but waffle. Every further iteration of Cross River Rail has further degraded the project. Key business case indicators - the BCR and NPV are substantially worse than the original Cross River Rail 1 project.

We have little confidence in either party to be honest. Transport under the LNP was a disaster too. Fares went up, patronage went down. Spectacularly, the LNP lost control of the transport portfolio to Brisbane City Council. They stuffed up the bus reform process and the fares. After that most of their efforts were spent on silly Segways than bread-and-butter rail and bus issues.

We again call on Tim Nicholls and Deb Frecklington - what are your policies on Cross River Rail?

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

References:

(1) Premier's pet project sent back to the drawing board
http://www.timnicholls.com.au/premiers-pet-project-sent-back-drawing-board/

(2) In addition to having assets to sell, lease or borrow against (at record low interest rates)
the Queensland Government throws away hundreds of millions of dollars each year in land tax
exemptions.

This from memory so I'm open to correction.
The fares did go up under the LNP 2 times I think, but only by half of the 15% proposed increases the prior Labor Gov't initiated (Hon AP was then Transport Minister), before freezing the fares once and then reducing the fares by 5% in November 2014.

Labor initiated the fare freeze in December 2015 for 6 months.
Fare cuts to come in January 2017, something to look forward to 



That said, I reckon Mr R Dow deserves a medal for all his many years of public transport improvements, communications and sheer stoic dedication   

Yep, that's correct.
Up 7.5%;
Up 7.5%;
Down 5% (due tocarbon tax abolishment).

[tazzer9]

Even north korea can sort of their metro and rail systems.   

This nonsense combined idea is why politicians should have with real qualifications like engineering and medicine before entering politics.
They will see that there is a world beyond a ballot paper.   They should learn their vote buying takes away from real projects.   Brisbane needs a metro, but not quirks long automatic bus. 

[ozbob]

The really sad thing is that a Prime Minister can actually notionally support such an absurd proposition as the Quacker ...

No wonder the country is in the mess it is.

I don't know how, but all major infrastructure needs to be de-politicised.   Infrastructure Australia is meant to be, they review etc. but that means little in what ends up getting done.

No more of this nonsense.

The State Government needs to say stuff the games. Sorry Graham, go away and come back when you have something sensible.  In the meantime direct that bus network reform will occur.

Cross River Rail needs to funded from state resources, just start it, tomorrow preferably.

Eventually change will occur at a Federal level that will be akin to the Renaissance  ... no point in playing the stupid games any more as it is.

The state is going backwards at a very rapid rate of knots now ...

[ozbob]

Getting down to business on #CrossRiverRail with @PaulFletcherMP after fed govt commit $10m & take seat at table #qldpol pic.twitter.com/mpz6IhhTrx

— Jackie Trad (@jackietrad) October 25, 2016

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Opinion: Queensland Rail crisis - what were the board doing?

THE most recent fiasco involving the opening of the Redcliffe Peninsula Rail Line has the Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Minister for Transport, Sterling Hinchliffe, running around in circles suggesting yet another forensic investigation is needed.

The Premier has now appointed Phillip Strachan, a former chief executive at Rio Tinto, to conduct the review into the train driver shortage (and presumably he's not doing it for free).

I've been asking myself where our well-remunerated senior transport bureaucrats and the Queensland Rail Board, ostensibly stuffed with worthies, were.

Just what has the board been doing? Where is the oversight and monitoring of the performance of this vital public service utility?

Maybe we need to review the board structure and membership to make sure it has sufficient senior railway management operating expertise and experience.

Running a railway is not exactly rocket science. But it does require the application of some basic management skills, like effective planning and preparation for new events.

The opening of the Redcliffe Peninsula Line was well known months in advance. It was already delayed by several weeks with another project management stuff up – incompatible signalling systems.

Introducing extra services – any extra services – requires additional resources including rolling stock and personnel. Planning for such new events and operating conditions is a basic management task and QR chief executive Helen Gluer readily admits there was a failure in this respect. But why? Once the new services are planned, it's a matter of simple arithmetic to determine how many trains and crew are needed to run the network.

Forensic examinations are not really required. If the minister sat down with the QR board and senior Transport and Main Roads and QR management and asked a few pertinent questions, my view is he would find out pretty damn quick what the problem was.

