Article: Business leaders shocked Bruce is not the top priority for transport

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Article: Business leaders shocked Bruce is not the top priority for transport
Sunshine Coast Daily
by Megan Mackander
Saturday 13th April 2013 at 4:42 PM

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/bruce-not-a-top-priority/1828750/

Hallelujah !!
Thank you Cr Rick Baberowski and Mayor Mark Jamieson !!

THE region's transport councillor has left business leaders astounded after comments that the Bruce Hwy should not be our top priority.

Cr Rick Baberowski made a statement during Thursday night's Asia Tourism Forum about the momentum building "behind a perception that the Bruce Hwy is the top priority of the region".

Business leaders say his approach is not in line with the greater population's push for a better highway between Caboolture and the Sunshine Coast.

"The widening of the Bruce Hwy is a priority for various different advocate groups, but I thought it was really important to point out that it wasn't the priority from my point of view from the transport portfolio perspective," Cr Baberowski said.

"And in the theme of the Asia forum, I wanted to explore a range of transport options which really reflected the sort of innovation that we wanted to brand ourselves as having.

"If that was interpreted as not being an advocate for the upgrade of the Bruce Hwy, that is wrong.

"We do need a Bruce Hwy upgrade, but in what sequence and in what relationship to the rail duplication project and how those things can have a close relationship is something we have not looked at yet."

About 100 business leaders attended the conference to hear from key experts on the emerging middle-class Asian market and ways to attract them to the Coast.

Hills Holdings Ltd CEO Ted Pretty said the widening of the Bruce Hwy to six lanes should be a major priority for regional growth.

"While I appreciate the councillor's views that good modal strategies are required and that the social and environmental issues are important, the bottom line is that the Coast needs more infrastructure and connectivity," Mr Pretty said.

Caloundra businessman Bill Darby said he was surprised to hear Cr Baberowski's views on the timing of the delivery of a better Bruce Hwy.

"The councillor holding the transport portfolio needs to be aligned with the views of the community and it would appear that the importance of the Bruce Hwy upgrade as a priority is not shared by the councillor," Mr Darby said.

Mayor Mark Jamieson said the widening of the highway was equally as important as the duplication of rail and the expansion of the Sunshine Coast Airport.

"If we want action on the Bruce Hwy, we need to speak with a united voice to those people putting themselves up for the next federal election to represent this area and further afield," Cr Jamieson said.

"We definitely want the widening of the Bruce, but if we could deliver a better rail service to the Sunshine Coast and people had more confidence in that, it would take a lot of cars off the Bruce Hwy. It's a domino effect."


PLEASE GO TO THE READER POLL

Which should be funded and built first: the rail duplication or six lanes on the Bruce Highway?

Rail should be first
Bruce Highway needs upgrading first 
We don't need either, let's think of a new transport solution

RESULTS AT TIME OF POSTING

Rail should be first
25%

Bruce Highway needs upgrading first
69%

We don't need either, let's think of a new transport solution
5%

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BLOG COMMENTS


Greenwash from Kin Kin 2 hours ago Report post
Much as I hate to agree with Mayor Jamieson, in reality the Bruce Highway (to the Sunshine Coast) is only inadequate a couple of days per year, whereas the rail system is a joke everyday of the year. Whichever way it's all a bit silly when the Bruce Highway isn't a Council road and the train line isn't theirs either. These are Federal and State issues and rail should be the priority.


PeterBaulch from North Arm 2 hours ago
Widening the Bruce has always been the priority since it was a winding two-lane road, and every time the multi-laning program advanced the railway duplication slipped. There is something wrong when road wheels squeak louder than railway ones.
Reply


soothsayer from Kawana Waters 2 hours ago
What a dumb story..........nothing is going to happen until one tier of government is sacked


eclipse from Yandina Creek 2 hours ago
I take it the 8% who don't want either road or rail upgrades have another form of transport in mind? Fairy dust and magic carpets maybe?

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Hallelujah !!
Thank you Cr Rick Baberowski and Mayor Mark Jamieson !!

I met with Cr Rick Baberowski on Tuesday 3rd April at 1:30pm, for just over an hour, to discuss transport issues generally, and to explain why rail duplication needed to be on the agenda (including citations from reports and arguments for the case). I left a copy of the 'Sunshine Coast Case' report with him for reference.
It appears that we agree on a balanced and integrated approach to Sunshine Coast transport.
Our priorities for the Sunshine Coast need to be agreed and consistent.

Federal members campaigning on the Sunshine Coast need to be aware that inaction and flowery words mean nothing without statements of substance, such as; 'Yes we will commit to fight for funding Sunshine Coast rail duplication from Beerburrum to Nambour for the $4.57Billion in benefits it will generate for SEQ.'

That's a Cost Benefit Ratio (CBR) of 2.285.

The days of not being seen to achieve anything are over.