The Sunshine Coast Case : Rail duplication Beerburrum to Nambour

[Stillwater]

The next line of attack

When the state government, inevitably follows a 'do nothing' approach to RailBOT's latest call for joint funding for the railway duplication to Nambour and upgrade further north, based on a rail freight argument, the next phase of attack would be to highlight the findings of this 'Keep Australia Working' document: http://www.deewr.gov.au/Employment/Programs/PEA/Documents/Caboolture.pdf

It has found that 20 per cent of all workers in the Sunshine Coast Region must travel outside the region for employment (page 5).  It further states that lack of public transport is a key barrier to SC people obtaining work.  In other words, the weak economy locally is driving people to seek work outside the region while they continue to live locally in affordable housing, and they must use poor public transport to access work.  Some people can't.

The state government must continue to be reminded of the poor economic outcome it is inflicting on the region through it lack of investment in transport infrastructure.

[Stillwater]

Independent Audit into Queensland Rail

http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/~/media/Travel%20and%20transport/Rail/Rail%20audit/IndependentrailauditFinalreport.pdf

Is says that, on the NCL:

regardless of the time of year, just-in-time fresh food has to be transported by road. For each freight train not able to operate, a minimum of 10 trucks are required to haul just-in-time commodities and food to north and far north Queensland.

Some interesting other findings from the Audit:

While Queensland Rail is working towards an improved capital program methodology, it ... does not give consideration to Government's broader transport objectives and investment strategies.

All three major TSCs between the State of Queensland and Queensland Rail expire on 30 June 2013.

The mutiple state purchase agreements for the TSCs and segregated nature of the capital funds available limits the flexibility to meet changing needs and priorities and achieve best value for money of capital investments from a whole of state perspective.

There is no commonality in KPIs and reporting between the TSCs, which results in multiple reports and data sets which may lead to differing interpretation.

Since July 2010, station infrastructure within Queensland Rail is managed by the Network business group, but funded through the above rail contracts, which convolutes the reporting and management lines.

The existing structure of the TSCs is that major infrastructure is prioritised, bid for and subsequently funded along the lines of the businesses and business objectives. Major infrastructure, including upgrade and replacement of existing below rail infrastructure such as signalling systems, could be better considered along the lines of Government transport objectives, funded and managed outside of the TSC until it becomes operational. This will provide a more holistic and balanced approach to funding major projects.

[ozbob]

Media release 30th September 2012

SEQ: North Coast Line – Duplicate NCL or risk slower Queensland economy

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, says Queensland risks a slower economic recovery without joint federal-state cooperation to fund the $2.2 billion duplication of the North Coast Line (NCL) to Nambour, and additional track straightening to Maryborough.

Robert Dow, Spokesperson for RAIL Back On Track said:

"The notion of separate consideration of funding for roads versus rail when it comes to the national transport task has been relegated to history, a fact even acknowledged by a Queensland peak motoring body. The RACQ recognises that duplication of the NCL to Nambour will assist motorists by relieving pressure on the Bruce Highway (1).  Yet the current and former Queensland governments have ceased strategic thinking about rail track investment supporting freight, along the most important transport corridor in the state, since the sell-off of QR National."

"Sensible logistics thinking says that investment should flow to the transport mode that best achieves transport efficiency."

"That is perhaps best summed up by this quote from the Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, the Hon. Anthony Albanese MP, when he said: 'One 1500 metre freight train can carry the load of 100 semi-trailers, leaving our roads safer and our air cleaner.'  Economic Stimulus Plan; A progress report (2011, p1)."

"RAIL Back On Track agrees with Mr Albanese and seeks the support of communities from Rockhampton to Brisbane for a 'Wheels on Steel' campaign to get more freight on a rail track that needs to be vastly improved, especially south of Nambour, where there is hopeless congestion on road and rail links.  The answer can't be more lanes on the Bruce Highway between the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane.  Rather, it lies in an acute examination of improved rail freight efficiency, with spin-off benefits for passenger rail, and that means track duplication to Nambour before 2031."

"Crucially, for the rail freight sector in Queensland, other states have passing loops for trains that are 1500m standard length, or longer, while the NCL single track has short passing loops, allowing for trains just 650m long.  Our freight forwarders must live with inefficiency and the relatively high freight rates that result," Mr Dow said.

Jeffrey Addison, Sunshine Coast region spokesperson for RAIL Back On Track said:

"For Queensland, the need to upgrade the Beerburrum-Nambour section of the NCL has been identified in many planning and policy documents, including the SEQ Regional Plan 2005-2026, the SEQ Infrastructure Plan and Program 2005-2026, the Draft TransLink Network Plan 2005, and the Rail Network Strategy for Queensland 2001-2011."

"Federally, it has also been identified by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Transport and Regional Services (the Neville Committee - 2007, p103)."

"The Neville Report (2007, p128) found that '..the greatest need for Australia is the reconstruction and realignment of the main freight networks.'"

"The NCL stretches 1668km from Brisbane to Cairns and, predominately, is a single track.  Short passing loops – that require freight trains half the length of long super-freighters operating in other states – increase costs for Queensland freight forwarders.  Increasingly, freight is being diverted to road.  This has consequences for road funding and safety, and the amenity of towns through which the Bruce Highway passes."

"The NCL system currently carries in excess of 11 million net tonnes of various products annually." (2).

"The NCL will provide economic benefits to the State by the extension of the rail duplication through the Sunshine Coast, and provide greater freight capacity and quicker transport times for both passengers and freight."

These benefits (cost savings, actually) were outlined in this QR Submission to Productivity Commission by QR Limited, dated 5 July 2006, (3). and aptly sub-titled: Review of the Economic Costs of Freight Infrastructure and Efficient Approaches to Transport Pricing.

The report stated that for an investment of $350 million (~$2012), in 'below rail' works, there would be savings of $500 million (~$2012).
Thus saving $150 million over 20 years. These savings are;

• Extraction of just over 850,000 tonnes of general freight/containerised traffic from road to rail on NCL markets.
• Road accident cost savings of Present Value (PV) $43 million over 20 years.
• Environmental gains valued at PV $23 million over 20 years.
• Road pavement / maintenance savings of PV $94 million over 20 years from reduced heavy truck movements.
• Benefits associated with better transit times, improved service reliability and improved service availability valued at PV $127 million over 20 years.
• Benefits to rail operators and customers valued at PV $143 million over 20 years.
• Potential reductions in rail freight costs in the range of 2% to 6% across NCL markets if gains to "above rail" operators are passed on to customers.
• An increase in GTKs (gross tonne kilometres) on the NCL associated with additional containerised traffic of 34% "over and above" underlying growth.