But the key and immediate task is to relieve commuter pain and restore certainty and regularity to the train services. This requires the recruitment and training of some 100 additional train drivers. No mean task, it could take many months to get raw recruits up to the required standards of competence and safety. But this could be accelerated if the new recruits already had some knowledge of train operations and procedures. Is there a source of such recruits?

QR is one of the few suburban railways to operate trains with a driver and a guard, whose main task is to operate the doors at stations. On most modern suburban railways, the doors are operated by the driver or automatically. QR train guards should provide a good source for driver recruits. And the new rolling stock being delivered to QR has no provision for guards so it may be QR could fast-track the retraining of guards as drivers. Anything which helps relieve commuter pain should be on the table.
Introducing extra services requires additional resources including rolling stock and personnel. Planning for such new events and operating conditions is a basic management task and QR chief executive Helen Gluer (above left with Transport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe) readily admits there was a failure. But why?

Minister Hinchliffe needs to show his mettle as a dynamic decisive operator. Grab the proverbial QR bull by the horns and steer it firmly in the direction of problem resolution rather than wasting time and resources on yet more forensic navel gazing.

However, these QR debacles – firstly with the signalling delays and now a train driver shortage – beg the question: Do we have the best and most efficient QR management and governance model?

After all, a new megaproject is on the horizon with Cross River Rail. Can we look forward to more project management and service implementation failures with this $5.4 billion project?

The Government could do well to review the role and relationships between TMR, QR and the proposed Cross River Rail Delivery Authority. To me this split accountability is a recipe for disaster, paving the way for finger pointing and blame shifting when the going gets tough and rough as is bound to happen. I'm waiting with bated breath for the master plan and modus operandi for this project to be revealed.

For the public to have any faith the Cross River Rail project can be delivered on budget, on time and with the minimum of planning and project management errors, it is vital the Government demonstrate that this most recent problem associated with the opening of the Redcliffe line be dealt with efficiently, effectively and economically and that it is the last of the complications and delays.

Peter Quick is a Sunshine Coast-based transport professional

[tazzer9]

Turnbull is either supporting him because he has been told to support his party.  Or because his love of trains has blinded him.  (tbf, the quirk metro would be fun and comical to ride on)

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Cross River Rail: Single intersection key to immediate congestion relief

There is no doubt that the State Government's plans to build Cross River Rail must be the number one public transport infrastructure priority in south-east Queensland. But it's not about the potential of servicing a whole new area of the CBD with a high capacity rail service – places like Albert Street and Eagle Street become an easy walk from a train.

In recent years we've seen whole new growth areas such as Springfield and Redcliffe able to take advantage of rail with connecting buses under an integrated ticketing framework.

But others benefit from these lines too. The Moreton Bay Rail line, for example, means more services for anyone on the northern line from Petrie all the way to the City. Likewise, the Springfield Line for people using stations from Darra inwards.

Yet there are two critical choke points that mean there is very little room for further future service expansion. There are only two tracks across the Brisbane River in the inner city. Trains coming from the south then have to cut across the western line to Ipswich and Springfield, further limiting capacity.

We need to further extend the Gold Coast line ultimately to the Coolangatta Airport and build a line to Beaudesert to serve growth areas such as Flagstone and Yarabilba. This can't be done without Cross River Rail giving increased capacity into the city centre.

This project was listed "ready to proceed" by Infrastructure Australia in 2012. Lack of agreement between parties at a State level and with Federal Governments has delayed progress. There is every reason, post Tony Abbott, that both sides of Federal politics will ultimately support the project, yet on current time frames it won't open until 2023.

In the meantime, the Brisbane City Council has commenced investigations into a Brisbane Metro to increase bus capacity into the city. Our busway network is arguably one of the best in the world. But at 16,000 passengers an hour it's also a victim of its success. About half of the peak hour South East Busway traffic has to get off at Woolloongabba to come in on the South East Freeway.

Why? The Busway also has a capacity issue. The greatest problem is the dysfunctional intersection between the Victoria Bridge and Grey Street. The intersection causes bus and traffic congestion, is dangerous to pedestrians, and has almost zero interface with the South Brisbane Railway Station. In our cultural heartland we have a traffic wasteland.

