Brisbane council election: Express CityCats, more routes and solar buses

Public transport has continued to dominate the Brisbane City Council election campaign, with the Liberal National Party announcing express CityCat services, Labor promising $20 million for new routes and the Greens pledging a new fleet of solar-powered buses.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said the new "SpeedyCat" services would run between Teneriffe and the city, as well as between the University of Queensland and the city and would halve peak-hour travel times

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk has promised express CityCat services from Teneriffe and UQ if re-elected.Credit: Harrison Saragossi

"SpeedyCat will provide high-speed peak hour services to accommodate students commuting to and from the University of Queensland as well as many CBD-based workers for either end of the inner city reach of the River," Cr Quirk said.

"Where currently it takes 30 minutes to travel from Teneriffe to Riverside, SpeedyCat will halve passengers' travel time, with the same trip taking just 17 minutes.

Greens Brisbane lord mayoral candidate Ben Pennings wants to introduce a 200-strong fleet of solar-powered buses.

"Similarly, passengers will be able to travel from UQ to North Quay within 15 minutes on the new SpeedyCat service."

Cr Quirk said the LNP would also deliver an extra CityCat, which would bring the size of the fleet to 22.

Back on land, Labor lord mayoral candidate Rod Harding said his $20 million commitment would provide up to 120 extra suburban services across the city.

"Graham Quirk has ripped $20 million out of the bus budget, with disastrous effects," he said.

"Thanks to the Lord Mayor, there are 74 less council buses in the fleet this year and passenger numbers have plummeted by 3.2 million trips over the past two years and the consequence is more congestion on our roads.

"It's a simple equation: more people on public transport means fewer people in cars and less congestion on our roads."

Cr Quirk rejected "Labor's lie" that the LNP had cut funding.

"Team Quirk has delivered a record spend on public transport with $114.4 million into public bus and ferry services this financial year alone," Cr Quirk said.

"This compares to just $63.34 million invested by the Labor Party the last time they were in office."

Cr Quirk also said the size of Brisbane's bus fleet was not decreasing, as Labor had claimed.

"Extra buses were retained in the fleet for G20, but these buses had already been replaced with brand new buses and there has been no change to the numbers of buses servicing passengers," he said.

Greens lord mayoral candidate Ben Pennings said his party would introduce 200 "smog and noise free" solar-powered buses at a cost of $30 million if it were to control City Hall.

"Brisbane's new bus contract due this year just has to be electric," he said.

"Electric buses are completely smog and noise free, improving our health and environment.

"New battery technology allows buses to be charged in five minutes at the end of bus routes. This can be done from solar shaded bus stops or green power from the grid."

Mr Pennings said buses on longer routes would be charged at bus depots.

"Electric buses are cheaper to run over the life of a bus and we'd save money on carbon offsets too," he said.

"Who would have ever thought we could have smog and noise free buses powered by the sun?"

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