Mr Addison continued: "Advice to government states that the NCL is expected to have freight growth rates that exceed its capability, with freight growth at more than 3 per cent annually spilling onto the highway as heavy trucks. An under-investment in rail is contributing to Bruce Highway traffic congestion and compromising road safety.  The crash rate for the Bruce Highway is approximately 40 per cent higher than the average of all other major interstate highways, while the fatality rate is at the higher end of the range nationally."

"A report produced jointly by the relevant State and Commonwealth Government departments, the '2007 Brisbane-Cairns Corridor Strategy'(4), exposes the critical need for rail duplication to improve freight passenger services and relieve congestion on the NCL."

"This 2007 Strategy (4) identified seven major strategic issues - first and foremost being 'the efficiency and safety of passenger and freight movement in the section between Brisbane and Gympie'.  Another was 'the competitiveness of the NCL and its capacity to handle long-term growth in freight.'"

"In its analysis under Current Corridor Performance (p7), the strategy says: 'A major current impediment to the corridor's overall performance' is 'rail congestion between Brisbane and Nambour.'" (4).

"Table 3, summarises transport issues in regional centres and tells us (p13), with specific reference to Caboolture, Sunshine Coast and Gympie track sections that 'poor rail track alignment impedes efficient transit times.'" (4).

"Under the heading 'Short Term Priorities' (to 2015) (p19), it recommends to governments that they 'continue the current programme of road and rail works ... aimed at addressing rapid growth on the corridor between Brisbane and Nambour/Gympie.'" This is with reference to increasing rail freight capacity. (4).

"The 'Most Likely Future Scenario', (4, p14) predicts 'up to four per cent a year growth for rail freight'.  On the next page, the report states: 'If freight transport growth was sustained at more than three per cent a year, there is concern that current NCL infrastructure may not enable rail freight to grow at the same rate, thereby resulting in the freight growth over three per cent a year 'spilling over' to road transport.  We see that already happening now."

Non-Bulk Freight Growth, p107,
From Table A.3 Rail and Road expected average annual growth rates, 1999 to 2025. (5).

Corridor              By Rail  By Road
Sydney - Perth      4.4%  3.0%   HIGHEST FREIGHT GROWTH
Brisbane - Cairns   4.2%  4.0%   SECOND HIGHEST FREIGHT GROWTH

"Dr Phillip Laird, of the University of Wollongong NSW, said in a paper presented to the 31st Australian Transport Research Forum: 'The Brisbane-Cairns corridor is a major contributor to Queensland's economic activity.'"

"The Queensland NCL plays an important role in moving freight and passengers within the corridor, and now moves more non-bulk freight (over 1.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa)) than either the Sydney-Melbourne corridor (1 mtpa by rail as against 11 mtpa by line haul road) or the Sydney-Brisbane corridor (1 mtpa by rail as against over 6 mtpa by line haul road)."

"As noted by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Transport and Regional Services (the Neville Committee - 2007, p103), a submission by the Railway Technical Society of Australasia (RTSA) also indicated that there is a 'demonstrable need to expedite Caboolture-Landsborough duplication and re-alignment and to start planning for other rail deviations and bridges... on the Brisbane–Townsville route.'"

"The Neville Report (2007, p128) also found that '... the greatest need for Australia is the reconstruction and realignment of the main freight networks.  This would: allow faster speeds and greater axle loads; clear the way for longer trains and double stacked containers; make it possible to reduce the steepness of grades, straighten lines and remove loops; and allow for the elimination of many level crossings.'"

Mr Addison asked: "Why is this avalanche of advice being ignored? It is time for the state and federal government to heed the advice and fund the NCL duplication and freight capacity improvement works."

In summation, Mr Addison said: "Today the single track bottleneck at Beerburrum, and the predominant single track with short crossing loops for the 1668km up to Cairns, stands out as a stark reminder of the failure of federal and state government policy and their joint lack of commitment to funding and construction of Queensland's rail lifeline."

"The NCL remains mostly single track bottlenecks, in this the 21st century. A monumental transport failure that requires immediate action."

Contacts:

Jeff Addison
Sunshine Coast Region Spokesperson for RAIL Back On Track

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

References:

1. Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (RACQ) http://www.racq.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/86150/RACQ_Motoring_Matters_V5.pdf (p8, bottom 3rd column)

2. http://www.queenslandrail.com.au/NetworkServices/DownloadsandRailSystemMaps/Freight/Pages/NorthCoastLineSystem.aspx.

3. p94, QR Submission to Productivity Commission: http://www.pc.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/48577/sub053.pdf

4. http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/transport/publications/files/Bris_Cairns_Corridor_Strategy.pdf

5. Original Source: BTRE (2006), Demand Projections for Auslink Non-Urban Corridors: Methodology and Projections, Working Paper 66, Table 2.16.

[Stillwater]

Remember Anna Bligh's Connecting SEQ 2031?  Now look at Andrew Powell's attempts to run with the fox and with the hounds -- calling for NCL upgrade now, lodging petitions etc and then, in government, saying the LNP would try its hardest to meet the 2031 duplication target .... and Scott Emerson harking to the Connecting SEQ 2031 document as being the new government's blueprint as well?

One of the more interesting takes is that we are seeing politicians and governments going to the electorate seeking praise and reward for good intentions only.  Anna Bligh said the things in Connecting SEQ 2031 were 'aspirational' and her government should be given credit for having a transport plan when her political opponents had none.

Andrew Powell says he will go to the next four or five state elections arging simultaneously that track duplication to Nambour is his 'highest priority', but that really means the work won't be completed for two decades.  There is a chance that he will leave politics without his No.1 priority being achieved.

During the recent state election, Campbell Newman said, trust us, the LNP has a plan for CRR.  We don't know what it is, but it will be better and cheaper than what the ALP is offering.

The electorate is too accepting of politicians' promises.  Voters must stand up and say (as many in this forum did re Connecting SEQ 2031) if politicians are to make a promise, it is worthless and meaningless, unless the source of funding (either revenue savings or taxes) to implement it is also identified and costed.

Before the next election, politicians must be put on the spot and the position made clear that 'good intentions' are not good enough.  And we should pick apart statements from the likes of the new Premier that he wanted a 'proper, professional working relationship with the public service.'  A case of good intentions gone wrong if ever there was one.

[Fares_Fair]

Yesterday 5 precious lives were lost when a Toyota Prado drifted across into the path of a Lindsay B-double truck travelling along the Bruce Highway, near Pig Creek (Childers).

You have to ask yourself, what if the North Coast Line was upgraded to remove the passing loops, or extended them to duplicate the line, to allow 1500m freight trains all the way between Brisbane and Cairns?

As Anthony Albanese, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport said in a November 2011 report;
"One 1500 metre freight train can carry the load of 100 semi-trailers, leaving our roads safer and our air cleaner."
Economic Stimulus Plan; A progress report (2011, p1).

