The Sunshine Coast Case : Rail duplication Beerburrum to Nambour

[kram0]

Let's hope it's a case of not p%ssing about and let's get building within 2 years and operating in 2025. But this is politicians we are talking about.

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> Fast rail: Travel from the Coast to Brisbane in 45 minutes

THE Sunshine Coast has been shortlisted for a fast rail project that would slash travel time to Brisbane to 45 minutes.

The project, North Coast Connect, is being pushed by an alliance of Queensland federal MPs, led by Fairfax MP Ted O'Brien, and a high profile corporate consortium, including Stockland, KPMG, Urbis and Smec.

Mr O'Brien said the project would revive the CAMCOS link, which would provide a branch line up the coast from Beerwah to Maroochydore. It would also involve an upgrade of the line to Nambour.

The MPs have called on the Turnbull Government to hand over a hefty chunk of the $10 billion funding under its National Rail Program.

The project was the only Queensland submission to make the short-list of 11 from the original 26 proposals.

Only three will receive a slice of funding, with the winning projects to be announced med-February by Urban Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher.

Mr O'Brien said the project could cost anywhere between $3-$5 billion, and would have the potential to create thousands of jobs.

"Connecting the new CBD and new international airport to fast rail would deliver huge economic and social benefits to our region," he said.

"The fast rail would hugely relieve pressure from the Bruce Highway.

"And of course, it provides a dream opportunity to revitalise Nambour.

"If we can get fast rail, as opposed to the standard 100-year-old rail here on the Coast, where somebody can wake up in Nambour at 7am and be sitting at their desk in Brisbane's Adelaide St by 8am then we open up so many opportunities.

"This is far more than a transport solution. It's a vision for a better-connected Queensland and a better-connected Sunshine Coast."

Mr O'Brien said if successful, the Federal Government would fund 50% of the project with State Government, the Sunshine Coast Council and the private sector to fill the gap.

But the business case could take anywhere from 18 months to two years to finish and up to 10 years for the full project to completed.

However, Mr O'Brien said the fast rail from Brisbane to Nambour would be built within five years.

"There is no game- changer bigger for the Coast than this," he said.

"It's big and its bold.

"What we need to really get the project going in a ticket of unity among all governments, the community and investors.

"With a complicated project like this, it is expected there will be hurdles, but you don't get into politics to walk on egg shells the whole time."

Member for Fisher Andrew Wallace has also throw his support behind the project.

"Sunshine Coast Federal LNP Members understand that our transport woes will not be cured by simply adding lanes to the highway," he said.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/953745303257022464

[not_available]

Yes please.
Hopefully (if this project gets past this next bit - if not (when's the next federal election coming?) ) it will have provisions for/includes the North West Transportation Corridor alignment (with the ~3 stations), and a full 4-track section from Petrie - Strathpine is probably necessary. And it would be nice if they have it all done preferably before 2089.

[dancingmongoose]

45 minutes is a pie in the sky, especially without the Trouts Road corridor

[SurfRail]

Is this a joke?  Serious question.

[red dragin]

Is this a joke?  Serious question.

I did check the date first too.
But it has some serious backers in Stocklands, SMEC (Snowy Mountains) & KPMG (the Fed Government's favourite accounting firm). Yes, they all have a vested interest in it getting up, but private enterprise doesn't do stuff for 'the vibe' of it.

[Matt]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/953745303257022464

This development is what Sydney needs and we look like getting. 

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Brisbane to Sunshine Coast in 45 minutes under new rail proposal

Forty-five minute train trips between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast are being touted in a proposal pushing for billions of dollars in federal government rail funding.

The North Coast Connect project would see the long-awaited duplication of the line between Beerburrum and Nambour and add a new rail spur connecting the region's main coastal hubs to Brisbane for the first time.

It has been put together by a 26-member LNP political bloc dubbed Team Queensland, to be delivered by a consortium including development giants Stockland, Smec, Urbis and KPMG, according to Sunshine Coast MP Ted O'Brien.

The Member for Fairfax said the project was one of 11 shortlisted for a share in $20 million of federal funding to develop a business case, with three winners to be chosen within a month.

"I don't think there is any greater game changer for the regions of Moreton Bay and the Sunshine Coast than fast rail," he said, calling on Labor MPs, state and local governments to form a "unity ticket" behind the proposal.

A state government spokesman welcomed the proposal but called for more detail.

"What the LNP need to understand is that none of these proposed new rail lines will work without Cross River Rail to open up the network," he said.

"The only way extra capacity on the Sunshine Coast can work is if there are no bottlenecks further down the line."

The Turnbull government made $10 billion available for National Rail Program funding last year, prompting a pledge from "Team Queensland" to secure as much of it as possible for the Sunshine state.

Mr O'Brien was hesitant to name a total cost for North Coast Connect at such an early stage but suggested it could be in the ballpark of $5 billion, "give or take one or two billion".

The proposal was the only Queensland project to remain in the running for the business case funding, which the MPs hoped to use to press their case for NRP funds.

To achieve a 45-minute trip between Nambour and Brisbane, or 30 minutes from Beerwah, trains would need to be able to travel between 150km/h and 200kmh/h, far in excess of current average speeds, Mr O'Brien said.