Fixing this intersection is the key to getting immediate relief. The State owns three corners of this intersection and has ultimate control of the intersection itself.

The solution is to underground the intersection and move the cultural centre bus stop closer to the rail station so they are truly integrated. The result? An immediate increase in capacity of the busway and, prior to Cross River Rail opening, an ability for Qld Rail to put on new services terminating at South Brisbane but linked to a busway to get commuters quickly into the CBD.

Is this justified? It gets immediate capacity benefits. It has permanent benefits even after Cross River Rail and will create a fantastic podium level public space that integrates all four corners of a blighted intersection and can be partially paid for by a job-creating high-rise above it.

And the Bus metro? Why spend the money converting a state busway that can take any bus – not just special wheeled ones) into a metro that can only take specialised buses? What happens to the buses on the UQ, South-Eastern and Eastern Busways? They will need interchanges onto the metro bus. Why do that at a multibillion-dollar cost when you can increase capacity in the existing busway network and interchange with rail with a far greater capacity and SEQ-wide reach?

The solution is to spend far less money to get increased capacity out of the existing world-class busway and then to have those buses that don't use the busway interconnecting with a greatly increased rail system that brings them into the city.

If the money from the Federal Government does anything, it should quickly sort out these issues, give the green light for cross river rail and let the City Council off the Metro hook by fixing capacity issues in the existing busway network.

Paul Lucas is a former Transport, Planning and Infrastructure Minister and Deputy Premier of Queensland.

[ozbob]

Ten News --> Cross River Rail

The Prime Minister, has announced a funding boost for Brisbane's Cross River Rail project, as he calls for a unified approach to beat the transport woes.

Brief cameo by yours truly!   

[ozbob]

Rail Express --> Federal funding takes politics out of Cross River Rail: Trad

Queensland infrastructure minister Jackie Trad says $10 million in funding from the Federal Government to help plan Brisbane's proposed Cross River Rail project was a sign the project has bipartisan support.

"We are taking the politics out of building Cross River Rail," Trad said this week, after the Turnbull Government said it would contribute $10 million to progress planning and early works for the project.

"I'm delighted Malcolm Turnbull has come on board and agreed to partner with us moving forward," Trad said.

"The cooperation of the Turnbull Government will help expedite the completion of the initial stages of Cross River Rail and is the next step towards fully funding this project.

"Cross River Rail is our highest priority infrastructure project which will fundamentally transform South East Queensland.

"This is a city-shaping project that will be a driver of new jobs, better housing and increased productivity."

Turnbull said the funding would also support the establishment of the Cross River Rail Delivery Authority.

"This is an opportunity for the Commonwealth Government to work with the Queensland Government to ensure a long-term and integrated solution to reduce congestion in the CBD, improve public transport services and strengthen urban renewal and amenity opportunities offered by Cross River Rail," Turnbull said in a joint statement with major projects minister Paul Fletcher.

"More work is required on how the Cross River Rail project will interact with other transport projects such as the proposed Brisbane Metro," the PM explained.

"The Commonwealth Government encourages all levels of Government to work together to develop integrated transport solutions."

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Brisbane Cross River Rail delivery authority sparks furore between council and state

Brisbane City Council has slammed the creation of an authority to deliver Cross River Rail as a move to expand the Queensland government's role in city planning.

Council chief executive officer Colin Jensen said Brisbane was experiencing an "unprecedented level of Queensland government planning intervention".

Mr Jensen pointed the finger at Priority Development Areas (PDAs), state planning regulatory provisions, ministerial call-ins and ministerial directions.

"The city is at risk of becoming a two-speed development environment," Mr Jensen said.

"This approach is not sustainable."

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad has called in the headline-plagued West Village project at West End, seizing planning control of the old Absoe site from council.

Mr Jensen made the comments in a two-page letter and 13-page submission to the Cross River Rail Delivery Authority bill, which would create a statutory body to deliver the project.

Cross River Rail is a $5.4 billion project which would include 10.2km of rail from Dutton Park to Bowen Hills, providing a much-needed extra river crossing.

Mr Jensen said council strongly opposed the bill in its current form.