Haunting words given the loss of life.

[Stillwater]

The political pundits are suggesting a March federal election, five month ahead of schedule.  The argument goes that the May budget will need to contain a few fiscal nasties, so it is best to have the election before then, and in March before everyone goes on their Easter holidays to get over the trauma of the polling experience.

There is no doubt that the condition of the Bruce Highway will be an election issue, and indirectly, so will the NCL as a relief valve for taking trucks off the highway.  The task for those pushing an upgrade for the NCL is to keep the issue bubbling such that the pollies can't ignore it.

The SCL/NCL passes through the federal electorates of Petrie (ALP), Dickson (Lib.), Longman (Lib.), Fisher (Ind.), Fairfax (Lib.), Wide Bay (Nat.) and Hinkler (Nat.), as far as Bundaberg, and Capricornia etc beyond that.

The ALP will spruik its support for the MBRL as part of its credentials to win Petrie, but would be keen to contest, and win, the crucial Sunshine Coast seat of Fisher, where the incumbent, Mr Peter Sliper (Ind.) is the embattled Speaker and will certainly be defeated at the next election.  The ALP will be active in trying to keep the endorsed Liberal candidate and former Howard era Minister, Mal Brough, from returning to politics in Fisher.  Wide Bay and Hinkler almost certainly will continue to be held by conservative forces.

The seats the ALP would want to target especially are Petrie, Longman (Wyatt Roy) and Fisher (where Mal Brough will be standing.)

What are the rail issues in those seats?:

- Lawnton-Petrie upgrade
- Duplication, Beerburrum to Landsborough

With some justification, the ALP could say it is not going to come running with buckets of money to solve rail infrastructure problems that are of the state's making, or due to Queensland Government neglect over the years.  The counter argument is that federal investment in both these projects would improve rail freight movements on a line where the Commonwealth says it has a financial stake.  This is where political agitation should be aimed during the next five months.

[Stillwater]

NCL needs work

We have seen some of these words before, but they bear reading again.

http://www.tandlnews.com.au/2012/01/17/article/the-queensland-north-coast-line-yesterday-today-and-tomorrow/

Some extracts below.

Lower external costs and fuel use

External costs were addressed in the 2001 ARTC Track Audit that gave unit estimates for "... noise pollution, air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, congestion costs, accident costs, and incremental road damage costs" for road and rail freight in both urban and non-urban areas.

These unit estimates were later revised and a recent paper of this writer found that a Main Line Upgrade Completion program (MLC) could allow rail to win 50 per cent of corridor line haul freight. This would result in a reduction in external costs of about $50m per year. With rail being some three times more energy efficient than road for line haul, an MLC program would save at least 30 million litres of diesel (80,700 tonnes CO2-e greenhouse gas emissions) each year.

Use of electric traction between Brisbane and Rockhampton could save an additional 20 million litres of diesel per year.

And some more food for thought

Further upgrading of the Queensland North Coast line including track straightening from Landsborough to at least Maryborough West is now needed and should receive some Federal funding. Such an investment would reduce operating costs, fuel use, greenhouse gas emissions and external costs and help keep the cost of living down in Central and Far North Queensland.

Why is the state government not bothering to listen?  Doesn't it want to lower the cost of living for people in Central Queenaland and North Queensland through sensible investment in freight rail operations on the NCL?

[Fares_Fair]

Sunshine Coast Council area
Residents' place of work

http://profile.id.com.au/sunshine-coast/residents

11,578, or 9.7% of Sunshine Coast Council area's working residents travel outside of the area to work. (source 2006 census figures).

[Gazza]

90.3% remain in the local area.

More people leave the BCC area: 10.5%
Logan: 50.3% !!!!!!
GC : 12.5%
Redlands: 50%

[Arnz]

They are 2006 figures, though.

I'd have to wonder what are the 2011 figures (I think the number of people travelling outside the SC to head to work has since risen).  Although IMO, its still around 85% of the working population that works locally.   Though I wouldn't be suprised if that figure is actually 80%, with most of that remainder that travel outside of the SC to work travelling by car.

[ozbob]

90.3% remain in the local area.

Not necessarily, many more travel for reasons other than work per se ...  2006 data, bit out of date as well ...

Look at the massive movements on the highway daily today ...

Yes, time to improve the NCL, particularly first phase Beerburrum to Landsborough, should be started tomorrow.

[Gazza]

Not necessarily, many more travel for reasons other than work per se

Do you have stats that compare these non work movements across council areas?

I think ultimatley, it would have to be less than the GC, due to the lower population, and the fact a 2 lane Bruce would carry less physically than a 4 lane M1.

[ozbob]

Not necessarily, many more travel for reasons other than work per se

Do you have stats that compare these non work movements across council areas?

I think ultimatley, it would have to be less than the GC, due to the lower population, and the fact a 2 lane Bruce would carry less physically than a 4 lane M1.

I don't, but obviously many travel for reasons other than work .. education, medical, business and social.

[Gazza]

But wouldn't that be a SEQ wide thing? Not just specific to the SC?

[ozbob]

But wouldn't that be a SEQ wide thing? Not just specific to the SC?

Of course, but the inference being you cannot base transport tasks just on workforce data alone.  Look at what happens at weekends, particularly along routes such as Brisbane and Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and so forth.  More movements often than so called working days ... 

[Gazza]

I think what you can infer from the data is the level of opportunity in each area.

BCC, SC, and GC are all quite similar, which reflects good jobs in a wide range of industries available.

On the other hand, Logan, Redlands etc are a bit more disadvantaged, forcing people to seek work outside the area.

[ozbob]

Obviously, but in absolute terms because the populations of GC, SC, BCC are much larger than less settled areas (and have well established job hubs),  relative % figures don't give the real picture or task demand.

[mufreight]

I think what you can infer from the data is the level of opportunity in each area.

BCC, SC, and GC are all quite similar, which reflects good jobs in a wide range of industries available.

On the other hand, Logan, Redlands etc are a bit more disadvantaged, forcing people to seek work outside the area.

No one can ever complain about having to travel for work. If you don't like how far away your job is, quit or move.

better still join the newman brigade and jist quit and do nothing with the expectation that you are entitled to do nothing and have the (fools who make an effort an work) support you out of the public purse, fortunately there is a majority who believe that they have an entiteltement to have employment in a feild in which they have ability and expertises without being bled dry by taxes and extortionate public transport costs. 

[SurfRail]

Any Gold Coast figures will be a bit skewed compared to the Sunshine Coast given the proximity of the edge of the urbanised area to Logan/Brisbane compared to say Caloundra, and the fact that the Yatala Enterprise Area is right on the border and attracts workers from the north.

