Cross River Rail yet to leave station due to federal funding shortfall

IT’S Queensland’s No.1 priority infrastructure project, but it’s showing little sign of getting on track.

Artist’s impression of a Cross River Rail station.

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QUEENSLAND’S top priority infrastructure project, Cross River Rail, appears stranded at the station amid a multibillion-dollar funding shortfall.

The Courier-Mail can reveal the $5.5 billion project linking Bowen Hills to Woolloongabba has fallen behind the timetable laid out by the State Government’s infrastructure authority, Building Queensland.

A leaked copy of the business case for the 10.2km rail link shows funding should have been completed by the end of 2016 so early works could begin now.

This was supposed to include finalising the funding streams under so-called “value sharing” arrangements, which include proposals for a raft of new charges on land, fares and rates.

However, the Labor administration’s $850 million commitment towards Cross River Rail falls well short of bridging the gap between the money that can be raised through the contentious value sharing proposals and the project’s costs.

The Federal Government is also yet to make a funding commitment despite Infrastructure Australia’s previous strong support for the project.

Building Queensland advised that major works should begin in April 2018, with the five new stations at Boggo Road, Woolloongabba, Albert Street, Roma Street and Exhibition showgrounds completed by mid-2022.

Opposition infrastructure spokeswoman Deb Frecklington said it “says everything” about the Labor Government that it could not get its priority project off the ground.

“Annastacia Palaszczuk was either remarkably ill-informed or loose with the truth when she said in 2013 that Cross River Rail was shovel ready,” she said.

“She still doesn’t have a plan to fund it and hasn’t even called for tenders.’’

Infrastructure Minister Jackie Trad said the timetable developed by Building Queensland had been contingent on federal funding.

“These funding negotiations are ongoing and we anticipate a constructive and positive outcome in coming months,” she said.

Ms Trad insisted Cross River Rail would be built and would be a boon for Brisbane.