Business Case To Address Transport Issues In Brisbane's North-west

An undeveloped transport corridor between Carseldine and Everton Park has been identified as a potential solution for growing traffic congestion in Brisbane's north-west.

The nine-kilometre North West Transport Corridor is being considered as part of a business case being developed by Brisbane City Council, which will explore options for improved transport after identifying challenges with the current transposkid01rt network.

Bracken Ridge Ward Councillor Sandy Landers said the council study was being done at the request of the Federal Government to establish the transport needs of residents in north Brisbane.

The business case will provide feedback on alternate travel options and look for ways to improve public transport,� Sandy said.

The Federal Government has committed up to $10 million to the development of the North West Transport Network business case.�

With the population of South-East Queensland set to double in the next 20 years, Brisbane's north-west will face a significant increase in road and public transport network congestion.

Council's infrastructure chair David McLachlan said the plan was all about proposing a range of travel choices and bus, rail, and active transport options for consideration.

Delivering high-quality public and active travel infrastructure would reduce the need for travel by private vehicles,� David said.

This will not only reduce congestion for residents, but also improve efficient movement of freight and business vehicles.

Providing suitable transport options for the growing region is a key objective of this plan.�

The project timeline has four stages and is currently in stage 2 of the business case development.

In this stage, we have identified potential transport solutions for further analysis, and are using community and stakeholder feedback to inform the business case and refine potential solutions,� David said.

Stage 1 began in late-2019 and involved problem identification and community feedback. More than half of the community responses identified public transport as the best way to improve transport in Brisbane's north-west, followed by road improvements and bicycle infrastructure improvements.

McDowall councillor Tracy Davis said the community would play a vital part in developing the business case.

The most recent round of community consultation provided residents with the opportunity to have their say on how we could provide safer, better connected transport options in their local area,� Tracy said. We will take this feedback and further develop the business case.�

Residents have also taken to Facebook to voice their thoughts on the matter, with several users stating a tunnel was the best use for the North West Transport Corridor because another road would only cause congestion further down the road.

Tunnels are the only answer to public transport; very little need for resumptions and disturbance to homes and businesses in Chermside and Aspley,� said one Facebook user.

Others seemed to prefer the possibility of a multi-modal use for the corridor, suggesting surface corridors could be used as a community space and for parks and bikeways, while traffic flows underneath.

Meanwhile, some Facebook users had concerns that putting in rail would impact residents around the corridor that purchased housing with no rail plans in place�.

The North West Transport Network Strategic Assessment Key Findings Report, published late last year, stated it was unlikely one solution would address all the identified transport problems, and that a number of initiatives would be explored.

A report summarising the community feedback is to be released in the middle of the year, with the business case due for completion by the end of 2021.

To read more about the North West Transport Network business case visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/tra...