[somebody]

Any Gold Coast figures will be a bit skewed compared to the Sunshine Coast given the proximity of the edge of the urbanised area to Logan/Brisbane compared to say Caloundra, and the fact that the Yatala Enterprise Area is right on the border and attracts workers from the north.

The Sunshine Coast is less ideal for PT for many other reasons as well.  Density is lower, the train line is further away and has few services and there is less traffic congestion and generally a wide availability of parking.

[johnnigh]

No one can ever complain about having to travel for work. If you don't like how far away your job is, quit or move.

This strikes me as one of the more insensitive and arrogant statements I've seen on these forums.

Where is a labourer to live? In a tent on Riverside Drive, illegally? There's a trade-off between cost of house-room (rent or rent equivalent of an owner-occupied home) and convenience to work, schools, shopping etc etc. The VIPER studies from Dr Jago Dobson at Griffith University demonstrated the vulnerability of low paid workers to increases of transport costs in particular. They don't have a choice of living close to employment centres, especially for workers in the construction industry. The more employment opportunities close by, the higher the cost of house-room - the obvious examples being in mining towns. In SEQ, it's just so clear that if you're not in the high-paid professional and middle class, not a well-paid tradie for example, then your chance of living close to work is slight. And your chance of good PT to work even slighter... So the old Kingswood or Falcon stays on the road, spewing its burnt oil etc and using more fuel than the fancy hybrids or diesel SUVs that the middle suburban residents can afford.

We can't give up on longer PT commutes, sadly, because the need will always be with us. But we should also be arguing for the regional SEQ councils to work harder to attract strong employment industries to their districts, as Ipswich for one is doing fairly effectively.

[Stillwater]

The Fraser Coast Chronicle today reports that Scott Emerson is setting off on a tour of the Bruce Highway in a truck, no doubt with well-timed media opportunities planned at every whistle-stop along the way.  Let's hope he doesn't just stand in front of a potholed bit of road and, like President Ronald Reagan calling on President Mikhail Gorbachov to tear down the Berlin Wall, says something along the lines of 'Julia Gillard, Fix This Road!'

No doubt, he will spruik about how the Newman government has put $1 billion on the table to fix a 'federal' road.

Will there be mention of rail investment on the Brisbane-Cairns NCL?  Doubt it.  The line is funded by the state government.

Let's hope that the standard of political discussion rises above the mundane whereby Mr Emerson will be saying 'Julia Gillard, Fix This Road!' and the federal minister, Mr Albanese, shouting back 'Campbell Newman, Fix the NCL!'

If not, we will have the equivalent of a school yard spat where one child says 'Did So' and another says 'Did Not'.

Most likely, Mr Emerson will go for spin and stunt over substance.  Hopefully, the local media will drag the minister to the rickety Burnett River rail bridge, which has severe speed restrictions, or take a photograph of him standing in the middle of the tracks at Rockhampton, where mainline trains travel down a suburban street, and conduct his media conference there.

Time Queensland had serious debates about transport corridor efficiencies, not rail versus road funding, nor spectacles of pollies hurling accusations and dodging funding responsibilities; or saying 'yes we have a plan, but it occurs in 2031'.

[ozbob]

Twitter

3h Scott Emerson Scott Emerson ‏@scottemersonmp

Talking with driver Barnesy at the Childers Caltex about state of the Bruce. Feds need to do more for this nat road.  http://t.co/wQ4kg6OU

==========

My reply:

Twitter

Robert Dow ‏@Robert_Dow

@scottemersonmp Feds need to do more for the NC railway line as well, will have a major impact on safety by reducing heavy veh movements ..

[somebody]

If not, we will have the equivalent of a school yard spat where one child says 'Did So' and another says 'Did Not'.

This differs from the norm how?

That's why I'm so annoyed with KRudd.  He promised to end the blame game by taking over health, but when elected decided that he didn't feel like doing that.

[Stillwater]

Mr Emerson is up to the old trick -- when you are not solving the problem, you go and have a look at it.  It's sometimes called a 'listening tour'.  Talk to truckies and motorists about what they want to see done, and nod with a straight face while the television cameras roll.

When people don't buy that, you set up a committee of 3-4 people to have a look at the problem for you and make recommendations.  Oh, the government is doing that too.  Isn't there a Bruce Highway Action Plan in play?

Perhaps once Mr Emerson gets to Cairns, having spent a few days with a convivial truckie, he should climb into the cab of a QR National freight train for the journey back to Brisbane.

[Stillwater]

Maybe another media statement is warranted, lol:

... Transport Minister Scott Emerson is only seeing half the picture and risks gaining a reputation for a bias towards road-only solutions by hitching a ride in a truck to see first-hand the condition of the Bruce Highway.

While the minister should have a proper understanding of the Bruce Highway's deficiencies, his actions deliberatly ignore rail as a solution to getting trucks off the highway to make it safer.

Mr Emerson should address this perceived bias by making the return journey by rail so he can see the ramshackle condition of the NCL that is responsible for more and more freight being moved by road, and not rail, north-south along the Queensland coast.

While the highway remains susceptible to flooding, requiring hundreds of millions of dollars to remedy, the NCL is largely flood-free and requires fewer dollars to reduce travel times and accommodate longer trains that will lower freight costs and allow rail to grab a greater share of a growing transport task.

.... and so on.

[Fares_Fair]

Maybe another media statement is warranted, lol:

... Transport Minister Scott Emerson is only seeing half the picture and risks gaining a reputation for a bias towards road-only solutions by hitching a ride in a truck to see first-hand the condition of the Bruce Highway.

While the minister should have a proper understanding of the Bruce Highway's deficiencies, his actions deliberatly ignore rail as a solution to getting trucks off the highway to make it safer.

Mr Emerson should address this perceived bias by making the return journey by rail so he can see the ramshackle condition of the NCL that is responsible for more and more freight being moved by road, and not rail, north-south along the Queensland coast.

While the highway remains susceptible to flooding, requiring hundreds of millions of dollars to remedy, the NCL is largely flood-free and requires fewer dollars to reduce travel times and accommodate longer trains that will lower freight costs and allow rail to grab a greater share of a growing transport task.

.... and so on.

Yes, and it literally costs lives.
Less trucks on the highways = less chance of fatal car vs truck accidents.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

4th October 2012

Re: SEQ: North Coast Line – Duplicate NCL or risk slower Queensland economy

Greetings,

The Minister for Transport and Main Roads tweeted yesterday that he went for a ride in a B-double on the Bruce Highway:

Scott Emerson @scottemersonmp

In B-double heading up the Bruce with driver Warren Woods. LNP Budget has $415m in 2012-13 to help fix Bruce. http://t.co/wQ4kg6OU

What will have a much more sustainable and long lasting safety improvement will be the transfer of bulk freight back to rail, and decreasing then the number of heavy vehicle movements.

