The Sunshine Coast Case : Rail duplication Beerburrum to Nambour

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily 15th January 2015 page 13

[Stillwater]

Over several days, the SCD has highlighted each of the electorates on the SC and the issues.  Transport has been at the top of the list for each and every electorate.

[Fares_Fair]

If you want votes, spend some money here: Jamieson

By: Joe Flynn | 16th Jan 2015 6:55 AM

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/marginal-seats-get-the-rewards/2513098/

IF CANDIDATES want votes on the Sunshine Coast in this month's state election, their parties have to start spending money here.

That was the message from Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson after blasting successive state governments for neglecting the region and chasing marginal seats.

Cr Jamieson said areas like Cairns, Townsville, Toowoomba and the Gold Coast were receiving major funding while the traditionally LNP-dominated safe haven of the Sunshine Coast was overlooked.

"Blind Freddy can see that marginal seats get more attention," Cr Jamieson said.

He said the bias toward areas with marginal seats meant the Coast was missing out on vital infrastructure, which was damaging job creation.

CR Jamieson made the comments yesterday at the Lake Kawana Community Centre, where candidates from all parties were invited to hear the council's top 10 priorities for the government that is elected on January 31.

While Cr Jamieson applauded the current State Government for moving in the right direction with commitments like this week's North Coast Rail Line duplication promise, he said more was needed to bring the Coast up to scratch.

"When you've missed out over a long time, the list tends to get bigger," he said.

He named five policy priorities and five major funding needs that equalled more than $3 billion.

They included spending to make the Bruce Hwy six lanes, upgrade some of the Coast's most troubled roads and help to fund a council-run entertainment, convention and exhibition centre.

Failure to make the investments would only make it harder to create jobs in an area that already owned one of the state's highest unemployment rates, Cr Jamieson said.

He used figures from Queensland Government Budget Papers* collated by the council to show the bias.

The regional budget statement area of Far North Queensland - centred around Cairns - received $5.46 billion in State Government capital expenditure from 2009 to 2015, while Darling Downs received $5.41 billion, North Queensland -around Townsville - received $5.13 billion.

Over the same period the Coast received $4.9 billion in capital expenditure despite being the state's third most populated area, while the Gold Coast received $8.7 billion.

"There has been no major tourism infrastructure investment in this region for over 25 years," he said.

The LNP has a buffer of more than 20% in Buderim, Caloundra, Maroochydore, Noosa and Kawana, while independent Peter Wellington has had a 17-year stranglehold on the seat of Nicklin.

The mayor said the safeness of Sunshine Coast seats was a possible reason for the lack of spending.

Cr Jamieson criticised Labor's and the LNP's commitment to build another new stadium in Townsville as an example of the bias.

"For a city of less than 190,000 people projected to be about our size in 2036, they certainly seem to be getting a lot of attention," he said.

"If that project goes ahead, Townsville, like the Gold Coast, will have had two national stadiums funded by the state in the past 20 years."

COUNCIL'S WISHLIST 
• Policy commitments - to build community and investment confidence
• No further major adjustments to the boundaries of the Sunshine Coast local government area.
• Statutory preservation of the Regional Inter-urban break
• Beerwah East site - and not the Halls Creek site - is retained in the SEQ Regional Plan as the identified growth area in the Southern Sunshine Coast corridor
• A fair outcome on the infrastructure agreements for Caloundra South - to minimise the flow-on costs to other ratepayers of infrastructure required elsewhere in the region as a result of this development
• Approval of the Environmental Impact Statement for the expansion of the Sunshine Coast Airport and support for Federal Government approvals and financing strategy.
• Infrastructure commitments - with clear timing and funding arrangements
• North Coast Rail Line duplication from Beerburrum to Nambour (cost about $2 billion)
• Inclusion of the Caboolture to Caloundra Road interchange, six-lane upgrade in the Bruce Highway Action Plan for delivery by 2025 (cost about $2 billion, with the State Government share about $400 million)
• Upgrade of the Sunshine Coast Motorway, Nicklin Way and Mooloolah River Interchange (cost about $440 million based on concept launched by the Queensland Government on August 19, 2014)
• Provision of a high-quality bus corridor between Caloundra and Maroochydore (cost about $400 million). This could be a potential forerunner to a light rail network - if light rail is determined as the longer term public transport solution for the Sunshine Coast
• A contribution of up to $100 million towards the delivery of an entertainment, convention and exhibition centre in the Maroochydore Priority Development Area



* Extracted from Queensland Government Capital Statements published as part of the State Budget Papers for successive years. The figures depict the aggregation of capital purchases and capital grants, but exclude (where possible) disaster recovery funding identified in Regional Budget Statements. The budget figures do not include operating budget expenditure.

