Cultural Centre Congestion

[Stillwater]

Transport Minister agrees to discuss bridge bus congestion with Lord Mayor.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/call-to-get-halffull-buses-off-city-bridge-20111201-1o92q.html

[#Metro]

Traffic Planners: "Remove cars from the bridge"
Proposed Solution: "Remove buses from the bridge"

It reminds me of the venerable Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy pun where the character was named "Ford Prefect" because the aliens observing Earth drew the conclusion that cars were the dominant lifeform on the planet and not people.

Rastus | Brisbane - December 02, 2011, 8:18AM

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/call-to-get-halffull-buses-off-city-bridge-20111201-1o92q.html#ixzz1fNehtGA9

I LOVE this comment. (And no, it's not me).

[WTN]

I wonder if anything actually got done to the daily morning inbound busjam. In the past 2-3 weeks since this issue got in the media, I noticed the queue of buses around 9am are much much shorter. They no longer extend up the hill. My journey times into the CBD are also notably shorter (by about 10 minutes).

[Fattious]

I wonder if anything actually got done to the daily morning inbound busjam. In the past 2-3 weeks since this issue got in the media, I noticed the queue of buses around 9am are much much shorter. They no longer extend up the hill. My journey times into the CBD are also notably shorter (by about 10 minutes).

University and Grade 12 has finished for the year.

[somebody]

I wonder if anything actually got done to the daily morning inbound busjam. In the past 2-3 weeks since this issue got in the media, I noticed the queue of buses around 9am are much much shorter. They no longer extend up the hill. My journey times into the CBD are also notably shorter (by about 10 minutes).

University and Grade 12 has finished for the year.

Other than removing a few 109 and 66 trips, would that cause any difference to the congestion here?

[Golliwog]

I wonder if anything actually got done to the daily morning inbound busjam. In the past 2-3 weeks since this issue got in the media, I noticed the queue of buses around 9am are much much shorter. They no longer extend up the hill. My journey times into the CBD are also notably shorter (by about 10 minutes).

University and Grade 12 has finished for the year.

Other than removing a few 109 and 66 trips, would that cause any difference to the congestion here?

Could change the length of delay at CC due to fewer pax making a change from a southside bus to a northside bus to get to QUT KG? Would mean buses could get through CC faster.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Southbank tafe has also started wrapping up classes.

[ozbob]

From the Couriermail click here!

Council wants to drive buses underground to keep them out of Brisbane CBD

Council wants to drive buses underground to keep them out of Brisbane CBD

    by: Robyn Ironside
    From: The Courier-Mail
    December 06, 2011 12:00AM

AN ambitious plan to take Brisbane City Council buses out of the CBD by building an underground busway will compete with the State Government's Cross River Rail project for federal funding.

Called the Suburbs 2 City Buslink, the proposal by Lord Mayor Graham Quirk includes a new bus-only bridge alongside the Victoria Bridge and promises to slash up to 30 minutes from the daily commute.

The council cabinet approved funding for a $2 million feasibility study yesterday but Cr Quirk said the project would need contributions from the state and federal governments.

He said the buslink, with an estimated cost of $2.5 billion, was a more realistic plan for Brisbane than Cross River Rail and was needed to take 8000 buses off CBD streets each day.

"I think most people recognise that Cross River Rail is not going to fly in its current format. At $8 billion it's just not affordable. Also it will not address Brisbane's bus needs," Cr Quirk said.

"Without any new CBD bus infrastructure, between 300 and 400 bus services during the inbound peak hour could then be forced to terminate their journey at the city fringe."

According to plans provided by council, the buslink would come off the existing South East Busway at South Brisbane and continue under Melbourne St.

From there it would cross the river on the bus-only bridge, continue under Adelaide St then link to the existing busway network and emerge on-street at Wickham and Ann streets.

Cr Quirk said the feasibility study would take 18 months to complete with a view to begin construction later this decade.

"It's now time to start planning for this city's next major project to tackle traffic congestion," he said.

"The queues in the busway tunnel will continue to grow from South Bank to Mater Hill station and then to Woolloongabba, creating complete gridlock with buses unable to enter the CBD."

Initial council modelling shows people using the buslink from the north would save 21 minutes on their daily commute and those travelling from the south would free up 29 minutes.

