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QLD prepares for ‘biggest decade’ of growth in transport infrastructure

Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane. Photo by Steven Pahel on Unsplash

Queenslanders can have their say on what the next 10 years of transport could look like across the state.

The Creating Better Connections for Queenslanders, a draft 10-year plan for passenger transport throughout the state, identifies five key priorities and 20 initiatives for the next 10 years that will ensure passenger transport in Queensland remains reliable, safe, and accessible.

Inviting Queenslanders to have their say on the draft plan, Queensland Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said it was important to get the plan right as the state geared up for its “biggest decade of growth.”

“With the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games on the horizon, record investment in infrastructure, and 88 per cent of net migration in the coming years, it’s a big decade ahead,” he said.

“So, we want Queenslanders to be part of developing the best possible transport plan for the state through our Creating Better Connections strategy.”

Brisbane was selected by the International Olympic Committee to host the 2032 Olympics, with the decision announced two days before the Opening Ceremony for the Tokyo Olympic Games. Over the next 11 years, facilities throughout Brisbane, Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast will prepare for the games.

Minister Bailey said the 10-year strategy will be supported with recent investment in public transport, which includes a $371 million rollout of smart ticketing in regional Queensland, as well as electric buses.

“550 smart ticketing readers will be installed at 154 train stations, along with bus services, allowing commuters to pay using a credit card, smart phone or watch,” Bailey said.

“Importantly, smart ticketing will allow regional commuters to access real time travel information about bus and train services.”

The Queensland Government is also supporting the transition to more zero emissions transport options.

“Electric buses are already operating in a number of regions and we’ll start to see more built at BusTech on the Gold Coast, including two bio-ethanol fuelled buses that will start trials in Mackay later this year.

“From 2025, every new urban bus added to the fleet in SEQ will be a zero-emissions vehicle.

“From 2030, we’ll roll out zero-emissions vehicle to the rest of the urban fleet across the state – and of course we want them to be built here in Queensland.

Mr Bailey encouraged Queenslanders to have their say on the Creating Better Connections for Queenslanders draft plan during the six week consultation.

The draft plan is based on five key priorities, which outline how Queensland’s passenger transport will evolve to meet changing customer expectations.

These include: reliable and safe services, responsive to changing community needs, seamless end-to-end journeys, easy and accessible and environmentally sustainable.

“TransLink customer surveys, as well as ongoing customer feedback, ideas and suggestions, have informed the content of this draft plan,” Mr Bailey said.

“We’ve listened to our customers and considered their needs, and now we are seeking feedback from other key stakeholders.”

Submission can be made until Friday September 17, 2021.

More information is available on the TransLink website.


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