How Cross River Rail will change peak hour commutes
Queensland’s biggest infrastructure project will take almost 50,000 people off choked roads and cut morning peak hour train waiting times to five minutes on crucial lines. SEE HOW YOUR AREA WILL BENEFIT
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QUEENSLAND’S biggest infrastructure project will take almost 50,000 people off choked roads and cut morning peak hour train waiting times to five minutes on crucial lines serving the Gold and Sunshine coasts and Ipswich.
The $5.4 billion Cross River Rail – an underground link from Dutton Park to Bowen Hills – will end the rail bottleneck choking the southeast’s train network by providing a second river crossing.
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As well as paving the way for expansion projects, such as the Nambour-to-Beerburrum duplication, it will allow more trains more often.
With the southeast Queensland population forecast to grow from 3.5 million now to 4.9 million in 2036, and rail passenger demand to almost triple in that time, the Cross River Rail Delivery Authority (CRRDA) says its project will help get people from fast-growing outer areas to where they work closer to the city centre.
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE MORNING PEAK CHANGES
While more than 80 per cent of population growth will be outside Brisbane, and almost 1.2 million new residents settling in areas such as the Gold and Sunshine coasts, Ipswich, Moreton and Logan, 45 per cent of job growth will be inside the city limits, CRRDA said.
The new tunnel means Gold Coast, Caboolture and Ipswich commuters will have to wait only five minutes between trains, and those coming from Nambour 15 minutes, with thousands of extra seats being put on as well.
The Courier-Mail, in conjunction with the Cross River Rail Delivery Authority, is presenting a series looking at the project and what it will bring to the state.
Construction of the project is pouring $2.8 million a day into the Queensland economy – jumping to $4 million a day as it ramps up even further through the second half of the year – and currently employs 1800 people across eight sites.
The 10.2km line will run from Dutton Park to Bowen Hills and include 5.9km of twin tunnels under the river and Brisbane CBD and four new, underground stations at Boggo Road, Woolloongabba, Albert Street and Roma Street, as well as upgrades at other stations.
Matthew Martyn-Jones, CRRDA general manager for strategy, said the project offered a “heart bypass” that would unlock travel and open up massive new development in Brisbane’s city centre.
Tereinga Pihere, 16, who we caught up with at Helensvale train station, said she was looking forward to improved services. “We always go to the beach, so we often get transport to get there,” she said.
MORNING PEAK CHANGES
SUNSHINE COAST
Nambour trains every 15 minutes
- 450 extra seats
- Extra capacity on the network to support other rail network growth projects, such as the duplication of the Sunshine Coast line between Beerburrum and Nambour
IPSWICH
Trains every five minutes from Ipswich station
- 1800 extra seats
Trains every 15 minutes from Rosewood station
- 900 extra seats
Extra capacity on the network to support other rail network growth projects, including Flagstone extension
CABOOLTURE
Trains every five minutes from Caboolture station
- 1800 extra seats
BAYSIDE
Trains every 5.5 minutes from Manly station
- 1800 extra seats
GOLD COAST
Trains every five minutes on the Gold Coast line
- 3150 extra seats
Beenleigh line
Trains every six minutes from Loganlea station
- 2700 extra seats
Trains every 15 minutes from Beenleigh station
INFORMATION: Go to crossriverrail.qld.gov.au and enter your postcode for travel benefits in your area
Originally published as How Cross River Rail will change peak hour commutes