"They are revolutionary time improvements and will set up the city with a lot stronger capacity," Cr Quirk said.

He said the proposal was prepared in the last few months and had not yet been presented to the State Government.

"We're doing this because the state seemed to be not doing the things that needed to be done to progress Brisbane," Cr Quirk said.

"This project is going to be critically important to the economic development progress of Brisbane in the future."

[ozbob]

Media release 6 December 2011

SEQ: Follow Ottawa example on proposed CBD bus tunnel

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers has called for public consultation on the recently announced CBD Bus link (1).  Cross River Rail is the real driver for transformation of the public transport system in south-east Queensland.  Cross River Rail has network wide capacity benefits.  A 'bus link tunnel' in its present concept is a knee-jerk reaction to the bus capacity crisis. RAIL Back On Track however welcomes Brisbane City Council's recent announcement for a feasibility study into an underground bus link under Adelaide Street.

RAIL Back on Track calls for:

1. A partnership between the State Government, including TransLink and The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) and bus operators given that busways planning and construction lies with these agencies, and that such a link would impact on the broader busway network and possibly rail system (if a link between Central Station and the tunnel were established).

2. That any tunnel be operator neutral, that is all bus operators, not just Brisbane Transport, should be able to have the chance to use the tunnel.

3. Public consultation. So far there hasn't been any.

4. A proper process to review that bus is the correct mode of choice carried out by an independent engineering consultancy for the future needs of Brisbane City. Why has the mode of bus been chosen first? (it is described as a 'bus link' not a 'mass transit link' or 'rapid transit link'). The alternative options of light rail (such as Ottawa, Canada), light metro (such as Vancouver, Canada) or standard metro (such as Toronto, Canada) options should be evaluated as previous Brisbane City Council Reports, such as the Mass Transit Report 2007, have done.

For example, by choosing metro-grade light rail rather than buses, Ottawa expects to save $100 million dollars in operational costs in its first year alone. It also means that passengers will not have to wait for "their" bus, but can catch the first service that turns up. This reduces crowding at platforms. Metro options may also allow capacity of the busway to be doubled, and options are available that can handle busway gradients (e.g. Vancouver Skytrain or rubber-tyred metro).

5. That comparable overseas examples are reviewed.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Brisbane's busways were modelled on the Ottawa Transitway system in Canada (2). Incidentally, the Ottawa Transitway is experiencing the same bottleneck issues that Brisbane is experiencing, with buses piling up and blocking city streets. After an extensive community consultation and options analysis, a bus tunnel was rejected in favour of converting the core section of their transitway to metro-standard light rail capable of carrying around 25 000 passengers/direction/hour. To put this in perspective, this is almost three times the throughput of what the Cultural Centre Busway can handle right now in peak hour - approximately 9000 passengers/direction/hour."

"A project of this scale and cost is too important to not have public consultation, not to have a proper analysis that determines which particular mode (bus/light metro/metro) is suitable for the future needs of the city. Political games have no place in proper transport planning process."

References:

1. http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/council-push-to-drive-buses-out-of-cbd/story-e6freoof-1226214567762

2. Ottawa Light Rail
   http://www.ottawalightrail.ca/en/
   http://www.ottawalightrail.ca/en/benefits#15
   http://www.youtube.com/user/OttawaLRT#p/a/u/4/nY_b7iZbHSg

Contact:

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

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

New bridge, tunnel may solve bus jam

New bridge, tunnel may solve bus jam
Tony Moore
December 6, 2011 - 3:00AM

A $2 million feasibility study will be announced this morning for a new bus-only green bridge across the Brisbane River connecting to a tunnel under Adelaide Street.

It would be Brisbane's second green bridge after the Eleanor Schonell Bridge opened between Dutton Park and St Lucia in 2006.

The announcement comes after recent stories by brisbanetimes.com.au about the number of buses which mount up on Victoria Bridge, between the CBD and South Bank, in peak periods.

Six transport experts questioned the future of the bridge, with 200 buses an hour jammed on the bridge in the morning and afternoon peaks and more are expected in the next decade.

The plan was approved yesterday by Brisbane City Council's Civic Cabinet and Lord Mayor Graham Quirk will take the proposal straight to council today.

