Bold push to extend Metro to SEQ suburbs in time for 2032

Plans for a Brisbane Metro Gabba station have been scrapped, but the line will be extended to the airport and deep into South East Queensland suburbs under a major new proposal.

Brisbane Metro would extend to the airport and deep into South East Queensland suburbs under a major proposal to solve a critical public transport shortage before the 2032 Olympics.

Twenty-two new stations would be built on an extended network to Carseldine, Capalaba, Springwood and the airport, through Airportlink, Doomben and DFO.

The Courier-Mail can reveal Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, Premier Steven Miles and the Council of Mayors SEQ have pledged to join forces and lobby the federal government to fast-track a business case for the bold extension.

Plans are in place to expand the reach of Brisbane Metro. Picture: Brisbane City Council

The first stage of Brisbane City Council’s Brisbane Metro, linking Eight Mile Plains and the University of Queensland, will open on October 21, before the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital is connected through Roma St months later.

Expanding the electric service to deliver high frequency and high-capacity public transport is seen as the quickest way to improve the city’s public transport offering before the 2032 Games.

The state-of-the-art Brisbane Metro Depot in Rochedale is now complete and ready for metro services to start on October 21. Picture Brisbane City Council

But plans for a Brisbane Metro Gabba Station have been scrapped, with funds from the $450m project to now be used for the project’s extension.

Mr Schrinner has confirmed the $450m slated for the Woolloongabba station as part of the South East Queensland City Deal would be used to pay for the expansion after plans for the Gabba stadium “changed”.

“There’s an opportunity now to redirect that funding to expanding the metro to more parts of the region,” he said.

Mr Schrinner said the $450m metro station would likely face significant cost blowouts and was no longer a priority project.

“Our expectation is that the $450m to build a Gabba station would be significantly more than that once you get into construction, so it’s not necessarily the top priority at this point in time,” he said.

The Gabba Metro Station was poised to “transform” the Woolloongabba precinct and connect commuters to the Cross River Rail station, with council and state and federal governments contributing $150m each.

Mr Schrinner said the cost of building the Gabba interchange would have likely cost between $600m and $800m if it was to be built today.

Federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King will need to sign off on redirecting commonwealth funds to the new metro expansion proposal.

Map of the Brisbane Metro expansion plan

Mr Schrinner said he and Premier Steven Miles had been in talks with Ms King and were “pretty close”.

“The minister … has been receptive to those discussions,” he said.

But discussions about how Brisbane Metro will service the government’s chosen Olympic and Paralympic venue for 2032, the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre in Nathan, are yet to be had,

“Obviously we stand ready to work with the government when it comes to major games venues and how the transport will work,” Mr Schrinner said.

Mr Miles and Mr Schrinner have written to the federal government seeking support for them to develop a “rapid detailed business case” to determine the feasibility of extending the Metro.

South East Queensland will be home to about six million people by 2046.

Unlike commuters in other major capitals, Brisbane residents rely largely on bus services to travel in and around the city.

Brisbane Metro is a high-capacity high-frequency system that will integrate into the existing bus network, adding greater connections between Brisbane City and the suburbs.

Mr Schrinner said the Brisbane Metro extension would deliver a transport legacy from the 2032 Games – the driver of South East Queensland mayors’ bid for the event.

He noted the Sydney 2000 and London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games saw overall public transport patronage increase by nearly a million trips a day.

One of the new Brisbane Metro, which will begin coming into service on October 21. Picture Brisbane: City Council

“Brisbane is Australia’s fastest-growing capital city, and we need a transport plan to cater for our growth backed by all three levels of government,” he said.

“This expansion to Brisbane Metro will improve public transport to more destinations across Brisbane and neighbouring communities – and it’s great to see this vision backed by the Queensland Government.

“It’s going to require a team effort by all three levels of government to ensure our transport network is fit for purpose to both cater for the Games, but more importantly, cater for growth.”

The plans would take Metro services further into the suburbs. Picture: Brisbane City Council

Mr Miles said his government supported taking Brisbane Metro outside the city and into neighbouring local government areas such as Logan and Redlands.

“Now, we will work together with council to do what matters to bring Brisbane Metro to Capalaba, Springwood, Carseldine and beyond,” he said.

“I want to see more of our busy and growing suburbs connected to the public transport network, in turn taking more cars off the road.”

Originally published as Bold push to extend Metro to SEQ suburbs in time for 2032