[#Metro]

The regional budget statement area of Far North Queensland - centred around Cairns - received $5.46 billion in State Government capital expenditure from 2009 to 2015, while Darling Downs received $5.41 billion, North Queensland -around Townsville - received $5.13 billion.

Over the same period the Coast received $4.9 billion in capital expenditure despite being the state's third most populated area, while the Gold Coast received $8.7 billion.

Devil's advocate but it looks like it is just statistical variation? Also a presumption that all areas are all equal in need/demand - GC much higher density, more people, and therefore a larger claim?

[Fares_Fair]

The regional budget statement area of Far North Queensland - centred around Cairns - received $5.46 billion in State Government capital expenditure from 2009 to 2015, while Darling Downs received $5.41 billion, North Queensland -around Townsville - received $5.13 billion.

Over the same period the Coast received $4.9 billion in capital expenditure despite being the state's third most populated area, while the Gold Coast received $8.7 billion.

Devil's advocate but it looks like it is just statistical variation? Also a presumption that all areas are all equal in need/demand - GC much higher density, more people, and therefore a larger claim?

I note your point LD, but Townsville getting 2 stadiums (or is that stadia?) in 20 years
Gold Coast on a per capita basis (using roughly Sunshine Coast's 2/3 population) gets $1 billion more than Sunshine Coast.

I think the Mayor makes a good point.

[Stillwater]

Mayor Jamieson has used the statistical evident that the government itself produces to argue his case.  There is a stack of statistical evidence, including evidence relating to the benefits to freight rail, of upgrading the Sunshine Coast line to Nambour.  Nearly all of this comes from the state government or its agencies, or reports it has commissioned.

Wide Bay, Central Queensland, North Queensland and Far North Queensland companies that rely on freight rail benefit indirectly from the investment in the Beerburrum to Nambour duplication, plus efficiency improvements further north.  Faster, longer freight trains and more slots for freight trains closer to Brisbane assist in strengthening the Queensland economy.

The case for the SCL duplication is overwhelming and gained traction when passenger and freight rail efficiencies were considered in tandem.  The government could not refute the case argued with its own findings and data.  Mayor Jamieson is doing the same on a wider brief, not just around transport.

That said, transport and transport infrastructure is at the top of everyone's concerns, if articles in the SC Daily are to be believed.  The paper has focussed on the issues in each of the SC electorates.  In the electorate of Buderim (not on the railway line), duplication to Nambour was a priority.  It is a priority at Noosa too - everywhere.

No political party can ignore that public sentiment, or does so at its peril.

[Stillwater]

With little fanfare, TMR in December 2014 produced a Moving Freight Progress Report  ( key activities and emerging opportunities supporting freight).

Against this key objective:

"Identify with industry rail freight and broader supply chain requirements to inform rain planning for the North Coast Line, including the need for longer trains and supporting rail freight terminals."

... TMR noted that work had commenced in January 2014 on a North Coast Line Rail Capacity and Improvement Study, and said it would be completed in 2014-15, which suggests mid-2015.  Hopefully someone could be clued up during the election campaign to ask the Transport Minister about the preliminary findings.  They should be known by now.

[Stillwater]

In a document entitled 'Strengthening Queensland Supply Chains', the Queensland Transport and Logistics Council argues this:

That TMR, in consultation with QR and affected parties, develop a Rail Network Operational (Efficiency) Policy incorporating freight line, passenger and freight train hierarchies and use
these to develop a rail operations trade off decision-making framework.