A member has commented (  http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=6647.msg110103#msg110103 )

... Transport Minister Scott Emerson is only seeing half the picture and risks gaining a reputation for a bias towards road-only solutions by hitching a ride in a truck to see first-hand the condition of the Bruce Highway.

While the minister should have a proper understanding of the Bruce Highway's deficiencies, his actions deliberatly ignore rail as a solution to getting trucks off the highway to make it safer.

Mr Emerson should address this perceived bias by making the return journey by rail so he can see the ramshackle condition of the NCL that is responsible for more and more freight being moved by road, and not rail, north-south along the Queensland coast.

While the highway remains susceptible to flooding, requiring hundreds of millions of dollars to remedy, the NCL is largely flood-free and requires fewer dollars to reduce travel times and accommodate longer trains that will lower freight costs and allow rail to grab a greater share of a growing transport task.

It is little wonder that road trauma continues to worsen, and has worsened under the LNPs watch.

Best wishes
Robert

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

Media release 30th September 2012

SEQ: North Coast Line – Duplicate NCL or risk slower Queensland economy

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, says Queensland risks a slower economic recovery without joint federal-state cooperation to fund the $2.2 billion duplication of the North Coast Line (NCL) to Nambour, and additional track straightening to Maryborough.

Robert Dow, Spokesperson for RAIL Back On Track said:

"The notion of separate consideration of funding for roads versus rail when it comes to the national transport task has been relegated to history, a fact even acknowledged by a Queensland peak motoring body. The RACQ recognises that duplication of the NCL to Nambour will assist motorists by relieving pressure on the Bruce Highway (1).  Yet the current and former Queensland governments have ceased strategic thinking about rail track investment supporting freight, along the most important transport corridor in the state, since the sell-off of QR National."

"Sensible logistics thinking says that investment should flow to the transport mode that best achieves transport efficiency."

"That is perhaps best summed up by this quote from the Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, the Hon. Anthony Albanese MP, when he said: 'One 1500 metre freight train can carry the load of 100 semi-trailers, leaving our roads safer and our air cleaner.'  Economic Stimulus Plan; A progress report (2011, p1)."

"RAIL Back On Track agrees with Mr Albanese and seeks the support of communities from Rockhampton to Brisbane for a 'Wheels on Steel' campaign to get more freight on a rail track that needs to be vastly improved, especially south of Nambour, where there is hopeless congestion on road and rail links.  The answer can't be more lanes on the Bruce Highway between the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane.  Rather, it lies in an acute examination of improved rail freight efficiency, with spin-off benefits for passenger rail, and that means track duplication to Nambour before 2031."

"Crucially, for the rail freight sector in Queensland, other states have passing loops for trains that are 1500m standard length, or longer, while the NCL single track has short passing loops, allowing for trains just 650m long.  Our freight forwarders must live with inefficiency and the relatively high freight rates that result," Mr Dow said.

Jeffrey Addison, Sunshine Coast region spokesperson for RAIL Back On Track said:

"For Queensland, the need to upgrade the Beerburrum-Nambour section of the NCL has been identified in many planning and policy documents, including the SEQ Regional Plan 2005-2026, the SEQ Infrastructure Plan and Program 2005-2026, the Draft TransLink Network Plan 2005, and the Rail Network Strategy for Queensland 2001-2011."

"Federally, it has also been identified by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Transport and Regional Services (the Neville Committee - 2007, p103)."

"The Neville Report (2007, p128) found that '..the greatest need for Australia is the reconstruction and realignment of the main freight networks.'"

"The NCL stretches 1668km from Brisbane to Cairns and, predominately, is a single track.  Short passing loops – that require freight trains half the length of long super-freighters operating in other states – increase costs for Queensland freight forwarders.  Increasingly, freight is being diverted to road.  This has consequences for road funding and safety, and the amenity of towns through which the Bruce Highway passes."

"The NCL system currently carries in excess of 11 million net tonnes of various products annually." (2).

"The NCL will provide economic benefits to the State by the extension of the rail duplication through the Sunshine Coast, and provide greater freight capacity and quicker transport times for both passengers and freight."

These benefits (cost savings, actually) were outlined in this QR Submission to Productivity Commission by QR Limited, dated 5 July 2006, (3). and aptly sub-titled: Review of the Economic Costs of Freight Infrastructure and Efficient Approaches to Transport Pricing.

The report stated that for an investment of $350 million (~$2012), in 'below rail' works, there would be savings of $500 million (~$2012).
Thus saving $150 million over 20 years. These savings are;

• Extraction of just over 850,000 tonnes of general freight/containerised traffic from road to rail on NCL markets.
• Road accident cost savings of Present Value (PV) $43 million over 20 years.
• Environmental gains valued at PV $23 million over 20 years.
• Road pavement / maintenance savings of PV $94 million over 20 years from reduced heavy truck movements.
• Benefits associated with better transit times, improved service reliability and improved service availability valued at PV $127 million over 20 years.
• Benefits to rail operators and customers valued at PV $143 million over 20 years.
• Potential reductions in rail freight costs in the range of 2% to 6% across NCL markets if gains to "above rail" operators are passed on to customers.
• An increase in GTKs (gross tonne kilometres) on the NCL associated with additional containerised traffic of 34% "over and above" underlying growth.

Mr Addison continued: "Advice to government states that the NCL is expected to have freight growth rates that exceed its capability, with freight growth at more than 3 per cent annually spilling onto the highway as heavy trucks. An under-investment in rail is contributing to Bruce Highway traffic congestion and compromising road safety.  The crash rate for the Bruce Highway is approximately 40 per cent higher than the average of all other major interstate highways, while the fatality rate is at the higher end of the range nationally."

"A report produced jointly by the relevant State and Commonwealth Government departments, the '2007 Brisbane-Cairns Corridor Strategy'(4), exposes the critical need for rail duplication to improve freight passenger services and relieve congestion on the NCL."

"This 2007 Strategy (4) identified seven major strategic issues - first and foremost being 'the efficiency and safety of passenger and freight movement in the section between Brisbane and Gympie'.  Another was 'the competitiveness of the NCL and its capacity to handle long-term growth in freight.'"

"In its analysis under Current Corridor Performance (p7), the strategy says: 'A major current impediment to the corridor's overall performance' is 'rail congestion between Brisbane and Nambour.'" (4).

"Table 3, summarises transport issues in regional centres and tells us (p13), with specific reference to Caboolture, Sunshine Coast and Gympie track sections that 'poor rail track alignment impedes efficient transit times.'" (4).

