Brisbane City Council predicts 500,000 people per day gap for 2032 Games without Metro

Brisbane’s public transport system can carry only about half the expected 1 million passengers per day to and from Games venues, the city’s Lord Mayor has admitted.

Brisbane’s existing public transport system can carry only about half of the expected 1 million-plus passengers per day to and from 2032 Games venues without extending the Metro, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner says.

His proposal to add 22 extra stations would allow fans to get to four venues: the Hamilton Northshore athletes’ village; Sleeman Sports Complex in Chandler; Belmont Rifle Range; Capalaba business district, near the Redland Whitewater Rafting Centre.

During the Sydney 2000 and London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games overall public transport patronage increased by almost 1 million trips per day, but Brisbane’s current public transport network could handle only half that number.

There were 18 Olympic and Paralympic venues planned for Brisbane, with a target of 90 per cent of trips to venues to be taken by public and active transport.

“Brisbane’s incredible growth means better public transport must be a priority today, during the Games and beyond,’’ Mr Schrinner said.

Artist impression of the athletes’ village at Northshore Hamilton, which the Lord Mayor says could be serviced by an expanded Metro.

“We’re already making that step change from public transport to mass transit with the introduction of Brisbane Metro services along our existing busway network.

“The expansion of Brisbane Metro to Carseldine, Capalaba, Springwood and out to the airport is the logical next step.

“Premier David Crisafulli has been a long-time supporter of Brisbane Metro and we’ll continue working closely.’’

His comments came after he said a Brisbane Airport extension, which would also be critical to the success of the Games, could be delivered using existing roads and tunnels.

An alternative would be to use a re-purposed Doomben rail corridor from Eagle Junction.

Both options would need the monopoly Airtrain deal, ending in 2036, renegotiated.

Mr Schrinner has made it clear council could not fund the huge expansion itself and wrote to the federal government in August asking for it to approve a $50m business case.

But Metro has been plagued by huge cost overruns which have pushed the price of the two currently-planned routes out from $944m to $1.55bn.

It has also had long delays since it was first announced in 2016, with a trial on the 169 route ending this week despite media and former transport minister Bart Mellish being taken by surprise.

Council Transport Chair Ryan Murphy has now said Metro 1 and 2 would not begin until sometime next year.

Labor Opposition Leader Jared Cassidy warned this week that delays to the Adelaide St tunnel and a string of stations might push out the start date to as late as the end of 2025.