That would mean the rail line from Brisbane to Beerburrum would need upgrading, along with significant changes to rail alignments in the Beerburrum to Nambour Rail Upgrade Project.

The new 40-kilometre rail spur would connect the Sunshine Coast Airport, Mooloolaba, Maroochydore's new town centre, Kawana, Caloundra and the Aura mega development at Caloundra south, Mr O'Brien said.

"Duplication of the Beerburrum to Nambour rail line has been a high priority and the need to improve commuter travel to Brisbane is a no-brainer.  Well, right now we have the opportunity to pursue an even better solution," he said.

Minister for Urban Infrastructure Paul Fletcher, who is expected to announce funding next week, said the business cases should demonstrate faster rail travel times through new or upgraded rail infrastructure.

"In addition, business cases must outline initiatives that will increase housing choices by opening up regional areas, encourage job and career opportunities, and improve access to specialist services for people in regional areas, as well as major events," he said.

Mr O'Brien said the proposal could revitalise Sunshine Coast hinterland rail towns but admitted the fast trips would only be possible on express services.

"I'm fairly confident but, I've been involved in so many commercial transactions over the years that it's silly to be overly confident," he said of next month's funding announcement.

"There's some way to go yet.

"There's always a risk, coming out making very clear of your intent before you've got any deal signed and sealed but I think it's necessary to test the pulse of the community."

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> State govt puts brakes on fast rail plan for Coast

THE Queensland Government says Coalition plans for fast rail from the Sunshine Coast would not work without Cross River Rail in Brisbane to open up bottlenecks in the system.

The Premier will speak at 10.30am on the federal government's short-listing of a fast train service from the Sunshine Coast to Brisbane.

It is one of 11 projects nationally short-listed to be one of three in the running for funding from the federal government's $10 billion rail infrastructure budget.

"There has been a Coalition Government in Canberra since 2013," a Queensland Government spokesperson said.

"Finally, they're joining the discussion on investment in Queensland transport infrastructure.

"We need to see the detail of this proposal.

"The LNP need to understand none of these proposed new rail lines will work without Cross River Rail to open up the network.

"The only way extra capacity on the Sunshine Coast can work is if there are no bottlenecks further down the line.

"The way you ensure that is with Cross River Rail which the Federal Government refused to support.

"Labor is getting on with the job and building Cross River Rail."

[not_available]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> State govt puts brakes on fast rail plan for Coast

THE Queensland Government says Coalition plans for fast rail from the Sunshine Coast would not work without Cross River Rail in Brisbane to open up bottlenecks in the system.

The Premier will speak at 10.30am on the federal government's short-listing of a fast train service from the Sunshine Coast to Brisbane.

It is one of 11 projects nationally short-listed to be one of three in the running for funding from the federal government's $10 billion rail infrastructure budget.

"There has been a Coalition Government in Canberra since 2013," a Queensland Government spokesperson said.

"Finally, they're joining the discussion on investment in Queensland transport infrastructure.

"We need to see the detail of this proposal.

"The LNP need to understand none of these proposed new rail lines will work without Cross River Rail to open up the network.

"The only way extra capacity on the Sunshine Coast can work is if there are no bottlenecks further down the line.

"The way you ensure that is with Cross River Rail which the Federal Government refused to support.

"Labor is getting on with the job and building Cross River Rail."

Why don't we have both? (cue Mexican music & fiesta)

[ozbob]

Exactly. I just spoke to a journo.

The previous ALP Govt submitted the business case to IA for stage 1 SCL Beerburrum to Landsborough July 2017. 

They should say thank you and let's start.   

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/JoshBavas/status/953810801416011776

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/abcbrisbane/status/953770749159866368

[Stillwater]

There are some wonderful subtleties at work here.  Most of it political as usual (and unfortunately).

Labor submits business case (finally) for Beerburrum to Landsborough North duplication in July 2017 and now gets narky when the Feds incorporate that stage into a fast rail vision for the Sunshine Coast. Labor refuses to have a vision for Sunshine Coast rail and, in any discussion, says that duplication to Landsborough North is duplication to the Sunshine Coast.  Not quite.

Curtis Pitt was quoted recently as saying that there is no plan for SCL duplication ahead of other competing priorities (i.e. CRR).

Meanwhile LNP and Coalition have poured cold water over CRR in the short term, without dismissing the project entirely.

So, we have Labor saying SCL duplication (and CAMCOS) come after CRR opens and we have the Blue Team saying that CRR makes sense only if you add in the numbers of additional passengers from the Sunshine Coast taking the train to Brisbane, presumably via the Trouts Road Corridor and a dedicated track for Rapid Regional Rail.  Essentially, the SCL duplication needs to run ahead of CRR, the LNP says.

'Why can't we have both?' is a logical question.  Does CRR come before SCL duplication (ALP position) or does SCL duplication come before CRR and makes sense of that project's numbers (the LNP position)?

ALP wants to shore up its Green credentials in the inner-city seats it holds and where CRR runs.  LNP, on the other hand, wants to shore up its SC stronghold, reward the voters of Nicklin for returning to the fold and position themselves to win back Noosa from an Independent.

