BTQ Transport Advocates Call for Brisbane 2032 Olympics Transport Changes and Plan

Image Credit: By MDRX - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

BTQ and its members are concerned about how Brisbane and the wider SEQ public transport network will prepare for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics. BTQ recommends the following changes to the Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Brent Mickelberg MP:

1. A New Queensland Public Transport Authority. BTQ recommends that this agency be formed in the same way as Western Australia’s Public Transport Authority (WA PTA). This means merging Queensland Rail, Brisbane City Council’s Transport for Brisbane, and TransLink into a single organisation.
2. More High-Frequency Buses. BCC’s high-frequency Bus Upgrade Zone program (BUZ) should be restarted and expanded. The effectiveness of this program is proven - typical patronage increases were 100% or more.
3. More High-Frequency Trains. Services on the Shorncliffe, Kippa-Ring and Springfield rail lines should be upgraded to trains every 15 minutes in the off-peak. Ipswich train services should be transitioned to an all-day express train pattern.
4. More Trains and Translink Fares for Brisbane Airtrain. This will reduce ticket prices while not requiring the costly buyout of Airtrain’s business. It is similar to how Translink already pays for existing private operators of bus, ferry and light rail services to provide public transport across Queensland.

Although service-based improvements require funding to implement, they are significantly faster, cheaper, and lower risk when compared against major infrastructure projects such as new train lines or busways.

Quotes attributable to Paul Guard, Better Transport Queensland Spokesperson:

"On Sundays and Public Holidays, Perth runs 15-minute off-peak train service to almost all 70+ train stations on the Transperth network. A comparable level of off-peak train service is not achieved within Greater Brisbane on a normal business weekday. This is partly the reason why Perth trains consistently have more patronage than Brisbane, despite Brisbane having a higher population.”

“Unlike Western Australia, in Queensland, the responsibility for delivering public transport infrastructure or services is scattered across three agencies - Translink, Queensland Rail and Brisbane City Council. It will be much easier to plan and deliver effective public transport for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics with one organisation responsible and in charge, than three.”

“Compared to Perth’s Airport train, Queenslanders pay more and get less. Perth runs 60% more trains to and from the Airport than Brisbane’s Airtrain. Perth charges a normal public transport fare of $5.20, whereas Brisbane Airtrain charges $22.30, four times the cost (Go Card Adult Fare, cheaper online). The Queensland Government should subsidise Brisbane Airtrain as normal public transport, just like Perth does, and pay to add additional train services to Brisbane Airport.”

Supporting Material

Data analysis showing that Perth runs about 60% more train service per week to and from the Airport than Brisbane Airtrain does (June 2024).

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Better Transport Queensland Inc. — Queensland’s leading advocacy group for public, active, and freight transport.

Visit our website at www.bettertransportqueensland.org.

References

• Transperth Patronage https://www.pta.wa.gov.au/about-us/priorities-and-performance/transport-performance

• BUZ Routes: Frequency and Reliability - The Winning Formula, Alan Warren and Brisbane City Council (2007) http://hdl.handle.net/2123/6058

Spokesperson

Paul Guard - BTQ Spokesperson
[email protected]

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