Community drives changes to Gympie Road bus plan

The Palaszczuk Government has backed community calls to keep bus stops and on-street parking in its plan to cut bus travel times on Gympie Road.

The Northern Transitway proposed to remove on-street parking on Gympie Road between Sadlier Street and Hamilton Road for 24/7 bus lanes.

The bus lanes are expected to cut up to six minutes off bus travel times for about 5000 passengers during the weekday peak.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said bus lane hours in both directions would be pegged back to weekday peak periods only, between 6am-9am and 3pm-6pm.

He said two bus stops slated for removal near Strathmore Street and Castle Street in Kedron would also stay.

“We held a series of community information sessions last year and received 185 pieces of individual feedback on the proposed Northern Transitway plan,” Mr Bailey said.

“The main issues raised by the community were the removal of the bus stops and on-street parking.

“The changes mean commuters will still enjoy quicker travel during the high demand peak periods, while Gympie Road businesses will keep on-street parking for their customers for large parts of the day and all day on weekends.”

Under the revised plan, traffic lights will be installed at the Gympie Road-Boothby Street intersection, including a right-turn lane and U-turn.

‘No parking’ areas near bus stops and intersections on Gympie Road will be extended by up to 100 metres to improve priority access for buses.

Five intersections will be converted to left-in and left-out only access to improve safety and traffic flow on Gympie Road – a proposal retained from the original plan.

Emergency vehicles will also be able to use the bus lanes.

Member for Stafford Dr Anthony Lynham said he was pleased TMR’s project team had accounted for the community’s views in their final plan.

“Cutting travel times for thousands of northside commuters was a commitment the Palaszczuk Government went to the 2017 election with,” Dr Lynham said.

“This plan still delivers on that commitment, but it also shows we listen to locals when we plan these projects.

“The parking and bus stops issues were repeatedly raised with me by residents at meetings and in phone calls and emails, so I’m glad those aspects have been considered and compromises reached.

“Deb Frecklington and the LNP claim they want to bust congestion but they’ve already promised to cut this project.

“If they cut the transitway, what’s their plan to deal with northside congestion?

“About 70,000 motorists drive that stretch of Gympie Road every day, and the RACQ regularly lists it as one of the worst spots for nose to tail crashes because of the congestion.

“The LNP will cut it and we’ll waste more years with no action while Gympie Road get worse.

“We’re ready to start construction on the transitway this year.”

Tenders for the project are expected to be released next month, with the project supporting almost 90 jobs during construction.

For more information about the Northern Transitway project, visit tmr.qld.gov.au and search for ‘Northern Transitway’.

ENDS

Media contact: Toby Walker – 0439 347 875