What the plan includes

The concept includes a short tunnel from the South Bank busway near Melbourne Street, running under the Cultural Centre busway to a bus-only bridge to Adelaide Street.

The new bridge would fly over the Riverside Expressway, then meet a tunnel which runs under George Street to the King George Square Busway and under Adelaide Street to Centenary Place at Wickham Street.

Council would pay for the $2 million feasibility study, which would trigger a business case, where state and federal governments would be asked for funding.

brisbanetimes.com.au has been given a "ball park" cost of $2 billion to $3 billion, with planners hoping to start construction in 2018.

The concept builds on work begun by council in 2006 with the Brisbane City Centre Master Plan.

Cr Quirk said the new "Suburbs to City Buslink "needed state and federal funding, but said council was prepared to fund the feasibility study.

"Council cannot fund this project and nor is it our responsibility," Cr Quirk said.

"This is a state government responsibility - but I know that this infrastructure is needed - and as a city government, I think we should be prepared to contribute towards it to help make it happen but this would need to be negotiated through.

"I won't sit on my hands and do nothing – I'm committed to start the planning now so we can present a professional business case to the state and federal governments for funding."

Transport Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk last Thursday said she was prepared to discuss the future of the Victoria Bridge when she met with Cr Quirk, after a series of reports by brisbanetimes.com.au.

Ms Palaszczuk knew nothing of council's plans for a new "bus only" bridge to join up to Adelaide Street, despite it being raised in the master plan.

Under the plan, buses would disappear from congested city streets and go underground, Cr Quirk said.

New bus stations would be built at City Hall and at Post Office Square, he said.

"We need to address traffic congestion which costs Brisbane businesses and residents about $1.3 billion per year," he said.

Time savings

Early time saving estimates by council planners show considerable benefits from eliminating inner-city traffic lights.

"Buses could travel between South Brisbane and Fortitude Valley in just 11 minutes and avoid 13 sets of traffic lights," Cr Quirk said.

"Passengers travelling to and from southern suburbs could save 28 minutes on their journey, the eastern suburbs could save 23 minutes, the northern suburbs could save 21 minutes and the western suburbs could save 15 minutes."

The number of bus passengers is expected to grow from 87,000 to 192,000 in the next 20 years.

Busway or Cross River Rail

Cr Quirk understood the state government was concentrating on the Cross River Rail project to put an underground rail system under Brisbane's CBD.

He said he did not think Cross River Rail's $8 billion cost could be justified.

"Most believe it is a pipedream because of its cost," he said.

"Also it will not address Brisbane's bus needs.

"The queues in the busway tunnel will continue to grow from South Bank to Mater Hill station and then to Woolloongabba, creating complete gridlock with buses unable to enter the CBD.

"During the outbound peak we are already seeing buses queuing on the Victoria Bridge with nowhere to go."

He said council would discuss the idea with the winner of the next state election.

A spokesman for Cr Quirk said the two concepts were not exclusive because they dealt with rail and bus link separately, and could be blended.

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/new-bridge-tunnel-may-solve-bus-jam-20111205-1ofb1.html

[ozbob]

Interesting, already the early blog comments at the CM have realised the con ...

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets

6th December 2011

Re: SEQ: Follow Ottawa example on proposed CBD bus tunnel

Greetings,

It is really sad to see the mediocre level of debate and lack of  informed opinion that passes for public transport policy in Queensland.

We have been warning for years of the looming bus capacity crises.  An immediate fix is  some bus lanes and fix up the traffic lights.  All too simple for the infrastructure fetish cowboys and cowgirls ..

Hopeless!

Enjoy you delayed commute!

Best wishes
Robert

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

Media release 6 December 2011

SEQ: Follow Ottawa example on proposed CBD bus tunnel

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers has called for public consultation on the recently announced CBD Bus link (1).  Cross River Rail is the real driver for transformation of the public transport system in south-east Queensland.  Cross River Rail has network wide capacity benefits.  A 'bus link tunnel' in its present concept is a knee-jerk reaction to the bus capacity crisis. RAIL Back On Track however welcomes Brisbane City Council's recent announcement for a feasibility study into an underground bus link under Adelaide Street.

