Brisbane Metro Subway System
Fact sheet
Brisbane City Council is committed to delivering the Brisbane Metro Subway System to help address the city’s public transport and capacity issues.
With bus users currently representing two-thirds of all public transport passengers, Brisbane Metro Subway System will provide a reliable high-frequency transport system that will reduce CBD congestion, cut travel times and allow for the redirection of buses to improve services in the suburbs.
The challenge
Demand
· Two-thirds of public transport passengers are bus users.
· At present there are approximately 113 million trips a year on the Brisbane bus network.
Forecasts by 2031
· An additional 108,000 jobs will be based in the CBD.
· An 80 percent increase in demand for public transport journeys through the CBD.
· Public transport trips to the city centre will double.
· Buses entering the CBD during morning peak will increase from 550 to 1000 unless action is taken. The CBD cannot sustain 1000 buses at peak.
Capacity and congestion
· Previous investigations by both Council and state governments have identified Brisbane’s bus network is already at capacity in many CBD locations, and this problem is set to continue without a significant investment in transport infrastructure.
· The Culture Centre, King George Square, Roma Street and Queen Street bus stations are all at capacity during peak times.
· The Cultural Centre busway station reached capacity in 2013 with 230 buses per hour leading to major congestion and queuing.
· Many bus stops in CBD streets are at, or reaching capacity.
· Increased congestion on Brisbane CBD and inner city streets and blocked lanes from bus stop queues are causing delays to commuters
It will deliver
Extra capacity
· Carry up to 30,000 passengers per hour by 2031. (10 times the volume of passengers of Gold Coast light rail).
· Suburban bus routes will connect to the metro subway terminus stations at Woolloongabba and Herston, rather than continuing to the city. This will relieve city bus congestion and in turn travel times.
· Provide benefits to commuters in the middle and outer suburbs that are increasing spending long period of time in bus gridlock in the CBD and inner Brisbane.
Fast and reliable services
· Services every two minutes.
· Seven kilometers of uninterrupted travel from Herston to Woolloongabba.
· Improved reliability of services and journey times.
· Smoother, quieter and quicker than light rail.
CBD growth
· Improved CBD amenity through a reduction of buses on streets.
· Three new stations and upgrades to existing inner city busway stations.
· Victoria Bridge dedicated to Brisbane Metro Subway System, other bus services as well as pedestrians and cyclists.
Future demands
In conjunction with the Queensland Government’s Cross River Rail project, Brisbane Metro Subway System will play a crucial role in ensuring rail and bus networks can meet future public transport needs, contributing to a more sustainable and liveable city.
Brisbane Metro Subway System will provide uninterrupted service that uses dedicated busways, tunnels or roads. The seven kilometer route will run from Herston to Woolloongabba.
Timing
Brisbane Metro Subway System will provide a transport solution for the city. Council is currently working on the Business Case, with plans to have this finalised by May 2017. Following the Business Case, design will be undertaken from 2017 to 2018.
Following State Government approvals, construction of the project will take approximately four years to complete. Council is prepared to fund majority of the project, however, additional funding support will be sought from state and federal governments.
For more information
To find out more about Brisbane Metro Subway System
· phone 1800 692 333
· write to
Brisbane Metro Subway System project
· Brisbane City Council
GPO Box 1434, Brisbane QLD 4001
· visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au