The QTLC is pushing for freight trains to have priority over passenger trains on the line:

"The former Queensland Government legislated to give passenger trains, whether heavily patronised peak hour Citytrains or heavily subsidised Traveltrains, priority over all freight trains. This has direct
operational and network efficiency impacts. This report has suggested that a new Rail Network Operational (Efficiency) Policy be developed and referenced by legislation and supported by the development of operating guidelines to reduce delays and increase network efficiency. Reaffirming the existing policy setting will improve the performance of rail based supply chains."

Was the State Government listening to this recommendation?:

"The Queensland Government (should) review the need for its subsidised Westlander Traveltrain service, providing that a comparable or improved bus service to the affected communities can be
provided."

The document goes on to say:

"In order to make it possible for more freight to travel on rail, there needs to be a change in the current priorities - where any passenger train service on any line at any time has priority over any freight train, and all rail lines are considered to have an equivalent freight role.  Without a change in these policies, more freight is unlikely to be attracted to rail unless the rail network capacity issues are resolved by significant investment."

The whole of Section 5 of the document is pretty much an attack on passenger rail operating on the same line with freight.

Document:  http://www.qtlc.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/QTLC-SQSC-Report.pdf

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily 23rd January 2015 page 3

RACQ backs rail project

[Fares_Fair]

Incredible and amazing 

The RACQ place rail duplication to Nambour (aka #2tracks) as the No. 1 priority for the Sunshine Coast region due to the freight (and obvious associated traffic and safety) impacts.

[Stillwater]

This is a first time I have seen the end date for construction to finish ... two tracks to Landsborough 'within 4 years of an LNP Government being elected.'  That's 2019.

So, we need commitment to Nambour to be made in the 2018 election campaign, for work to start on that section in 2019.  (The sound argument is that equipment and trained personnel, skilled in the art of railway building will have been amassed for the B-L upgrade and it would be madness for no additional work being found for them once that job is finished.)

Now, here is the interesting bit.  The commitment to build L-Nbr double track will need to come from the ALP.  The pundits are predicting an LNP win at the end of the month, but the ALP will have bigger numbers to put them within cooee of gaining power at the election after this one.

The trick is to have the party that will form government make the promise.  In 2018, that probably would be the ALP.

[Stillwater]

Here is the link to the SCD story: http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/racq-backs-rail-project/2520427/

RACQ official media statement: http://www.racq.com.au/about/news-and-community/media-releases/racq-welcomes-sc-rail-announcement

[Gazza]

So, we need commitment to Nambour to be made in the 2018 election campaign, for work to start on that section in 2019.  (The sound argument is that equipment and trained personnel, skilled in the art of railway building will have been amassed for the B-L upgrade and it would be madness for no additional work being found for them once that job is finished.)

Thing is, the next bit of the project is a whopping $1.5 Bil.
For that sort of money you would well and truly build a good chunk of the CAMCOS line, and service a lot more people.

I'd undoubtedly say that the  agglomeration benefits would be higher if you sent the line to Caloundra. All of a sudden that coastal strip, where the bulk of the population actually resides is properly connected to the rest of SEQ.

And it would be a speedy trip too....Trains cover the 20km from  Beenleigh to Coomera in 12 minutes, which would suggest getting from Beerwah to Caloundra (Stopping at Caloundra South on the way) in a similar amount of time...Therefore a 90 min trip to the CBD, which is competitive with driving in peak hour, and a 30 minute time saving compared to 605+Train.

To put it in perspective, $475 mil bought 10km of Springfield extension. The bottom bit of CAMCOS is much the same environment. Open land, non urban, not too many bridge crossings apart from one over a motorway. That however would only get the line to the bottom bit of Caloundra South.

Yep, I know there is the freight issue, but what I'd be curious to know is how well the line would perform with the shorter single track section from Landsborough to Nambour. Is it possible you could run a half hourly service with freight Mixed in? Or even hourly.
Or do what Mufreight has said in the past and just go for easy wins in terms of realligning the segments that have the biggest impact on freight.

[Stillwater]

The RACQ nailed it when it said that duplication to Nambour was needed to meet the freight task.  QTIC says the same thing.  The ARTC is actively investigating the lease of the NCL because of its freight functions and the commercial advantages of a lease.  BaT will have a hefty private sector investment should it proceed.

