Brisbane Metro: What it means for southside residents

Work has started on the $944 million Brisbane Metro transport project but what does it actually mean for people on the southside? FIND OUT HERE.

WORK has started on the Rochedale depot for the $944 million Brisbane Metro transport project with an estimated 350 jobs to be created in the growing southern suburb.

The depot will house a fleet of 60 battery-powered electric vehicles which will service existing stations from Eight Mile Plains to the city, with a new underground station to be built at the Cultural Centre.

School Road, Rochedale land, adjacent to the South East Busway, has been resumed for the project.

An artist's impression of the Rochedale depot

Brisbane City Council Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner says the Rochedale depot section of the project will create 165 jobs in the construction phase and another 185 when it’s up and running by the end of 2023.

Cr Schrinner said the Brisbane Metro would cut up to 30 per cent in travel time from Eight Mile Plains to Roma Street and Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital and University of Queensland.

The Brisbane Metro will link straight into the South East Busway, providing services every three minutes in peak periods.

An aerial view of the Rochedale depot.

“Whenever you improve, increase or introduce public transport to an area, growth inevitably follows,” he said.

“Rochedale and the southeastern suburbs of Brisbane are already a thriving area, but the Brisbane Metro is going to supercharge this economic growth.

“Residents want to be close to transport and the Brisbane Metro is an example of how a suburb that may have seemed a long way out from the city, is suddenly a whole lot closer in terms of travel time.”

The state-of-the-art vehicle that will service the $944 million Brisbane Metro.

Labor’s lord mayoral candidate Patrick Condren, who was a veteran Queensland state political reporter, promised to review the future of the Brisbane Metro if he wins the March 19 election, while also ruling out that he would ever scrap it.

“It would be negligent for an incoming administration not to go over the contractual details with a fine-tooth comb,” he said.

Mr Condren and Queensland’s peak motoring body RACQ are calling on the LNP council to be forthcoming with any cost or timing changes of the project.

Labor lord mayoral candidate Patrick Condren. Picture: Peter Wallis

RACQ Head of Public Policy Rebecca Michael said the club urged council to finalise the tender process and release the revised design and costings for the Cultural Centre Station and overall project.

“Local commuters are crying out for a better connected and reliable public transport, which is why we need council to get on with delivering this project to help ease the pressure on the bus network,” she said.

Dr Michael warned more delays could result in further cost blowouts to taxpayers.

Construction of an underground tunnel for the Brisbane Metro is planned to start in 2020 and will form part of council’s vision to transform Adelaide Street into a premier green, shady and accessible entryway to the CBD.

“Delays will add to ongoing frustration for public transport users as major construction works are undertaken across the Brisbane CBD and Southbank in the coming years,” she said.

“Project delays also have the potential to distract from other priority projects in the BCC area, impacting transport for Brisbane residents. We can’t afford to waste any more time, we need action now.”

The first Metro pilot vehicle will arrive this year and be housed at Volgren’s Eagle Farm

workshop to allow for trials and testing in local operating conditions.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner. (AAP Image/Claudia Baxter) Finance Chair Cr Adam Allan

Councillor Ryan Murphy (Chandler ward) said: “There will be a significant requirement for engineers and technicians to maintain these vehicles (at the Rochedale depot) and I’m confident we can draw many of those skills from the local community.

“(Southside) residents deserve better connections into the CBD and other precincts like Garden City and Carindale.

An artist's impression of the planned Brisbane Metro Rochedale depot

METRO FAST FACTS

-The Brisbane Metro will run every three minutes in peak periods

-21km, 18 stations from Eight Mile Plains to Roma Street with stops at six southside stations; Eight Mile Plains, Upper Mt Gravatt, Griffith University, Holland Park West, Greenslopes and Buranda.

-A 30 per cent travel time saving

– Cost is expected to be $944 million ($300 million from the Federal Government and the rest funded by the Brisbane City Council)

-A new fleet of 60 electric vehicles will be housed at the Rochedale depot

-24-hour services running on the weekend

-The first Metro pilot vehicle will arrive in Brisbane for testing this year, with an entire fleet of 60 electric vehicles expected to arrive in 2023, in time for services to commence

-USB ports and free Wi-Fi for all passengers

-Three compartments with the capacity for 150 passengers in comfort and 180 in event-mode

-With zero tailpipe emissions, Brisbane Metro will be a greener mass transport option than Australia has never seen, saving about 50,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions over 20 years.