$1.12b plan for faster rail between Brisbane and Gold Coast

More tracks will be laid, level crossings ­bulldozed and stations upgraded as part of a $1.121 billion plan to deliver faster rail services between Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

Additional tracks will be laid, level crossings will be ­bulldozed and stations upgraded as part of a $1.121bn plan to deliver faster rail services between Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

In her first Olympics transport infrastructure announcement for the Brisbane 2032 Games, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will on Tuesday lay out her ambition to streamline services for commuters and add more frequent services. But exactly how many minutes commuters will save in travel time is still being modelled.

“As we plan and build for the Olympics, this project is all about making sure people spend less time commuting and more time at home with their families and enjoying our great Queensland lifestyle,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“We’ve seen significant growth in South East Queensland over the last two decades and we expect this to continue with an extra 1.2 million people living in the region by 2036.

“My government is committed to seeing transport times between the Gold Coast and Brisbane reduced, as we continue to see the population increase in key suburban areas along the rail corridor.”

The state government has pledged to upgrade train lines and stations. Picture: AAPimage/David Clark

Trains between Kuraby and Beenleigh on the Gold Coast line currently share a single track in each direction, which limits the number of peak services that can run each day. The project will increase capacity by duplicating the track between the two stations.

Both motorists and commuters would benefit from the work, with five level crossings to be removed and nine stations to be upgraded.

Ms Palaszczuk, who said the project could create about 900 jobs, wants the funding commitment matched by the federal government to ensure the project could be delivered.

“To ensure South East Queensland can continue to grow, we must keep evolving our rail network so it plays a bigger role in moving people from A to B,” she said. “We continue to see progress made on the transformational Cross River Rail project, which today’s investment will complement – meaning faster, more frequent journeys.”

The upgrades would make for more streamlined services to and from the Gold Coast. Picture: AAPimage/David Clark

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the federal government had ­ committed $178.1m in preconstruction funding. “The recently completed business case puts this project at a total cost of $2.598bn … it’s important the federal government come to the table and honour the 50/50 funding arrangement.”

Infrastructure Australia has listed improvements for the Gold Coast rail line between Kuraby and Beenleigh on its infrastructure priority list since March 2018. It is also listed as a priority on the South East Queensland Regional Transport Plan.