Public Transport in SEQ Options to deliver value and innovation in future South East Queensland public transport infrastructure January 2012 A research report by GHD for the Council of Mayors (SEQ) GHD was commissioned by the Council This report not only develops a list of of Mayors (SEQ) to provide advice on priority projects, but proposes a new innovative and value for money options for vision for SEQ Public Transport that puts investment in the public transport network the commuter at the heart of the system. in South East Queensland (SEQ). It is being released to encourage public discussion about options for investing in A key challenge for the investment public transport infrastructure across SEQ. program for public transport infrastructure in SEQ is how to meet the needs of The report does not represent an endorsed a growing region within the nancially policy position of the Council of Mayors constrained scal environment now faced (SEQ), which will not consider the report by all levels of government. and public reactions to it until after the 2012 local government elections. The A key concern is whether the funds exist Council of Mayors (SEQ) will consider to proceed with the State Government’s all options in developing its future input iconic $7700M Cross River Rail project. into the next iteration of the Queensland Some SEQ Councils are concerned Infrastructure Plan. that funding the project may delay other important projects in the region, while The Council of Mayors (SEQ) looks forward failure to deliver the project may stymie to further developing a constructive growth of the regional rail network. working partnership with the Queensland For these reasons, GHD was asked to Government on planning for the consider whether the objectives of the infrastructure that SEQ will need over the Cross River Rail project can be met in a next decade to maximise the liveability, more cost effective way. sustainability and productivity of this great region. The State Government has invested an average of about $1500M annually over the last four years on public transport infrastructure. GHD was asked to consider what could be delivered if expenditure was maintained at around that level over the next decade, having regard to the priorities in the Queensland Infrastructure Plan and the priorities identi ed by the Council of Mayors (SEQ). Contents 06 40 Executive Summary On the Main Stage What Needs to be 40 page 15 Delivered in the Next Five Introduction to Ten Years? Financing the Plan 42 page 16 Introducing Competitive 45 page State of Play Tension into the System Current Public Transport 16 page Proposals 46 Major Problems 19 page Conclusion The Opporunity 20 page Affordable, Timely and 22 page Innovative Solutions The Cleveland Solution 24 page Projects Beyond 2022 39 page Photo: Brisbane Marketing In many ways, South East Queensland is at the cross roads as policy makers face the challenge of providing the public transport facilities needed to underpin the region’s population growth, productivity and maintain our lifestyle and standard of living in a contracting scal environment. 6 The current Û scal and planning environments are uncertain Uncertain Planning • Critical bottlenecks (such GHD’s Commission Where are the problems? Environment as the Merivale Bridge) are strangling the network In recognising that policy While vast improvements to the The current planning – the additions of new makers are at the cross roads public transport network have environment is uncertain: branch lines to the SEQ and face several critical been made over the last • The scal positions of the network effectively means decisions, the Council of decade, several critical State and Commonwealth train paths compete for Mayors, South East Queensland problems remain: Governments are track in the congested CBD (COMSEQ) has commissioned • Servicing areas in the extremely tight – the ability core which progressively GHD to investigate innovative outer network where there of the public sector to make dilutes the level of service in and value for money options are low urban densities large investments in capital outer networks. for investment in the public – the busway system has transport network in SEQ. projects has been greatly • It seems increasingly been a very effective diminished. unlikely that the current GHD’s approach has been to strategy to address this • The private sector has Cross River Rail proposal answer ve basic questions: issue but it is becoming a little appetite to take on can be afforded in the 1. What is the current state of victim of its own success as patronage risk for current scal environment play and priorities for public inner city connections transport projects – the – Cross River Rail can transport capital congest in peak hours. private sector is just not address many of the expenditure? • The inner city rail “core” is willing to invest through network connectivity issues 2. Where are the major at capacity and as new traditional PPP models, and bottlenecks in the core problems? branch and spur lines are particularly in public but the solution is expensive introduced, service levels transport projects. and currently unfunded. 3. What does the commuter and frequency in the wider want from the public network are being • Patronage has generally • The sheer scale of the transport network in SEQ? increased and is expected Cross River Rail progressively diluted. to continue to grow – this investment may also act 4. What needs to be delivered • The demand for public is placing pressure on to ‘crowd out’ other in the next ve and ten years transport is increasing and services and reliability. projects needed across and what can we afford? the availability of funds to • The costs (subsidy) to South East Queensland as 5. Are there innovative and service that demand is deliver public transport funds become increasingly value for money approaches constrained by a tight services has been steadily scarce to nancing and delivering scal environment. increasing – in the order of • While rail is described as the priorities and delivering what • There is also a nagging $550M in 2007/2008 to ‘backbone’ of future public the commuter wants? issue of the con ict approximately $700M in transport infrastructure, between Citytrain services 2013/2014. buses carry twice as many and freight movements to passengers as trains and a the Port of Brisbane and balanced infrastructure across the CBD. plan needs to include all modes of transport. Public Transport in SEQ | Options to deliver value and innovation in future South East Queendland public transport infrastructure | January 20112 | 7 South East Queenslanders want higher frequency services What does the commuter To sum it up: GHD recommends a new A Change in Philosophy – actually want? • South East Queensland vision for SEQ public Moving to a truly integrated In framing our report and commuters want transport that puts the network recommendations, GHD has increased service commuter rst: The great urban rail (and sought to address the key quality, reliability and The public transport public transport) systems of question – what do SEQ greater frequency and system for SEQ will be the world (both large and commuters (and tax connectivity – “no characterised by high medium sized cities) are payers) really want? timetables – just turn up frequency peak services, integrated networks that adapt various modes of In this regard, South East and go”. off peak services that transport for the function Queenslanders are no • South East respond to demand, required (and what the different to other urban Queenslander taxpayers seamless interchanges, commuter needs). real time passenger commuters. They want: want better value for They are true networks of money solutions. information systems, value • Enhanced performance for money, effective independent lines and service reliability These practical desires of integrating with each other delivery and a focus on through common nodes, • Increased service quality SEQ residents are consistent customer service that is where passengers change to and frequency with the Council of Mayors. second to none. other lines. • Better use of assets and COMSEQ wants a public From the users’ perspective, increases in productivity transport system that is an Developing Value for they function effectively as engine for regional economic Money Solutions one integrated system • Cost reductions per growth, but also one that is regardless of vehicle type, passenger journey greener and safer and When developing its particular technology and improves quality of life in our recommendations, GHD has mode. • Better connectivity and proposed both a broad opportunities to communities across the In Australia, our public whole of our region. philosophical change and seamlessly transfer to several pragmatic and value transport systems – different modes. particularly rail – have evolved for money alternatives. This from CBD based radial philosophical approach and systems progressively the value for money extending branch lines into alternatives are supported by new suburbs from the core. assessing the role of: In SEQ’s radial network, • Different and new each new branch line technologies effectively adds another line through the central • Innovative nancing core and can only be • Introduction of new accommodated by sharing operators into the system existing stations and track or by building new • System integration. infrastructure. 8 The Existing Rail Network Public Transport in SEQ | Options to