‘Rail fail’: budget skimps on funds for Cleveland train line duplication

Plans to review duplicating the Cleveland train line in time for the 2032 Olympics have come under scrutiny after less than $1 million for the track analysis report was in this week’s state budget.

The state government has been accused of skimping on funds to investigate duplicating the Cleveland train line in time for the 2032 Olympics.

Plans for the review came under scrutiny after this week’s state budget allocated less than $1 million for the analysis.

Queensland Transport and Roads Investment Program documents revealed the state was conducting a $1.709 million report into the line duplication and set aside $779,782 for the project in the upcoming financial year.

The document also revealed that $930,208 was spent on the investigation this financial year.

Investigations started in 2021 when Transport Minister Mark Bailey said the government was looking at cost-effective options to increase frequency of trains on the line.

There is only single track between Cleveland and Manly, limiting the number of trains that can use the line at any one time, a factor considered when Redland was announced host of the Olympic whitewater canoe events.

Plans to review duplicating the Cleveland train line in time for the 2032 Olympics have come under scrutiny after funding of less than $1million for the analysis was in this week’s state budget. Queensland Transport and Roads Investment Program documents revealed the state was conducting a $1.709 million report into the line duplication and set aside $779,782 for the project in the upcoming financial year. The document also revealed that $930,208 was spent on the investigation this financial year.

Mr Bailey said in a statement the budget delivered a $3.5 billion rail revolution for the state on top of a multi-billion-dollar commitment to Cross River Rail.

“Transport planners are looking at options to increase capacity on the Cleveland Line, with $1.7 million in funding allocated towards preliminary evaluation into future improvements on the Cleveland line confirmed in the seventh record road and transport plan,” he said.

“This evaluation will explore potential solutions to provide additional capacity between Park Road and Cleveland, including consideration of additional passing loops or duplication of sections of the alignment.

“We’re also delivering more accessible train stations with a $500 million station accessibility upgrade program, including Morningside and Buranda.”

Mr Bailey said the Cross River Rail project was vital in unblocking the bottleneck on train movements across the Brisbane River and would help drive additional services across the rail network.

The Cleveland train station where there is only single track line.

But Oodgeroo MP Mark Robinson, whose electorate covers Cleveland, said this week’s budget allocation for the track duplication review was a “rail fail” and accused the state of being all talk and no action.

“We have seen no progress on this train line with promises being made for seven years and there’s nothing in the budget to indicate they are serious about fixing the rail for Redland residents and Olympic visitors,” Mr Robinson said.

“We have no way of knowing whether the last funding allocation has been spent or not and what it was spent on because there has been no public outcome on the track project at all.

“Many of the budget figures for Redland do not add up including the spending on beds at the Redland Hospital.”

Mr Robinson said he hoped the government would provide more detail on both the rail duplication and Redland Hospital beds.

Redland Hospital, where early work started this month on a new ICU ward, was given $25 million to open up an extra 28 beds on top of 32 already promised.

The new beds will mean the Cleveland-based hospital will have a total of 235.

The hospital also received $39.7 million out of a $120.7 million to redevelop the site and build a multi-level car park.

Redlands Hospital

A much-criticised satellite hospital at Redland Bay, which will not have an emergency department and will only open during the day, also got $40 million out of $139 million.

Money was also allocated for an art museum on North Stradbroke Island with $8.4 million finally materialising for a Quandamooka Art Museum and Performance Institute.

It will become a venue at Dunwich for cultural events on the island.

A further $8.7 was allocated to complete the project.

Logan Hospital was a major winner getting $161.3 million for an extra 206 beds and a building extension and refurbishment.

Logan’s Maternity services will also be upgraded with $5.5 million to be spent on six new maternity inpatient beds, five more birthing suites, an expanded special care nursery with 10 additional cots, and birthing pools for water deliveries.

Capalaba MP Don Brown said Redland had not been neglected in the budget and said the duplication of the train line was progressing.

He said along with the hospital expansion, new beds and a saellite hospital, the city would also benefit from a new $6 million permanent fire and rescue station in Logan on Mount Cotton Rd.

“The hospital ICU was in last year’s budget and early work on that project has already started,” he said.

“Sixty extra beds for Redland Hospital is a massive 33 per cent increase in beds.

“The $1.5 million for the Cleveland rail planning is progressing but these things take time.”

Mr Brown said there was also $1.2 million for a security fence at Alexandra Hills State High and further funds for a school hall at Capalaba State College.