[Gazza]

What are the ARTC saying they'd need to fulfil their purposes? Full duplication? Part?

[Fares_Fair]

What are the ARTC saying they'd need to fulfil their purposes? Full duplication? Part?

ALL of the State and federal Government reports state rail duplication as the requisite needed to assist the freight task all the way up to Cairns.
We will have to await the outcome of the ARTC investigation but I'd expect it to reflect the Government's reports

There are passing loops that can be extended at various locations, even north of Nambour but they can't address the grade and alignment issues that impact upon the freight task.
I don't believe that the coastal strip wouldn't make use of the rail line just because of its current hinterland alignment.
If it's fast, reliable and frequent they'll come.

[Fares_Fair]

Fingers crossed that $532 million rail duplication Beerburrum to Landsborough gets over the line ...

[ozbob]

 

[Fares_Fair]

Fingers crossed that $532 million rail duplication Beerburrum to Landsborough gets over the line ...

and....vaporising

[HappyTrainGuy]

Just like the Sunday 10.15pm Nambour to City service.

[#Metro]

Fingers crossed that $532 million rail duplication Beerburrum to Landsborough gets over the line ...

There is NO way Red Team is funding upgrades in a Blue Team Super Safe seat. And with no asset sale - no money!!

[Stillwater]

ALP win or hung parliament .... Beerburrum-Landsborough duplication in jeopardy.  Key may be Peter Wellington, the Independent Candidate for Nicklin.  ALP may think its margin is wafer thin and would seek support from the crossbenches.  Mr Wellington's price for supporting ALP may be B-L duplication, but there is no money for it from an ALP-controlled Treasury, unless something comes out of discussions with ARTC.  Mr Wellington has said he did not trust Campbell Newman.  Now Mr Newman is gone, circumstances might change.  Mr Wellington also wanted the VLAD laws rescinded, so he is unlikely to support LNP in any event.  Which way would (2) KAP members go???  Vveeerrrryyy interesting.

[#Metro]

Does this mean Gold Coast Light Rail extension is buh-bye too?  You have CRR, Sunshine Coast Line and GC LRT... difficult to see how all of these are going to be funded...

[SurfRail]

I was never expecting GCLR anyway - it wouldn't have materialised during the term of this new government.

Leaves me plenty of time to get onto their case about economical upgrades to the bus network that don't require 1/2 a billion dollars of capital expenditure.

[Arnz]

I do recall the SCRC (under both Bob Abbott and Jamieson) were a bit more PT minded and innovative in testing out new bus routes, as well as partially funding frequency improvements to existing routes (until handing over funding entirely to the state). 

I wonder if this means the SCRC (and Noosa Shire Council as well) are going to be a bit more active in 'trialling' frequency improvements to existing bus routes and/or are willing to partially fund and trial cross towns, such as the 632 (now fully state funded) and the unsuccessful 623. 

The 620 in is in dire need of a frequency upgrade (from every 30 mins to every 15 mins).

[Stillwater]

Arnz ... just confirming.  The No. 632 bus has sufficient patronage to be funded fully by the state government, without subsidy from Noosa Council?  The bus stops along this route still display references to the stops being 'temporary' (ie, the service is a 'trial' while passenger numbers grow.)

[Arnz]

Arnz ... just confirming.  The No. 632 bus has sufficient patronage to be funded fully by the state government, without subsidy from Noosa Council?  The bus stops along this route still display references to the stops being 'temporary' (ie, the service is a 'trial' while passenger numbers grow.)

Previous timetables prior to November 2013 bus reform had a "This service is a trial service" references all over it. 

Timetables after the bus reform in 2013 removed all 'This is a trial service' references in the timetables from November 2013 onwards.

[Stillwater]

Interviewed on ABC local radio this morning, Peter Wellington MP (Independent, Nicklin), asked what he saw as priorities for government on the Sunshine Coast, said 'a firm timetable for duplicating Beerburrum-Nambour' was needed -- this from the man whose vote the ALP is likely to rely upon to govern.  On the radio news, Mark Jamieson, the Mayor of the Sunshine Coast, agreed that Beerburrum-Nambour duplication was needed as a 'top priority', pointing out that this section of track was responsible for congestion affecting rail freight operations along the entire Queensland Coast.