RAIL Back on Track calls for:

1. A partnership between the State Government, including TransLink and The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) and bus operators given that busways planning and construction lies with these agencies, and that such a link would impact on the broader busway network and possibly rail system (if a link between Central Station and the tunnel were established).

2. That any tunnel be operator neutral, that is all bus operators, not just Brisbane Transport, should be able to have the chance to use the tunnel.

3. Public consultation. So far there hasn't been any.

4. A proper process to review that bus is the correct mode of choice carried out by an independent engineering consultancy for the future needs of Brisbane City. Why has the mode of bus been chosen first? (it is described as a 'bus link' not a 'mass transit link' or 'rapid transit link'). The alternative options of light rail (such as Ottawa, Canada), light metro (such as Vancouver, Canada) or standard metro (such as Toronto, Canada) options should be evaluated as previous Brisbane City Council Reports, such as the Mass Transit Report 2007, have done.

For example, by choosing metro-grade light rail rather than buses, Ottawa expects to save $100 million dollars in operational costs in its first year alone. It also means that passengers will not have to wait for "their" bus, but can catch the first service that turns up. This reduces crowding at platforms. Metro options may also allow capacity of the busway to be doubled, and options are available that can handle busway gradients (e.g. Vancouver Skytrain or rubber-tyred metro).

5. That comparable overseas examples are reviewed.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Brisbane's busways were modelled on the Ottawa Transitway system in Canada (2). Incidentally, the Ottawa Transitway is experiencing the same bottleneck issues that Brisbane is experiencing, with buses piling up and blocking city streets. After an extensive community consultation and options analysis, a bus tunnel was rejected in favour of converting the core section of their transitway to metro-standard light rail capable of carrying around 25 000 passengers/direction/hour. To put this in perspective, this is almost three times the throughput of what the Cultural Centre Busway can handle right now in peak hour - approximately 9000 passengers/direction/hour."

"A project of this scale and cost is too important to not have public consultation, not to have a proper analysis that determines which particular mode (bus/light metro/metro) is suitable for the future needs of the city. Political games have no place in proper transport planning process."

References:

1. http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/council-push-to-drive-buses-out-of-cbd/story-e6freoof-1226214567762

2. Ottawa Light Rail
    http://www.ottawalightrail.ca/en/
    http://www.ottawalightrail.ca/en/benefits#15
    http://www.youtube.com/user/OttawaLRT#p/a/u/4/nY_b7iZbHSg

Contact:

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

[#Metro]

Any tunnel MUST BYPASS the Melbourne Street portal exit. Otherwise that will become the next Achilles heel...

[Jonno]

Any tunnel MUST BYPASS the Melbourne Street portal exit. Otherwise that will become the next Achilles heel...

Next? It is the current Achilles heel...

[somebody]

Interesting, already the early blog comments at the CM have realised the con ...

I don't see any blog comments in the quoted article.

As I presume you would realise, I'd much rather we suggested some best practice moves here.

Any tunnel MUST BYPASS the Melbourne Street portal exit. Otherwise that will become the next Achilles heel...

Next? It is the current Achilles heel...

Indeed.

[#Metro]

The Ottawa Busway

Vancouver Skytrain

[#Metro]

I don't see any blog comments in the quoted article.

Head over to the CM not BT

Metro - Capable of services every 80 seconds!!!

[ozbob]

... I don't see any blog comments in the quoted article.

Who said there were blog comments in the quoted article??  There already 13 comments at the CM article, as I said ...

Could be an interesting day ...  

[ozbob]

The blog at BT is open now as well ...

[Gazza]

3. Public consultation. So far there hasn't been any.

TT, how do you have a consultation "so far" if a basic plan able to be shown was not even drawn up until now?
Should BCC show a blank piece of paper and say "This is what we are going to do with the buses".
Shorncliffe path lady Mk 2.

Otherwise, good release, and very speedy

[#Metro]

Handles gradients and curves well, platforms are also short...

[#Metro]

TT, how do you have a consultation "so far" if a basic plan able to be shown was not even drawn up until now?
Should BCC show a blank piece of paper and say "This is what we are going to do with the buses".
Shorncliffe path lady Mk 2.

Otherwise, good release, and very speedy Smiley

A basic ideas and potential options are required. When TransLink proposed to build a busway outside my house many many years ago I got
plans options and meetings.