Oh, and the political snooker is in -- a cash-strapped state government pays half.  (Which is fair, by the way, but you know how this Labor lot will squeal like stuffed pigs.)

And there is a federal election coming up.  A lot of politics to be played out again around this project, which all the studies and business cases has proven, time and again, as being needed right now!

PS:
The premier now says there has been a lack of consultation around this proposal and there is little detail.  A pot and a kettle come to mind.

There has been endless discussion about Rapid Regional Rail to the Sunshine Coast and the special circumstances around it being an important freight line for the state.  Piled on top of each other, the reports detailing the worth of a SCL upgrade (in all its guises) would exceed the height of an average eight-year-old.  Is not the discussion around preparation of the Business Case 'open and full dialogue'?  Perhaps the Premier should consult her own documentation.

Let's not forget, it was the other Anna (Bligh) who was promising rapid rail travel to the Sunshine Coast in 'around an hour' on the SCL and CAMCOS corridor.   

And who was Transport Minister at the time?

[Cazza]

45 mins is not at all possible without the Trouts Rd corridor built. The mainline through EJ and Northgate is much too windy, in addition to heading too far east as well. It currently takes about 45 mins to get from Central to Morayfield (Caboolture Line stopping pattern). NWTC can easily shave off 20 mins of the journey time. As it is a much straighter corridor, it will obviously enable trains to travel at much quicker speeds. It should definitely be built in conjunction with the SC fast train.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Plan for supercharged 45-minute trip on Sunshine Coast rail line

PREMIER Annastacia Palaszczuk has poured cold water on hype about a potential very fast train between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast saying she hasn't seen a proposal to date.

Addressing the Federal Government's proposal, Ms Palaszczuk said such a project would cost "billions and billions and billions of dollars."

With the State Government forced to go it alone to build the Cross River Rail due to a lack of interest from the Federal Government, Ms Palaszczuk questioned priorities.

"It's the way the Federal Government works, trying to tell Queensland what is good for Queensland," she said.

"If they want to do a multibillion-dollar fast train, I think Queenslanders deserve to see some details, they deserve to see details and the true cost of this project because we know when they are done in other countries such as China and Europe it costs a large amount of money."

The plan for supercharged fast rail which would shuttle passengers between Brisbane and Maroochydore in 45 minutes was revealed in The Courier-Mail today.

North Coast Connect will create up to 200km of fast rail, saving passengers about two hours in a return trip, and for the first time link Brisbane to Maroochydore by rail.

The project, submitted by Stockland, Smec, Urbis and KPMG, has the backing of "Team Queensland", the Coalition's 26 federal parliamentarians, who are demanding the Prime Minister give Queensland a majority slice of $10 billion set aside under its National Rail Program.

The Courier-Mail can reveal the project has been short-listed by the Government.

Queensland Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington said the Government should be backing a project that could get people between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast in just 45 minutes.

"The Palaszczuk Labor Government needs to get on board this train and embrace it too," she said.

"What the fast train case is about is planning for the future."

Ms Frecklington also urged the State Government to duplicate the existing Sunshine Coast line so people could "get off the Bruce and onto the trains".

"The duplication of the rail line is something that can happen now," she said.

"The business case is done, it's shovel ready."

Team Queensland's unashamed call for extra cash is on top of its bid for Land 400, a multibillion-dollar defence investment that will be announced within weeks.

North Coast Connect will not only transform southeast Queensland but likely provide the passenger numbers needed for Infrastructure Australia to tick off on Cross River Rail.

The new bid, which will also create jobs for the state, was one of 26 rail projects submitted for three business cases that the Commonwealth will consider funding.

Ten other projects have been short-listed but North Coast Connect is the only Queensland fast-rail project that made the cut.

The winning three projects that share in $20 million in business case funding are likely to be announced next month.

Australia does not use fast rail. The fastest passenger rail services travel about 80km. China, Japan, Korea, France, the UK and the US use fast rail.

Under the plan, the project has three key parts, including:

● An upgrade of the existing North Coast Line section from Brisbane to Beerburrum, to facilitate faster rail through curve easing, level crossing removals and system upgrades;

● The Beerburrum to Nambour Rail Upgrade Project, which includes new rail and an upgrade of existing rail and rejuvenating railway towns into the hinterland; and

● A new passenger rail service branching off the North Coast Line at Beerwah via a 40km spur-line connecting Beerwah East, Aura, Caloundra, Birtinya, Mooloolaba and Maroochydore to Brisbane.

Member for Fairfax Ted O'Brien, who has been driving the project on behalf of the LNP, said Team Queensland "are going after this one hard".

"With $10 billion available from the Turnbull Government, we need to be advocating for billions, not millions,'' Mr O'Brien said.

"Fast rail means people can live, work and play where they want, without the stress of excessive commuting times.

"It will expand job and study options, enable more lifestyle choice and build an economically strong and user-friendly southeast corner.

"If we can get fast rail, as opposed to standard 100-year-old rail, we'll see people wake up in Nambour at 7 o'clock and be at their desk in Brisbane by 8 o'clock.