"Under the heading 'Short Term Priorities' (to 2015) (p19), it recommends to governments that they 'continue the current programme of road and rail works ... aimed at addressing rapid growth on the corridor between Brisbane and Nambour/Gympie.'" This is with reference to increasing rail freight capacity. (4).

"The 'Most Likely Future Scenario', (4, p14) predicts 'up to four per cent a year growth for rail freight'.  On the next page, the report states: 'If freight transport growth was sustained at more than three per cent a year, there is concern that current NCL infrastructure may not enable rail freight to grow at the same rate, thereby resulting in the freight growth over three per cent a year 'spilling over' to road transport.  We see that already happening now."

Non-Bulk Freight Growth, p107,
From Table A.3 Rail and Road expected average annual growth rates, 1999 to 2025. (5).

Corridor              By Rail  By Road
Sydney - Perth      4.4%  3.0%   HIGHEST FREIGHT GROWTH
Brisbane - Cairns   4.2%  4.0%   SECOND HIGHEST FREIGHT GROWTH

"Dr Phillip Laird, of the University of Wollongong NSW, said in a paper presented to the 31st Australian Transport Research Forum: 'The Brisbane-Cairns corridor is a major contributor to Queensland's economic activity.'"

"The Queensland NCL plays an important role in moving freight and passengers within the corridor, and now moves more non-bulk freight (over 1.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa)) than either the Sydney-Melbourne corridor (1 mtpa by rail as against 11 mtpa by line haul road) or the Sydney-Brisbane corridor (1 mtpa by rail as against over 6 mtpa by line haul road)."

"As noted by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Transport and Regional Services (the Neville Committee - 2007, p103), a submission by the Railway Technical Society of Australasia (RTSA) also indicated that there is a 'demonstrable need to expedite Caboolture-Landsborough duplication and re-alignment and to start planning for other rail deviations and bridges... on the Brisbane–Townsville route.'"

"The Neville Report (2007, p128) also found that '... the greatest need for Australia is the reconstruction and realignment of the main freight networks.  This would: allow faster speeds and greater axle loads; clear the way for longer trains and double stacked containers; make it possible to reduce the steepness of grades, straighten lines and remove loops; and allow for the elimination of many level crossings.'"

Mr Addison asked: "Why is this avalanche of advice being ignored? It is time for the state and federal government to heed the advice and fund the NCL duplication and freight capacity improvement works."

In summation, Mr Addison said: "Today the single track bottleneck at Beerburrum, and the predominant single track with short crossing loops for the 1668km up to Cairns, stands out as a stark reminder of the failure of federal and state government policy and their joint lack of commitment to funding and construction of Queensland's rail lifeline."

"The NCL remains mostly single track bottlenecks, in this the 21st century. A monumental transport failure that requires immediate action."

Contacts:

Jeff Addison
Sunshine Coast Region Spokesperson for RAIL Back On Track

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

References:

1. Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (RACQ) http://www.racq.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/86150/RACQ_Motoring_Matters_V5.pdf (p8, bottom 3rd column)

2. http://www.queenslandrail.com.au/NetworkServices/DownloadsandRailSystemMaps/Freight/Pages/NorthCoastLineSystem.aspx.

3. p94, QR Submission to Productivity Commission: http://www.pc.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/48577/sub053.pdf

4. http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/transport/publications/files/Bris_Cairns_Corridor_Strategy.pdf

5. Original Source: BTRE (2006), Demand Projections for Auslink Non-Urban Corridors: Methodology and Projections, Working Paper 66, Table 2.16.

[Stillwater]

From the Landsborough-Nambour EIS Report

Passing loops are provided to allow express services, or services travelling in opposite directions the opportunity to pass. When passing loops are located at stations, congestion can be generated due to the need for trains to wait in the passing loops to allow other faster, through running trains to pass.

Track configuration and platform arrangements mean that some northbound passenger trains enter the passing loop to allow southbound stopping passenger services to pass.  The northbound train then backtracks to the south, re-enters the main track and accesses the platform, which involves service delays and longer travel times.

According to current timetables, travel times between Landsborough and Nambour for CityTrain services range from 24 to 45 minutes, for a distance of 22 km. This variation in travel time can be attributed to some services waiting in passing loops for express services or services travelling in the opposite direction to pass.

The longest travel time from Nambour to Central is two hours 40 minutes while the shortest is one hour 42 minutes.  Travelling north from Central to Nambour, the longest travel time is two hour 29 minutes while the shortest is one hour 43 minutes.

For the purposes of the modelling, it has been assumed that the average speed for the existing alignment is 60 km/hr (in reality it is closer to 50km/ hr) and the proposed alignment is taken to be 90km/hr, as the operational analysis undertaken by Systemwide, outlined in Section 7.5, highlights that speeds of between 90 and 130 km/h are likely between stations.  Long distance (to Brisbane) home based work trips are currently a significant proportion of the travel along the rail  line. Forecast modelling indicates this proportion is likely to reduce, implying people with have shorter journeys to work, however further investigation is required.

Nambour station appears to benefit most of the stations along the corridor from higher service frequency and development intensification.

Table 7.5.2b indicates that the combined travel time savings of the Caboolture to Landsborough and Landsborough to Nambour project could result in up to 17 minutes and 40 seconds on a trip between Caboolture and Nambour, bringing the travel time town from 55 minutes to 37 minutes.

Reductions in travel time resulting from the dual track, improved alignment can lead to:
- quicker services for passengers
- potential for improved capacity on the corridor, allowing
- additional train paths to be inserted, and thus the potential
for additional services
- reduced energy consumption and Greenhouse gas production
(e.g. from power stations and diesel engines)

The proposed service level assumes a service frequency of 15 mins during the AM and PM peak (assumed two hours) and 30 mins during all other operating hours (assumed 18 hour operating period).

[Stillwater]

It would be interesting to see the on-time running performance for the Sunshine Coast Line, when QR admits in its own documentation that travel times between Landsborough and Nambour for CityTrain services range from 24 to 45 minutes, for a distance of 22 km.

[Stillwater]

What chance the temptation to (federal) Labor and (state) LNP of revisiting the timing of SCL duplication to Landsborough now that they will be fighting over who will win the seat of Fisher now that the incumbent, Peter Slipper, has self-imploded, politically speaking?  CAMCOS plans might get dusted off.  Both issues will be hot potatoes, with the heat at blast furnace strength due to the planned development at Caloundra South -- soon to be home to an extra 50,000 people.  Caloundra South sits on the other side of the Bruce Highway to Landsborough.

[Stillwater]

State Government damned by its own words ... again.

Figure 4.10 – page 23, Independent Review of Cross River Rail

"As shown in figure 4.10, the Sunshine Coast line has in recent years reversed a period of declining patronage (annual growth over the last six years is 3.2%). There is relatively strong population growth forecast in this region, however train services are relatively slow and infrequent."