So far they seem to have already decided a route (route seems fine, but still) and a mode. This is not what the 2007 Mass Transit Report Did. It went through different options and modes, even for the CityGlider section.

Let's hope this report / study allows input. Last thing you want is a study that gets done and that's it, no public input.

[ozbob]

TT, how do you have a consultation "so far" if a basic plan able to be shown was not even drawn up until now?
Should BCC show a blank piece of paper and say "This is what we are going to do with the buses".
Shorncliffe path lady Mk 2.

Otherwise, good release, and very speedy Smiley

A basic ideas and potential options are required. When TransLink proposed to build a busway outside my house many many years ago I got
plans options and meetings.

So far they seem to have already decided a route (route seems fine, but still) and a mode. This is not what the 2007 Mass Transit Report Did. It went through different options and modes, even for the CityGlider section.

Let's hope this report / study allows input. Last thing you want is a study that gets done and that's it, no public input.

[somebody]

Not sure of the speed up of that video, but dwells and accelerations seem very quick.  Something to note.

... I don't see any blog comments in the quoted article.

Who said there were blog comments in the quoted article??  There already 13 comments at the CM article, as I said ...

Could be an interesting day ...   

Ah Ok.  Sorry.

[#Metro]

I'm not for Light Rail on the busway, my position is metro- light or heavy. But for fairness, the 'Bogota' alternative should be looked at too.

Bombardier puts their light metro system at 30 000 pphd, so that is an extra 10 000 pphd over what the busway can do plus you get network benefits of not having to wait for your bus, air expelled from the system, and all door boarding and automation (leading to labour savings). If stations are not modified, this drops to 25 000 pphd (extra 5000 pphd , so doubtful as to whether that would be worth it).

Subway might be able to double busway capacity to 40 000 pphd based on appendix E of the Mass Transit Report. Rubber tyred metros (Paris/Montreal) can also handle steep gradients.

Hopefully any tunnel can continue into Fortitude Valley and get a decent North-South axis happening. Connections at Central Station (Post Office Square) and Fortitude Valley station/mall. This would free up capacity on the QR rail system core and this extra capacity freed up would allow buses to terminate at train stations over the network. So there would be a synergistic effect...

Even if these options were not required yet, the tunnels could be designed in such a way to allow retrofit at a later date.

[Gazza]

If we get any chance to comment in the media, Id like to hammer the point that the root issue isn't bus capacity in the CBD, it's a network design that sends every bus there and doesn't feed rail properly.

Also, this project isn't an alternative to CRR because it does nothing to relieve pressure on the rail network, nor allow CAMCOS, Flagstone, GC expansions etc.

[#Metro]

If we get any chance to comment in the media, Id like to hammer the point that the root issue isn't bus capacity in the CBD, it's a network design that sends every bus there and doesn't feed rail properly.

The busways are a success and the way busways are built from the outside in, and built discontinuously (unlike rail which MUST be built by outward extension) results in the use of degraded Class B and at worst Class C ROW absolutely where it should not be used.

Any high capacity rapid transit system, with the exception of monorails and ferries, (i.e. bus/train whatever) that passes through somewhere like the CBD should, as a matter of principle, be in Class A ROW or be designed to be upgraded to that purely on core reliability and capacity needs.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Tell him he's 'dreaming': mayor's bold bridge plan dismissed

[ozbob]

Id like to hammer the point that the root issue isn't bus capacity in the CBD, it's a network design that sends every bus there and doesn't feed rail properly.

Excellent point Gazza, and I have stressed that today with the mX and other outlets. I always do ...  the problem is they take 'grabs' as they see them best.

And I don't have a problem with that, it is the nature of the 'free press' ... we live with what the world is ...

[Stillwater]

In the Brisbane Times article, the Transport Minister says the business case for the CRR will go to Canberra 'in the next few weeks'.  It has been a elusive document.  Let's hope it is a robust document, complete in every way.  Would the minister be expecting a federal funding commitment to CRR so it becomes the centrepiece of an ALP re-election campaign?  It would be interesting to see the LNP counterplay.  It would be sheer folly for the LNP not to have an alternative transport plan all ready to announce.

[colinw]

I believe occasional sightings of it have been discredited as weather balloons or the planet Venus. 