"We'll also see Brisbane residents knock off from work at 5 o'clock and be sitting at the Big Pineapple for a concert at 6 o'clock, then be tucked into bed back home in Brisbane by 10 o'clock."

Frontbencher Peter Dutton said that the plan could relieve pressure on the Bruce Highway.

"The regions between Brisbane and the north coast are developing rapidly and we need to plan now for those new communities under development,'' he said.

Petrie MP Luke Howarth said the plan would provide further infrastructure for Australia's third biggest council in the Moreton Bay region.

Fisher MP Andrew Wallace said investment in roads was not enough.

"After having received a record $1.6 billion in funding for the Bruce Highway upgrades, Sunshine Coast federal LNP members understand that our transport woes will not be cured by simply adding lanes to the highway," Mr Wallace said.

Student Myah Bahloo Chambers, 18, said she regularly used the Sunshine Coast line to visit family and friends and would love to see a lightning fast rail built.

"I think it would be very helpful," she said.

"It usually takes me about an hour and a half to travel from the Sunshine Coast to Brisbane, so I would love to be able to do it in 45 minutes."

" ... Ms Frecklington also urged the State Government to duplicate the existing Sunshine Coast line so people could "get off the Bruce and onto the trains".

"The duplication of the rail line is something that can happen now," she said.

"The business case is done, it's shovel ready."  ... "

^ finally a sensible comment from the OL !

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/953859498216644609

[achiruel]

"The duplication of the rail line is something that can happen now," she said."The business case is done, it's shovel ready." ... " < correct ! pic.twitter.com/q6KaflxKd5

So why the f!@# aren't they building it then???!!!

I really think NCL duplication gives better bang for your buck than RFR as it helps the freight task as well. RFR will do very little for freight.

Realistically RFR could be a next 10-15 years project, duplication should be a now project.

And if we're talking about RFR, I'd say the Gold Coast has more need for it than the Sunshine Coast does, and some of it could probably be done in the existing corridor (although clearly nothing north of Beenleigh).

[SurfRail]

The Gold Coast doesn't need this kind of investment to bring the existing corridor up to scratch though.  The current stretch south of Beenleigh works, and putting money into the corridor north of it is futile.  The only thing that is going to merit a few billions worth of investment would be progressing a new line between Beenleigh and the city, or full-blown HSR.

On the other hand, there are tangible benefits in carrying out some of the works they are discussing in the metropolitan area on the north side (eg it should be perfectly feasible to have tracks that accommodate 120kph or higher for the most part between Caboolture and Petrie with some tweaks), let alone the SCL works north of there.

[Stillwater]

If Premier Anna Palaszczuk is looking for the plans for high speed trains to the Sunshine Coast, she only has to dust off the ALP plans that were around in 2010.

It is pathetic that this was a great idea when Labor proposed it, but a dud one when the LNP proposes it now.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/high-speed-european-style-trains-to-run-from-brisbane-to-coasts-under-new-transport-plan-says-anna-bligh/news-story/b513ebd5ac54ba968003d01a31ce2666?sv=acf6aae71f86aad244c699072cd53955

https://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/on-track-for-faster-train-trip-premier/622846

Let's see, whatever happened to Labor's Integrated Transport Plan for SEQ?

Oh, it never happened!

[Stillwater]

Premier, you did not recall the consultation on this?

Maybe you should type this into your search engine:

Consultation Summary Report -- Connecting SEQ 2031: An Integrated Regional Transport Plan for South East Queensland

Here's the draft that went to consultation:

https://cabinet.qld.gov.au/documents/2010/Jul/Connecting%20SEQ%202031/Attachments/1%20-%20connectingseqweb01contentsandexecsummary%5B1%5D.pdf

Check out the map on page 5.  Identical to the map illustrating the LNP orposal in today's Sunshine Coast Daily.

Remember the CoastLink trains Labor promised?

http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/Id/71316

Premier, you were a member of the Bligh Labor Cabinet at the time, and you signed off on this:

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/beating-the-rat-race-at-160kmh-20100830-1479g.html

You have forgotten your backing for the North-West Transport Corridor that will facilitate fast trains to the Sunshine Coast?  Here's a reminder:

http://www.theage.com.au/queensland/rail-to-recovery-new-line-for-brisbanes-north-20100831-149kg.html

Oh look, here's your portfolio under Premier Anna Bligh:
Disability Services, Multicultural Affairs, Transport Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

18th January 2018

Sunshine Coast Fast Rail - History repeating ...

Greetings,

Big news today >  Sunshine Coast Daily --> Fast rail: Travel from the Coast to Brisbane in 45 minutes

This is a sound plan.  It is important though that the North West Transport corridor is used to enable trains to run into and out of the Brisbane and through the suburbs quickly avoiding the main line Central to Strathpine.

But, it has all been proposed before.

Consultation Summary Report -- Connecting SEQ 2031: An Integrated Regional Transport Plan for South East Queensland

Here's the draft that went to consultation:

https://cabinet.qld.gov.au/documents/2010/Jul/Connecting%20SEQ%202031/Attachments/1%20-%20connectingseqweb01contentsandexecsummary%5B1%5D.pdf

Check out the map on page 5.  Identical to the map illustrating the LNP proposal in today's Sunshine Coast Daily.