From page 37:

"Without additional line capacity or changes to operations to allow higher frequency services, peak period service performance on the passenger rail network is forecast to decline with significant reductions in service reliability and increased overcrowding across the Brisbane rail network expected.

"By 2021 Nambour, Ferny Grove, Cleveland, Gold Coast and Ipswich corridors were expected to experience a reduction in reliability of passenger services of more than 10% compared to 2009."

Full report here: http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/~/media/Projects/C/Cross%20river%20rail/AA%20Export%20report/IndependentPanelReviewCrossRiverRailfull.pdf

[Gazza]

"By 2021 Nambour, Ferny Grove, Cleveland, Gold Coast and Ipswich corridors were expected to experience a reduction in reliability of passenger services of more than 10% compared to 2009."

To be fair, isn't that all of them except Shorncliffe and Doomben?

[Stillwater]

FACT: By 2021, the Nambour corridor is expected to experience a 10 per cent reduction in reliability of passenger services compared with the situation in 2009.

FACT:  A period of decline in patronage on the Sunshine Coast Line (SCL) in the recent past has been reversed, despite a situation where train services are relatively slow (average 50 km/hr) and infrequent.

FACT:  Annual growth in patronage has been 3.2 per cent for the past six years.

CONCLUSION:  Despite a situation whereby a lack of investment in the SCL rolling stock and track has resulted in 'slow and infrequent' services and more than 40 per cent of services are buses, and fares have risen sharply, more and more Sunshine Coast residents are using rail, and wanting to use rail travel.  The state throws every impediment to Sunshine Coast commuters (frequently including trains with no toilets or broken toilets), but still they keep coming.

[Arnz]

CONCLUSION:  Despite a situation whereby a lack of investment in the SCL rolling stock

To QR's credit, most rollingstock on ths line since the June 2011 timetable are IMU100/120/160s with the odd SMU260 or two thrown in somewhere. 

However, the broken toilet issue effects the Gold Coast Line as we now share the general IMU rollingstock with the Gold Coast Line.  The EMUs are consigned to shuttle duties when the ICE breaks down, and the EMU occasionally appears when incidents like yesturday's Truck/Crane crash strands whatever rollingstock is on the other side of the crash.

This is in stark contrast of 2009-2010 where 90% of the trains were EMus.

and track has resulted in 'slow and infrequent' services and more than 40 per cent of services are buses, and fares have risen sharply, more and more Sunshine Coast residents are using rail, and wanting to use rail travel.  The state throws every impediment to Sunshine Coast commuters (frequently including trains with no toilets or broken toilets), but still they keep coming.

Infrastructure south of Caboolture also needs priority on top of North of Beerburrum.  Lawnton-Narangba triplication for starters to start eliminating those "slow peak expresses" with only 9 skipped stops.

[Stillwater]

Yes, Lawnton-Narangba track upgrade will assist SCL trains and their journey times.  It is needed to provide additional capacity for when the MBRL comes on line.  For now, whatever series train is running on the SCL, it travels slower than the time taken in 2009 due to the altered 'slow express' timetable.  And this will get worse.  We are paying more for for the privilege, and we will pay more for the poorer service from January 2013.

The point is that trains capable of doing 130 km/hr are forced to travel at less than half that speed.  We should not be fooled by government spin about 'latest generation' rolling stock and their top speed capabilities when they are forced to travel on a steam train track alignment.

The report highlights the annual growth in patronage on the SCL is 3.2 per cent and that is likely to be even higher when Caloundra South (to be home to 50,000) starts to be built, a further 17,000 people move into Glenview, across the road, and the Sunshine Coast University Hospital at Kawana will generate 15,000 visitations a day, not all of those people living within walking or cycling distance.  Some future hospital workers will be travelling to the hospital from Caboolture etc, presumably.

The Premier says he will throw open the government's information, so one lives in hope of a separation of OTR monitoring, line by line, to reveal the true situation.

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> Council says no to urban sprawl as row with government looms

[Stillwater]

Here are approved population increases contained in the latest draft Sunshine Coast Town Plan.

By 2031 -
Beerwah will grow by 86% to 8260
Glasshouse Mtns will increase 50% to 4400
Landsborough by about the same to 6058
Mooloolah will go to 4500
Cooroy's population will exceed 5000
Pomona, Cooran and Kin Kin will have a combined population of 7000
Buderim will have the coast's biggest population for any locality, it will be 44,099 in 2031.
Maroochydore/Kulin will double in size to 33,237 people.
Caloundra (excluding Caloundra South) will grow 43 per cent to 31,266
The population of Caloundra West in 2031 will be 29,000
Nearby Palmview will be home to 16,000 people
At Caloundra South, 25,300 people will be living there by 2031, making just Greater Caloundra a city approaching a population of 105,000

Yet, that LNP plan not to duplicate Beerburrum to Nambour until the same 2031 timeframe as proposed by Tweedledee ALP still holds.  Don't you worry about that!

[Stillwater]

THE QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT SUNSHINE COAST TOURISM OPPORTUNITY PLAN

Yet another government-authored plan that tell the state government what it doesn't want to hear:

"Tourism is currently the largest contributor to Gross Regional Product (GRP) (16.4%) in the Sunshine Coast Region.
Investment in tourism products and tourism related infrastructure is required in order to meet the future needs of visitors to the region.

"The Noosa sub-region attracts the highest percentage of visitors travelling as adult couples or individuals without children. Noosa receives the highest percentage of visitors coming from interstate and overseas including a much larger proportion of visitors in a higher income bracket.

"The current SEQ Infrastructure Plan and Program provides for an extensive program of transport investment. Despite these forward plans it is evident that:

The current road network is still struggling to keep pace with the high growth of car travel
Bus services are being upgraded but from a relatively low base
No passenger rail infrastructure or rail services exist to the east of the Bruce Highway
The region continues to suffer from a lack of transport connectivity between the hinterland and coastal settlements
and between key services hubs such as the Airport and coastal resorts
Key tourism activity centres will need to develop dedicated integrated local transport plans to cater for the forecast growth in both overnight and day visitors.

"Outlined below is an overview of priority forward infrastructure identified through stakeholder consultation and the situation analysis. This infrastructure is critical if regional access and intra-connectivity is achieved across the region for both visitor
markets and residents.

Additional rail line – Caboolture to Beerburrum to Landsborough
Additional rail line – Landsborough to Nambour
Underpass improvements to the Palmwoods rail line
North Coast rail line upgrade – Nambour to Cooroy
Level crossing replacement – grade separation at Beerwah,
Landsborough, Mooloolah and Palmwoods

And finally:

For the Sunshine Coast Region's vision for investment and infrastructure to be realised, the implementation of recommended projects is required to be completed by 2017.