[ozbob]

In the Brisbane Times article, the Transport Minister says the business case for the CRR will go to Canberra 'in the next few weeks'.  It has been a elusive document.  Let's hope it is a robust document, complete in every way.  Would the minister be expecting a federal funding commitment to CRR so it becomes the centrepiece of an ALP re-election campaign?  It would be interesting to see the LNP counterplay.  It would be sheer folly for the LNP not to have an alternative transport plan all ready to announce.

Encouraging stuff,  you reading this LNP?   

[ozbob]

In the Brisbane Times article, the Transport Minister says the business case for the CRR will go to Canberra 'in the next few weeks'.  It has been a elusive document.  Let's hope it is a robust document, complete in every way.  Would the minister be expecting a federal funding commitment to CRR so it becomes the centrepiece of an ALP re-election campaign?  It would be interesting to see the LNP counterplay.  It would be sheer folly for the LNP not to have an alternative transport plan all ready to announce.

Encouraging stuff,  you reading this LNP?   

I am sure they are, it was just a rhetorical question for my tired body, but the mind is not!

[Jonno]

Can a motorway expansion or 2 and the funds are easily available for this.  The funding is there just being spent on the wrong infrastructure.

[colinw]

Put it another way - if the LNP back this "Quirky" plan, while deciding NOT to back CRR, then they are abandoning public transport users other than those who use the South East busway & feeders.  It would be:

- bad for the Gold Coast (Gold Coast line services can't improve further)
- bad for the Sunshine Coast (Sunshine coast line services cannot improve and there's no capacity for CAMCOS)
- bad for Cleveland (Merivale bridge paths for Cleveland services not freed up)
- bad for Beenleigh (Can't run additional Beenleigh line services)
- bad for the Western Suburbs (Can't bring back via Tennyson & South Brisbane services)
- bad for Browns Plains, Greenbank & Flagstone (Can't build new line via Salisbury & interstate corridor)
- bad for Ipswich & Springfield (Roma St junctions choke point remains)
- bad for freight traffic (more trucks on Bruce Highway)
- bad for export coal traffic (can't free up dual gauge as dedicated corridor for freight)

... and so forth.

Just BAD!!!!! Really bad!  Except for bus users in the south east corridor.

Oh, and motorists, who would get the whole Victoria Bridge back.

This state is a basket case!

[Jonno]

To have a sustainable transport system in SEQ we need both.  Will play "Find me the money" tonight!

[somebody]

To have a sustainable transport system in SEQ we need both. 

Disagree with this.

One thing we need like a hole in the head is more buses going around the indirect path via South Bank.

[ozbob]

To have a sustainable transport system in SEQ we need both. 

Disagree with this.

One thing we need like a hole in the head is more buses going around the indirect path via South Bank.

+++ 1

[somebody]

I'd actually add trains to that point. Sorry.  All the trains for Banoon-Fruitgrove should use the CRR tunnel.

[ozbob]

From the Couriermail click here!

Bus link plan 'fanciful' - state govt

Bus link plan 'fanciful' - state govt

    From: AAP
    December 06, 2011 8:20PM

THE state's transport minister has dismissed a proposed bridge and tunnel crossing for Brisbane as "fanciful", saying it would not speed up commuters' journeys.

The Brisbane City Council has commissioned a study to look at a new 3.6km bus link connecting South Brisbane with Fortitude Valley, via the CBD.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk says it could shave up to 30 minutes off commuting times, but Transport Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk says the council is rehashing a "fanciful" project that was first mooted in 2007.

Railways were a better option, she said.

"All those joint planning studies have pointed to rail as the way of the future to shift 10 times what buses can," she said in a statement.

"A $2.5 billion bus tunnel is not a solution and it's not a replacement for feasible solutions like the Cross River Rail."

Ms Palaszczuk said the council was rehashing a plan that had been mooted by former lord mayor Campbell Newman in 2007 to make up for four years of inaction on Brisbane's busways.

If the plan is realised, the Suburbs 2 City Buslink will include a bus-only bridge across the Brisbane River to separate buses from other traffic and link up with the existing underground network.

Mr Quirk said the bus link would help the city cope with the daily number of CBD bus passengers, which is expected to more than double from 87,000 to 192,000 in the next 20 years.