The Opposition Leader Ms Frecklington was reported as commenting today ( Couriermail --> Plan for supercharged 45-minute trip on Sunshine Coast rail line )

" ... Ms Frecklington also urged the State Government to duplicate the existing Sunshine Coast line so people could "get off the Bruce and onto the trains".

"The duplication of the rail line is something that can happen now," she said.

"The business case is done, it's shovel ready."  ... "

The State Government did forward the business case for the 1st stage of the Sunshine Coast Line upgrade, Beerburrum to Landsborough to Infrastructure Australia  in July 2017.   We strongly support commencing this upgrade immediately as it will improve reliability and allow more trains to run through from Caboolture to Landsborough, thereby supporting a better service north to Nambour and Gympie.  It would also allow more freight train paths.

If a Fast Rail service is going to be implemented eventually, the upgrade between Beerburrum and Landsborough will be needed.

Now is the hour!

Best wishes,
Robert

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

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/953917520133570560

[SteelPan]

Annastacia Palaszczuk today could have said basically two things:

1) "LOOK, whilst we need to see a lot more hard facts, details and ultimately dollars - we think this is just the type of thinking Queensland needs and to that extent...we're very keen to sit down a start more detailed discussions....blah....blah....blah....to get this type of thing happening"

or....

2) the at best lukewarm response she gave it.....no-wonder we end up with a lot of nothing usually....

Infrastructure is usually about pushing for a Rolls Royce......to end up with an upmarket Toyota! So, if you consistently don't push hard at all......guess what you get.....an overpriced, running late bus ticket......kinda like a lot SEQ Public Transport!

[Stillwater]

Don't put the Sunshine Coast's major transport needs on hold, says Mayor Mark Jamieson.  SC Council backs LNP Rapid Regional Rail between Maroochydore/Nambour to Brisbane.

https://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/dont-put-the-coasts-transport-needs-on-hold-mayor/3313533

[aldonius]

Here's the thing with Trouts Rd expresses: they're painful as all hell.

If you want to put expresses down TR, you also need the big tunnel from Alderley-ish to the city. Going via Windsor will obliterate any time savings. Now, that tunnel can only connect to CRR unless you want to use the surface Ekka line into Roma St (which has obvious too-many-trains-from-the-west issues), or else dig another city tunnel that ends up being roughly parallel to CRR...

CRR in peak is going to have a lot of stuff through it! At least 16tph peak on two lines, eventually more like 24tph and 3 lines (Gold Coast, Logan, Flagstone from the south, presumably Sunshine Coast, Caboolture and Kippa-Ring from the north).

Putting everything from CRR into Trouts Rd via tunnel strands the Ekka station, but if you put a line via the Ekka it means the TR-tunnel will always operate well under capacity.

If there's to be local service along the TR corridor (and it would be ridiculous for there not to be), you'll need four tracks along the surface corridor, with the locals connecting to the Ferny Grove line somehow and going via Windsor. This then leaves the existing tracks between Northgate and Strathpine underutilised.

[Stillwater]

Anna Palaszczuk is going against the planning already done by her government's transport bureaucrats:

See Signature Project 6 of Connecting SEQ 2031 document (An Integrated Transport Plan for SEQ – Part C: Detailed Network Strategies):

North-west rail line

"Construct a new rail line from the North Coast Line at Strathpine to Cross River Rail to service communities in Brisbane's north-west and supporting UrbanLink, ExpressLink and CoastLink services."

And we must all wonder at the empty rhetoric of these planning documents and what is being delivered today.

"Connecting SEQ 2031 outlines the plan for a 'rail revolution'; a complete overhaul of the rail system to provide a modern, high capacity network that will mean, for most passengers, rail transport will be quicker and more reliable than driving a car. This will be supported by a shift in public transport planning and investment to a greater focus on rail."

Yeah, right.

CoastLink

"The proposed 2031 rail network includes CoastLink services to connect the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast to central Brisbane in about one hour, stopping only at major stations.

"A reliable, one hour inter-city travel time to the growing coastal centres will:
-   reinforce the SEQ Regional Plan principal activity centres as key locations for business with high quality connections to the Brisbane CBD, supporting business growth at these centres.
-  reduce long distance private vehicle travel due to increased public transport patronage achieved by the new services.

"This approach is similar to the European model of smaller cities with their own commuter systems, with connections between each city. For south-east Queensland, rail investment must be strongly matched to economic development, land use and urban development policies to ensure that the necessary jobs are created in the growing coastal cities.

"Providing CoastLink services also minimises the need for investment in motorway and highway upgrades to cater for regional movements."

Aren't these the essential strategic elements of the LNP Rapid Regional Rail planning?

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> 'Don't put the Coast's transport needs on hold': Mayor

THE Federal MPs are backing it and so is the Sunshine Coast Council, but the State Government just won't come to the party.
Following an announcement made by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk that the new fast rail project, which would cut down travel time from Brisbane to the Coast to 45 minutes, would not be possible without the completion of the Cross River Rail, the council has boldly retorted.
Mayor Mark Jamieson said the Coast's public transport needs should not be put on hold.