[Stillwater]

With apologies to Gruen Transfer.  What would Powell do?

http://www.andrewpowell.com.au/media/video/

Andrew Powell MP – Train Day
Andrew Powell MP – Rail Commuter Boycott (Ch Seven)
Andrew Powell MP – Rail Commuter Boycott (WIN News)
Andrew Powell MP – Rail Timetable and Flood
Andrew Powell MP – New Sunshine Coast Rail Timetable

Matters Mr Powell raised in the Parliament on 7 April 2011 – Matters that are now the LNP's to solve:

"With regard to the north coast rail corridor duplication and particularly the resumption of land and the signing of leases, I would like to acknowledge the efforts of and thank the previous minister for transport for her assistance with a couple of issues that arose in the electorate of Glass House around that north coast rail corridor. In particular, we got to the point where we were able to sign a lease with the Elimbah Fruitgrowers over its co-op arrangement at the Elimbah Railway Station. I understand though that there is not a lot of certainty around how long that lease will operate, but we are grateful that a lease was able to be sorted out.

"Possibly more important was the situation of Matt and Lisa Sherry in Palmwoods. As the minister will be aware, the EIS has been released for the duplication from Landsborough to Nambour. It has a huge effect on the township of Palmwoods. It has a huge effect on residents in Leeons Road. Interestingly, the Sherrys were one of the only families who were unaffected apparently yet were losing half a dam. I thank the previous minister for taking on board our representations. QR has subsequently gone out and assessed the situation and has determined that they are affected. I understand that a settlement has been made and the Sherrys have moved to another property in Palmwoods. I am glad that we kept them as constituents, and I am very grateful for the assistance of the department in resolving that matter.

"But there is a large amount of outstanding business in the north coast rail duplication corridor. I would like to raise a few of those matters with the minister this evening. Firstly, we are getting a lot of feedback from constituents in and around Beerburrum–Helen Manson to name one–concerning the ongoing lease and maintenance of the TrackStar Alliance depot adjacent to the Beerburrum Railway Station.

"Obviously TrackStar had intentions of continuing on with the Beerburrum to Landsborough upgrade and so has kept its depot there, but it has fallen into a considerable state of disrepute–"

An honourable member: Disrepute?

Mr POWELL: "Disrepute is probably not the correct word–disrepair is probably the correct word."

Ms O'Neill: But I like the idea of its disrepute.

Mr POWELL: "No, we will not make comments on what perhaps goes on at the depot. It is certainly in a state of disrepair. The fencing has deteriorated. There are weeds and grass everywhere. It is certainly not looked after. I have written to the minister about this. I hope it is something she might be able to look into. In a similar vein to the Elimbah Fruitgrowers, I know the Glass House Mountains co-op is trying to sort out its lease arrangements. The corridor does not adjust too much around the Glass House Mountains Railway Station, but clearly the co-op needs some certainty around its ongoing lease arrangements.

"I have received notification recently that the Sunshine Coast Regional Council is in the final stages of preparing its streetscaping project for the community of Glass House Mountains. It has raised a number of issues with me regarding the interface with the rail corridor upgrade, particularly things such as the integration of that streetscaping CBD plan and the rail upgrade overpass, including the rail levels; the planning of heavy haulage routes to reduce congestion and improve safety with the expected increase in traffic numbers; and the retaining of the existing railway station in the rail upgrade plan. My understanding is that members of the Glass House Mountains community have had extensive discussions with the former member for Glass House. A lot of work was put in to upgrading the Glass House Mountains Railway Station, but it is a heritage station. It is recognised as being an intrinsic part of the community. It would be great if we could hang on to that. I will be talking further with the council and with representatives of the Glass House Mountains township around those issues, but again I just bring them to the attention of the minister this evening.

"I know there is outstanding business around Murray Pike and his property. The corridor is pushing Steve Irwin Way to one side. Therefore, TMR is having to resume part of his pineapple farm. There is a dispute about the valuation. Clearly the valuation TMR is providing does not include a value for the crop. Pineapples are grown on a cyclical basis. The crops are in. It is not just a case of resuming the land; it is giving compensation for the crop that is being lost as well. I just ask again that, when the time comes, the Minister for Transport and the Minister for Main Roads take a moment to reconsider that situation.

"Finally, the biggest issue–and we have been contacting the minister's office regularly on this issue–is around the Palmwoods CBD itself. Local Sunshine Coast Regional Councillor Jenny McKay and I and Mayor Bob Abbot with a number of council staff came down and spoke to the former minister last year about possibly looking at an arrangement to transfer excess land–what we understand to be excess land based on where the corridor is going to go through Palmwoods–which would facilitate the council being able to better plan the CBD of Palmwoods, particularly to look at supermarket developments for that community. We left that meeting with the mayor and the minister understanding that there was some goodwill on both sides and that it could potentially be looked at. My understanding is that when council went to follow that through with TMR representatives it stalled to the point where it is now being told it that it cannot go any further. That is really holding up the council and its ability to resolve a lot of issues in the CBD of Palmwoods.

"We have written to the minister to request another meeting with the minister, the councillor and council staff to try to resolve that issue. We would very much appreciate an opportunity to come and see the minister as soon as possible to further discuss that. I realise our previous discussions were with the former minister, but it would be great to bring this minister up to speed to see if there is not a way we can resolve it. We realise that under current plans the corridor is not going to be built until 2031. The council cannot wait that long to resolve this issue. We think there is a very simple solution. We put it to TMR. We thought we had some recognition of that from TMR, but subsequently not. Again, if the minister could assist us with that, it would be much appreciated.

Mr Powell, Media Release 23 March 2011:

"On the back of adverse changes to the Sunshine Coast rail timetable for 2011 and the continual delays to complete the rail duplication from Beerburrum to Nambour, Andrew Powell MP, Member for Glass House sponsored two petitions calling the government to action.

"Yesterday, the Minister for Transport tabled her responses (see http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/view/EPetitions_QLD/ClosedEPetitions.aspx?LIndex=2).

"All of the promises to deliver additional rail capacity along the North Coast line have been stalled by the incompletion of the rail duplication. You can't deliver faster and more efficient trains when the job has only been half done.

"Effectively the Minister, in her response to the petition, has 'programmed' delivery of the Landsborough to Nambour rail upgrade for completion in 2031 – she tells us it is 'on the horizon'."

"What this demonstrates is that the government can give no guarantees the upgrade will even be completed by 2031″, Mr Powell said.

What is Powell doing? NOTHING.  For SC rail commuters, the LNP duplication construction timeline is the same as the ALP's.  For them, it doesn't matter which box they number on the ballot -- and it may be that they won't bother to tick Mr Powell's name next time around.