Olympic venues drive plan for electric buses from UQ to Capalaba

The 2032 Olympics have reignited plans to bridge a missing link in an express busway from Brisbane to Capalaba to service venues such as shooting, the velodrome and aquatic centres.

Plans to link southern Redlands to an express busway are under investigation as part of a transport study ahead of the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics Games.

It is envisaged the busway will service the Brisbane International Shooting Centre, Chandler Indoor Sports Centre, the Anna Meares Velodrome, and a proposed whitewater rafting centre at Birkdale.

Councils in Brisbane and Redland have joined forces with the state government to design and evaluate the missing bus link to Capalaba.

Redland, Brisbane and the state government will contribute funding for the Eastern Metro Study to investigate extending the busway from where it ends at Coorparoo to Capalaba.

The express busway from St Lucia’s University of Queensland to Capalaba’s CBD was first mooted in 2007, with the original plan for it to come online by 2026.

However, that was ditched after the devastation across the southeast of the 2011 floods.

The project took a step forward after the federal government said it would foot $300 million of the $944 million bill for the Brisbane Metro project, designed to run buses from the University of Queensland at St Lucia to Capalaba.

An investigation is underway to determine building an express busway from Brisbane to Redland’s bayside suburbs.

The study will consider the option of using the fully-electric Brisbane Metro fleet, providing Redlands and eastern suburbs residents with an emissions-free travel option to Brisbane CBD.

Private sector investment to deliver off-street, state-of-the-art bus stations at key locations along the route will be part of the investigation.

It will also reconsider incorporating a bus station underneath Coorparoo Square and other opportunities where bus stations would be built.

It is still unknown whether the initial plans will include extending the busway across Redland as far south as Redland Bay and the new Shoreline estate which will eventually house 10,000 people.

Extending the busway to Capalaba will link at least four proposed Olympics and Paralympics venues.

Redland mayor Karen Williams said it should be a priority ahead of the Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games as it would service the canoe slalom venue at Birkdale.

But she said it would also be critical for Redland commuters and those working in Brisbane.

“Seven sports will rely on the Eastern Metro to transport athletes and spectators during the 2032 Games and without it, the Redlands and eastern parts of Brisbane will be hit with gridlock,” Ms Williams said.

“The Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games were won on the back of unprecedented collaboration across three levels of government and this is the ideal project for that unity to continue, which is why we are partnering with Brisbane City Council to help make it a reality.”

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said it had long been recognised that Brisbane’s east needed an additional mass transport option.

“A quarter of a century ago, a study found a dedicated eastern busway to Capalaba will be required to help tackle vehicle congestion,” Mr Schrinner said.

“While progress halted in 2011, this study will investigate ways we can complete the busway using our fully-electric Brisbane Metro vehicles.

“While a fully-segregated route is unlikely to be viable, this study will consider ways of realising the vision that was first put forward 25 years ago,” he said.

Mr Schrinner said a direct Metro route through Brisbane’s east to Capalaba would be an “incredible asset” during the Brisbane2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.