"The State Government has already funded the Cross River Rail project in its entirety, so there is no reason why the Premier should be dismissive of the planning and business case development work going ahead for the North Coast Connect Consortium's proposal - particularly when the business case would be funded by the Commonwealth," he said.

"The State Government is doing this on the Gold Coast, in Brisbane, in Ipswich, in Moreton Bay and elsewhere, but not on the Sunshine Coast - the second-fastest growing region in Queensland."

Cr Jamieson said the council offered its support towards the fast rail project, North Coast Connect, during stage two of its submission to the Turnbull government.

"(The project) supports our continued advocacy for better connectivity between the Coast and Brisbane," he said.
"At the same time, the effectiveness will only be realised with clear connectivity to major urban population and commercial areas on the Coast - which is critical for the future functionality and prosperity of our region.　

"After all, 90 per cent of all trips generated on the Coast are local and involve the movement of people around our region."

Cr Jamieson did not comment specifically on what the fast rail project would mean for the council's Light Rail project.

[SurfRail]

Here's the thing with Trouts Rd expresses: they're painful as all hell.

If you want to put expresses down TR, you also need the big tunnel from Alderley-ish to the city. Going via Windsor will obliterate any time savings. Now, that tunnel can only connect to CRR unless you want to use the surface Ekka line into Roma St (which has obvious too-many-trains-from-the-west issues), or else dig another city tunnel that ends up being roughly parallel to CRR...

CRR in peak is going to have a lot of stuff through it! At least 16tph peak on two lines, eventually more like 24tph and 3 lines (Gold Coast, Logan, Flagstone from the south, presumably Sunshine Coast, Caboolture and Kippa-Ring from the north).

Putting everything from CRR into Trouts Rd via tunnel strands the Ekka station, but if you put a line via the Ekka it means the TR-tunnel will always operate well under capacity.

If there's to be local service along the TR corridor (and it would be ridiculous for there not to be), you'll need four tracks along the surface corridor, with the locals connecting to the Ferny Grove line somehow and going via Windsor. This then leaves the existing tracks between Northgate and Strathpine underutilised.

You could just not put expresses along Trouts Rd, seeing it wouldn't actually change the number of trains that can fit through CRR.  Just run everything all stations and rely on the superior station spacing.  Roma Street to Strathpine would only notionally involve stations at Alderley, Everton Park, McDowall, Aspley and Bridgeman Downs at most - maybe not even all of these.  Ekka would only need to be a terminating location for certain services from the south.

Kippa-Ring and Shorncliffe services would share a pair to Ipswich and Springfield (transferring across to the main line between Toombul and the Airport junction).  Everything else stays on the mains.

I'm also not necessarily convinced Flagstone trains have to use CRR.

[Stillwater]

Mayor Jamieson puts the case well in a simple sentence:

"The State Government has already funded the Cross River Rail project in its entirety, so there is no reason why the Premier should be dismissive of the planning and business case development work going ahead for the North Coast Connect Consortium's proposal - particularly when the business case would be funded by the Commonwealth."

The state has said it will fund CRR, end of story, so the grab for money moves on to the SCL Upgrade.

After years of Labor shouting SHOW US THE MONEY, and now the prospect that some might be in the offing, Premier Plaaszczuk wants to look the gift horse in the mouth.

A rapid rail service to the SC has been in the wash for a decade, and stuck permanently on the political spin cycle. By the time the LNP's North Coast Connect project is supposed to be finished, CRR will be operational.  Is Labor now saying that CRR is a mirage -- something trotted out every now and then at election time?

Labor says SCL Upgrade must come after CRR and that is what is proposed - with both projects in tandem.  The ALP has lodged a Business Case for Beerburrum-Landsborough North duplication and realignment with IA.  This will form stage 1A of North Coast Connect.

Is the Premier repudiating her government's own plan for Beerburrum-Landsborough North? 

Increasingly, the ALP looks like it is miffed that no Fed money is going to CRR and they want to re-open the case after agreeing that Queensland will go it alone and fund CRR.

As to the point the Premier makes about the Feds deciding where federal money should go transport wise, the LNP has picked up an ALP policy that's seven years old and is proposing to implement it.

Pinching your opponents policies and implementing them, in Queensland, is the closest we are going to get to political bipartisanship.

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> Commuter advocates embrace rail plan

RAIL Back on Track advocates say the proposal for a high-speed train to Nambour and a heavy rail link to the coast would take traffic off the Bruce Highway, drastically reduce travel times for commuters and give tourists an alternative transport option to the Sunshine Coast.

Jeff Addison, who commuted to Brisbane from Palmwoods for 17 years to work, said the plan was plausible and reasonable, using existing transport corridors and technology.

Mr Addison described the time frames as impressive ambitions which could be delivered with Federal Government drive, which hadn't previously existed.

The project has been short-listed as one of 11 projects being considered by the Federal Government as one of three to receive allocations from its $10 billion national rail infrastructure fund.

It is the only Queensland project being considered for funding.

Mr Addison revealed he had been talking with Fairfax MP Ted O'Brien since late last year about the proposal.

