Super commuter trains for coasts

Commuters from the Gold and Sunshine coasts could reach the centre of Brisbane in about an hour on super fast commuter trains as part of a rail revolution for south east Queensland.

Premier Anna Bligh said the Integrated Regional Transport Plan, which will be released today, would set a target of doubling the share of public transport use from seven to 14 per cent in the next 20 years.

“We need to completely overhaul the way trains operate to achieve this level of growth and provide a level of service that is superior to driving a car,” Ms Bligh said.

“We are working to deliver a rail revolution – a network that carries more people, more often, more quickly.

“This plan is a clear statement of intent and we will work to make this vision a reality.

“When we published our first integrated plan in 1997 to build dedicated busways in SEQ there wasn’t a single kilometre of dedicated busway in the State.

“Today we have 24 km of dedicated busways in Brisbane, more than any other city in Australia and more under construction right now.

“This new plan is visionary, but I believe our experience with the busways shows that when you have a plan you can make it happen.”

The Premier said the European style ‘super commuter’ trains would run express from the Gold and Sunshine Coasts direct to Brisbane city and reach speeds of up to 160km an hour.

“By 2031 Brisbane City Council area will be home to about 1.3 million people, the Gold Coast will house about 750,000 residents and nearly 500,000 people will call Sunshine Coast home,” Ms Bligh said.

“If we link these cities by fast rail, we can avoid the need to expand existing motorways and encourage more people to travel by rail rather than road.

“Currently, travelling by rail between Varsity Lakes and Central stations takes about one hour and 20 minutes, while driving the same distance could take upwards of an hour and a half in peak-hour traffic.

“We’re looking at buying different types of trains with bathrooms for the comfort of passengers and ‘tilt train technology’ to achieve faster travel times of about an hour between these cities.”

Ms Bligh said delivery of Cross River Rail, currently being planned in a $25 million study jointly funded by the Federal and State governments, would provide the catalyst for change in 2016.

“Investing in the mode that can carry the most people over the longest distances will help us deliver connections to communities throughout the south east corner, cutting congestion and providing sustainable transport options,” Ms Bligh said.

Ms Bligh said the target to increase mode share for public transport reflected and reinforced outcomes of the Queensland Government’s Growth Management Summit, held in March 2010.

Media contact: 07 32244500