"Council is seriously concerned about the proposal to expand the authority of the Queensland government in the city's planning," Mr Jensen said.

He says the bill "represents an unprecedented removal of planning power from the state's largest local government under the guise of a transport infrastructure delivery project".

The authority's powers would include acquiring land connected with the Cross River Rail project and operating outside politics with an independent board.

Council's submission strongly opposes giving the authority the power to declare PDAs.

"To remove council from these functions and give such broad powers to a commercial entity who is not accountable to the community, and apply this framework to such a broad part of the city, represents a level of intervention by the Queensland government previously unwitnessed in the history of the city," it reads.

"The bill does not require the commercial entity to consult or include council in any of its activities. The bill was prepared with the full exclusion of council... The commercial entity is not required to consider or consult with council in any of its dealings."

Council wants the bill amended to mandate council input and consultation, including consultation with the community.

However, Mr Jensen said council supported Cross River Rail and the benefits it would bring to the city.

"Particularly with the opportunity to work together with the Brisbane Metro Subway System," he said.

Government committed to delivering Cross River Rail: Trad

Council has its own public transport infrastructure project on the table, proposing the Brisbane Metro during the lead-up to the 2016 election.

Ms Trad hit back at council's claims, and said the intimation the state was entering a two-speed development environment was farcical.

"Earlier this year, we passed our new planning act that delivers a better, fairer planning system for Queenslanders and for councils," she said.

Ms Trad said the government was committed to partnership with the federal government and council to deliver Cross River Rail.

"Each level of government will have a seat at the table on the delivery authority," Ms Trad said.

"The authority's powers are not new.

"It will utilise existing legislative powers to enable the coordinated delivery of this city-shaping project.

"It will be one of the responsibilities of the authority to explore and finalise a funding model and lead procurement for this project and we will continue to keep the community informed as this progresses."

Ms Trad said the authority would ensure that Cross River Rail was not derailed by politics.

The Property Council of Australia's submission said it was cautious of "value sharing" or "value capture" levies being used to finance the rail project.

"Poorly designed 'value capture' levies, based on perceived increases in property values, pose a significant economic risk," it reads.

The property council argues it can be difficult to quantify increases in property value due to a new piece of infrastructure.

"An increase in land value also doesn't necessarily mean that the owner has greater income to pay an additional new tax," it says.

The property council strongly supported the Cross River Rail project.

[BrizCommuter]

^ Brisbane is well and truly screwed with the current breed of politicians!

[tazzer9]

^ Brisbane is well and truly screwed with the current breed of politicians!

Not just queensland  but australia in general.   Other states arent much better.   Just look at the sydney metro fiasco. Adelaide metro electrification and gauge conversion.   Victorian govt holding back v/line from greatness and RRL shortcuts. 

[ozbob]

^ Brisbane is well and truly screwed with the current breed of politicians!

Second that!   

[BrizCommuter]

^ Brisbane is well and truly screwed with the current breed of politicians!

Not just queensland  but australia in general.   Other states arent much better.   Just look at the sydney metro fiasco. Adelaide metro electrification and gauge conversion.   Victorian govt holding back v/line from greatness and RRL shortcuts.

At least Melbourne and Sydney are getting new rail tunnels!

[Gazza]

How is the Sydney Metro a fiasco?

[tazzer9]

^^^ While its finally getting along.   That took many years and it came through many versions.
Even now, they don't know for certain where it will end up after going through the city.   

There is also the problem of the NW section opening well before the extension into the city, which should have been the priority.  There is also the shutting down of the ECRL for months, and half of it is to remove newly installed equipment. 

[SurfRail]

^^^ While its finally getting along.   That took many years and it came through many versions.
Even now, they don't know for certain where it will end up after going through the city.   

There is also the problem of the NW section opening well before the extension into the city, which should have been the priority.  There is also the shutting down of the ECRL for months, and half of it is to remove newly installed equipment.

In order:

1. Bankstown, and potentially Liverpool.  I think the idea of branching it at either end has (quite rightly) been dropped.
2. The NW section will have strong local demand regardless of the lack of through-seating to the CBD.
3. Rail lines get shut down for this type of conversion all the time in places much better run than here (eg London).