"It will get motorists off the Bruce Highway if they can travel to Brisbane in half the time," he said.

Mr Addison said that project was shown to have been capable of producing 2784 jobs at any one point over a period of seven years.

Mr Addison said the proposals advanced the Bligh Labor Party Coast Connect proposal, which was launched in 2011 when Annastacia Palaszczuk was Queensland Transport Minister.

Commuter Kieron Wallace described the proposal as awesome, saying it would considerably reduce his travel time for his three-day a week work commute to Brisbane.

Mr Wallace said a 45-minute trip would allow him to leave home later than his current early morning start to catch the 6.05am from Palmwoods and would get him home quicker.

"It would make the day much more manageable," he said.

Mr Wallace currently spends four hours a day, three days a week in making the trip to Brisbane and back.

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> Invested corporate giants tight-lipped on Coast fast rail

DESPITE a consortium of high-profile corporate companies throwing their name behind the fast rail project submission to the Coalition, only one company responded to the Daily's queries into why they were supporting it.

Alongside KPMG, Urbis and Smec, Stockland was one of the companies to push the project, sided by an alliance of Queensland federal MPs and Fairfax MP Ted O'Brien, on the Turnbull government for funding.

A Stockland spokesperson said the company had a long history of investment in southeast Queensland.

"We're proud community builders and are interested in initiatives that further enhance the sustainability, liveability and connections to the places we create," the spokesperson said.

A Stockland spokesperson said the company had a long history of investment in southeast Queensland.

"We're proud community builders and are interested in initiatives that further enhance the sustainability, liveability and connections to the places we create," the spokesperson said.

"We support transport infrastructure development in the region and see fast rail as one of the possible options to improve connections between the growing Sunshine Coast region and Brisbane.

"Along with our partners, we look forward to engaging with local, state and federal government on the preliminary work we've undertaken as part of the Federal Government's Faster Rail Prospectus process."

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> Premier to see PM on rail proposal

A PROPOSED high-speed rail link to the Sunshine Coast from Brisbane would be a key point of discussion at the first 2018 meeting of Council of Australia Governments to be held in February, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has declared.

Ms Palaszczuk said yesterday she would sit down with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull at the early February meeting to discuss the proposal announced this week by Fairfax MP Ted O'Brien.

The federal parliamentarian revealed he had pulled together a consortium including Stockland, Smec, Urbis and KPMG as well as 26 Queensland federal members of parliament to deliver fast rail with 160-220km/h trains to Nambour within five years and a heavy rail spur from Beerwah into Maroochydore via Caloundra within 10 years.

Ms Palaszczuk said the proposal to establish a 45-minute rail link to Brisbane would cost a significant amount of money, but her government had still to see any of the detail.

The Premier said she did not believe the proposal was possible without the Cross River Rail project her government was fully funding in Brisbane.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey would meet with his federal counterpart to get to the detail of what was proposed.

"Queenslanders deserve to know the detail," Ms Palaszczuk said.

"Nambour to Beerburrum duplication was currently with Infrastructure Australia. That is a key priority of my government. I think everyone would love to have a fast train. But the reality is they cost billions of billions of dollars."

The Premier said the proposal for duplication of the Beerburrum to Nambour line was currently with Infrastructure Australia and Queensland funding would be considered ahead of the budget in June.

"We saw how they played politics with Cross River Rail. Hopefully they will not play play politics with the Nambour to Beerburrum line," she said.

The Royal Automobile Club of Queensland has backed the plan, which would deliver a high-speed rail service to Nambour within five years and a heavy rail link to Maroochydore within ten years.

"We love it," RACQ communication manager Paul Turner said. "I'm excited because for once it might happen."

He said RACQ's research showed motorists would choose rail if it was fast and reliable. The falling out between the state and federal governments over Cross River Rail meant the Turnbull government had money it would have put to that project to allocate elsewhere.

Private sector involvement could reap a return through things like retail and commercial outlets at railway stations without adding to commuter costs.

But Mr Turner said state and federal cooperation would be needed to ultimately link the line to Cross River Rail to ensure a fast train went all the way to the CBD.

"Our research tells us motorists will look to rail if there is a reliable fast service," Mr Turner said.

Rail Back on Track advocate Jeff Addison said he was confident the total project's cost benefit would exceed the $4.57 billion in output generation to the Queensland economy that previous business cases had shown would be delivered by rail duplication from Landsborough to Nambour.

[#Metro]

Fast rail can be delivered in Salami slices.

First, get the line double tracked and extended.

Run existing trains there by extending Caboolture trains.

Next, replace those trains with tilts.

Tunnel and Trouts road could be done last. Terminate it under Roma Street to save costs.

Need financing? Sell a power station or two.