Mr Wellington said Beerburrum-Nambour was a 'nation-building project' that deserved federal funding.

The Australian newspaper printed an analysis of federal seats likely to change hands if people's voting patterns at the state level transferred across to the federal arena.  Under this scenario, seats such as Longman (around Caboolture) and Hinkler (Bundaberg) would change hands at the next federal election.

With a troubled PM saying he will be listening to backbenchers more intently from now on, here's hoping a few MPs from Queensland are in his ear about the need to invest federal dollars in this vital piece of national infrastructure.  Gracious, even the RACQ says the track should be duplicated.  And ... we have yet to hear the outcome of the joint QR-ARTC investigation into the feasibility of the NCL being leased to the ARTC.

It will be very interesting to see whether an ALP government elected on a platform of not selling or leasing state assets would be prepared to consider a NCL lease by a private company wholly owned by the federal government.  Could it be argued that this does not represent a 'lease to private enterprise'?

[Stillwater]

Broken promises from LNP helped Peter Wellington retain his seat.

http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/tableOffice/questionsAnswers/2012/231-2012.pdf

Disability access did not proceed despite Mr Emerson promising it.  How can a Minister who breaks his word have any credibility as LNP leader?

[Stillwater]

Watch Mark Jamieson interview: http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/jamieson-backs-simpsons-desire-become-leader-lnp/2530234/

[ozbob]

^ thanks.   

[Fares_Fair]

The Sunshine Coast Daily have introduced the hash tag #ontrackSCD for their rail or rail duplication stories.
To those with social media accounts, please help spread the word.
Thank you.

#2tracks is also #ontrackSCD

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> OPINION: New Government needs to guarantee rail duplication

OPINION: New Government needs to guarantee rail duplication
Comment by Jeff Addison | 4th Feb 2015 5:00 AM

COMMENT BY JEFF ADDISON: DEVASTATED, best describes how I feel after the loss of the twice promised $532 million rail duplication from Beerburrum to Landsborough.

In my eyes it was first big step towards the goal of a modern rail service to Nambour, for the 330k people of the Sunshine Coast.

Campaigning for it has consumed the past 4 years of my life.

It's been a long hard road, started by meetings with Alex Somlyay in 2010, Andrew Powell, Fiona Simpson, Tracey Davis, Mark McArdle, Steve Dickson, Jarrod Bleijie and the then Transport Minister, Annastacia Palaszczuk in 2011, Peter Slipper as Speaker in 2012, Warren Truss in 2013, and Scott Emerson and our Premier Campbell Newman in June 2014.

This rail is a loss, not just for the Sunshine Coast people, but also for the freight operators who ply the 1668 km line to Cairns.

It's the most congested single line track in the nation, and was recognised as such back in 1994.

It was described by Paul Lucas, then Labor Transport Minister in 2006, as 'one of the weakest links in the Queensland Rail network', and he was right.

A plethora of State and Federal Government reports all itemise the cold hard facts of this nationally unique rail line.

It's part of a national north-south freight corridor from Melbourne to Cairns, and thus is eligible for federal funding.

HASHTAG #ONTRACKSCD ON TWITTER TO TELL US WHY YOU WANT RAIL DUPLICATION ON THE COAST

I met with Warren Truss to make that point, and he agreed. If the State made it a priority, the Coalition would consider it.

The reports all say it's slow, it's congested, it's too windy (which limits speed and thus efficiency) and it's passing loops are too short.

It negatively impacts upon the ability of the rail line to compete with road freight.

I know the passing loops are short, 'cause the shortest one in the 1668km to Cairns is at Palmwoods, my home town.

This limits the length of freight trains to just 650m long, when the Federal Government wants freight trains up to 1900m long.

To those who've wondered, I have always argued the case for freight because that is where the money is to be made, passenger rail transport is subsidised. It's freight that forms the key to rail duplication with the collateral benefit for us of improved passenger services.

Duplication would enable faster train trips for us, it'd give us around 150 extra trains per week.

It'd eliminate the slow rail buses (in lieu of trains) that travel between Nambour and Caboolture, 26 of them every day.