[Stillwater]

Some more comment:
https://live.racq.com.au/2018/01/racq-backs-supercharged-rail-line

The RACQ approves it.
The Sunshine Coast Council backs it.
26 Federal parliamentarians advocate it.
The LNP backs it, include all sitting MPs on the Sunshine Coast.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland backs it.
RailBOT backs it, consistent with its Regional Rapid Rail vision.
Ditto for community groups along the line.
It is consistent with Labor Party strategic planning and TMR policies.
Industry backs this directly too, via a Consortium of Interests (Stockland, KPMG etc)
The rail freight and logistics sector is a willing supporter also.
A parliamentary inquiry concluded that 'doing nothing is not an option'.
This line (and not CRR) is on the National Transport Network, the network of interconnecting roads and railways the Federal Government says it has a responsibility to fund in conjunction with the states.
The money is available (hopefully) for the Federal Government to fund the feasibility study (i.e. free money to the state).
A much bigger bucket of money sits there to, potentially, fund half the cost (again, free money to the state).

And Premier Palaszczuk has her doubts?   

[#Metro]

Lend lease is a major land developer. Might see TOD for a change.

[ozbob]

Some more comment:
https://live.racq.com.au/2018/01/racq-backs-supercharged-rail-line

The RACQ approves it.
The Sunshine Coast Council backs it.
26 Federal parliamentarians advocate it.
The LNP backs it, include all sitting MPs on the Sunshine Coast.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland backs it.
RailBOT backs it, consistent with its Regional Rapid Rail vision.
Ditto for community groups along the line.
It is consistent with Labor Party strategic planning and TMR policies.
Industry backs this directly too, via a Consortium of Interests (Stockland, KPMG etc)
The rail freight and logistics sector is a willing supporter also.
A parliamentary inquiry concluded that 'doing nothing is not an option'.
This line (and not CRR) is on the National Transport Network, the network of interconnecting roads and railways the Federal Government says it has a responsibility to fund in conjunction with the states.
The money is available (hopefully) for the Federal Government to fund the feasibility study (i.e. free money to the state).
A much bigger bucket of money sits there to, potentially, fund half the cost (again, free money to the state).

And Premier Palaszczuk has her doubts?   

I think the Premier needs to clear out her staff advisers and get some folk that are switched on and in contact with the real world.

[red dragin]

I think the Premier needs to clear out her staff advisers and get some folk that are switched on and in contact with the real world.

Maybe they've got an auto-reply rule setup, so that if it contains the words LNP & Policy, it conjures up a reply and sends it that is the complete opposite?

[Stillwater]

^^ The advisers come and go after a few years.  Those the Premier has now don't know the history of this project or don't have anywhere near the background of someone like Fares Fare, for example. In a political world, they don't know that is awfully familiar to the Anna Bligh (ALP) proposal for fast Tilt Trains running to Nambour and Maroochydore 'in about an hour'.

And Anna Palaszczuk was Anna No.1's transport minister at the time.

The ALP has backed itself into a corner by saying Labor will fund CRR 100 per cent, without the Feds.

The caravan has moved on to funding the next major project, the SCL Upgrade.  The ALP has prepared the Business Case for the first stage and, when asked about state funding for the SCL, has said "the federal government has all the information it needs to make a decision and fund this project.  The Business Case is with IA"  That suggests that the state believed it had played its part and the case was done and dusted.  Certainly, there was no further consultation on behalf of the state government towards the Fed.

The Feds have now come back with their reply.  It is wonderfully ironic that the Feds are now saying the SCL Upgrade will improve the numbers that will make the CRR project more viable (remembering that the SCL benefit-cost ratio is much higher).

What has state Labor smarting is that it will have to fund all of CRR AND will have to fund approximately $2 billion, representing half of the cost of the North Coast Connect project.  This 50:50 arrangement is very common in projects of this type interstate, so Queensland won't be convincing if it plays the 'we've been robbed by the Feds' line.

If this project goes ahead, at the end of the day, Queensland will have a fabulous bit of infrastructure as an asset on its books.  The Commonwealth balance sheet will record a $2b debt.  That is the real 'bottom line' here.

Whereas the ALP wanted a federal Coalition government in Canberra to fund its Queensland election commitments (CRR), the LNP has turned the table, picked up the ALP's own Connecting SEQ 2031 document, and Anna Bligh's political strategy and is moving to (possibly, it has to be said) fund rapid rail to the Sunshine Coast.  By the way, this concept has been backed in myriad reports, strategy documents, business cases and EIS investigations.

Advised by her people, the Premier will attempt to concoct some political hokey-pokey deal to put to Malcolm Turnbull (about guaranteed GST revenues, for instance, or federal funding for another project that the state otherwise would have funded in its entirety, so as to get the $4b cost for SCL from the feds by the back door). 

The PM will stand his ground and Anna Palaszczuk will front a media conference saying something along the lines of "I put a perfectly good deal to the PM today, whereby we were prepared to fund half the cost of the SCL Upgrade if he gave certain guarantees, but he didn't, so the PM and the Coalition, once again, have scuttled plans that would advance Queensland.  You can't trust the Coalition when it comes to getting a better deal for Queensland.  Only the ALP can do that.  We are getting on with the job and that includes funding CRR -- Queensland's most urgent infrastructure project.  And we are funding it 100 per cent.  If the PM wants to come back to me, my door is always open."

In other words, she will, for political reasons, and for reasons having nothing to do with the needs of the travelling public, look the gift horse in the mouth.

Let's just see if that is the way it pans out.