I could go on, but I think you get my points.

I am just one of approx. 1800 people a day that commute between the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane, and endure up to 4 hours daily rail travel.

"How do you do it?" is a common question I hear when a traveller starts chatting. "One day at a time." is my reply.

I've been doing this trip for over 16 years, car-pooled first 2 years then train since February 2001.

The Sunshine Coast Council recognises the need of duplication to Nambour, the State Government did too, on both sides of the political divide.

Even that famous institution of our roads, the RACQ recognises the advantages that rail would provide, their executive manager of public policy Michael Roth, stating it was the RACQ's number one priority for the Sunshine Coast region.

When Queensland's peak motoring body recognises the need for rail, you know it's truly case closed.

Jeff Addison is a Sunshine Coast commuter advocate and spokesperson Rail Back on Track.

HOW YOU CAN HELP GET SUNSHINE COAST RAIL BACK ON TRACK

NO matter what side of politics takes the reins of Queensland, the Sunshine Coast wants - no needs - the north coast rail line to be duplicated.

While the LNP had promised the project would happen if it was elected, Labor - which seems most likely to become the next government - has not made any commitment.   

We're hoping Member for Nicklin Peter Wellington will use his political clout to assure the rail duplication does go ahead. But we need your support to show how badly we need it. 

Get online and get behind the push for a rail duplication promise from the newly-elected government, no matter what colour it is.   

Using the Hashtag #ONTRACKSCD on Twitter, tell us about your commuting to and from the Coast, and reveal to the world why you want a firm promise for rail duplication here.

[ozbob]

Well said FF and SCD!

[Stillwater]

Peter Wellington's argument is that the SCL duplication to Nambour is a 'nation-building' project that deserves federal government financial injection.  The most obvious way for this to occur involves a process being investigated currently between QR and the Australian Rail Track Corporation.  The deal involves the ARTC LEASING the SCL and NCL from the state government of the day.  Leases are bad news right now.

Maybe the state could argue in favour of ARTC lease on the basis that it is a transfer of track from a state government entity (QR) to a federal government entity (ARTC), but it is a fine line that the Opposition (whoever that is) would exploit to buggery.

Right now, politics is driving what is happening, or is likely to happen, on the SCL.

[#Metro]

You have to notice the narrative around all this - it isn't "oh, how do we make better service etc", it's all revolving around ownership, state power and control. Very disappointing!

With Team Tony captain of what now seem to be The Titanic, maybe there is scope for him supporting the SCL, given that it is "nation building" and on a national freight line.

Asset Leasing?


http://blog.healthkismet.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/hysteria.jpg

[Stillwater]

Channel 7 SC Local News, reporting on Peter Wellington's support for state Labor, says Anna Palasczcuk, has promised PW funding for Nambour Railway Station disability upgrade and money for solving Nambour Hospital parking woes.  However, duplication of the track between B-L, under Labor, would be subject to a cost-benefit analysis, together with cost-benefit analysis of other major infrastructure projects to determine the priority rollout of projects across Queensland.

Commuters demand Labor match LNP's duplication promise: http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/commuters-join-the-chorusforrailupgrade/2533405/

[Fares_Fair]

Yes, the $3.3 million man ... plus a few carpark spaces.

It is good news however for parking around the Hospital. That's badly needed so great work there.

As for rail duplication, he definitely has them over a cup.
It's also reliant on federal funding as a 'Nation Building Project" and given Tony Abbot's statement about public transport... years away or a change in PM away, who knows.

The ALP know it had a case back in 2006, when they initiated Caboolture to Landsborough
What's changed since then?

The business case is a slam dunk, the funding isn't.
The political precedence over hard copy documented need is just so frustrating.

[Stillwater]

^ Couldn't agree more.  This project is close to the top of the tree on all assessments.  ALP wants to do a benefit-cost analysis, just in case.  It is a bit like me visiting the car dealership to gaze at the flash model in the window -- on the hope that the price has come down.

Oh for the good old days!  http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/beating-the-rat-race-at-160kmh-20100830-1479g.html
 

[#Metro]

Good case now - the Sunshine Coast is now effectively a marginal seat!