Qld survey lists Bruce Highway and public transport as top priorities

More public transport services and improving the safety of the Bruce Highway are among what Queenslanders want prioritised as 2032 transport legacy projects.

Fixing the Bruce Highway and more public transport are two big priorities.

More public transport services and improving the safety of the Bruce Highway are among what Queenslanders want prioritised as 2032 transport legacy projects, according to a new survey.

In the exclusive RACQ Future Brisbane survey of almost 2000 members, conducted for The Courier-Mail, respondents were asked to rate the importance of various transport benefits and key infrastructure projects that could be delivered to Queensland over the next eight years.

Overall, 76.1 per cent of respondents said it was “more important” or “extremely important” they benefited from the frequency of public transport being made as fast as driving and more services for outer suburban areas to access the city.

Rated second in importance was redesigning road spaces and urban neighbourhoods to improve safety, access and priority for pedestrians, cyclists, e-scooters and public transport including more dedicated pathways.

This story is part of The Courier-Mail’s annual Future Brisbane series advocating for a focus on the right legacy outcomes from the hosting of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. You can read all of our coverage here.

Fixing the Bruce Highway, an issue campaigned for by The Courier-Mail, is high on the priority list.

For transport infrastructure legacy projects, finishing the Bruce Highway – safety upgrades capacity and reducing flood impacts – had the highest level of importance (85.1 per cent)

A focus on maintenance and basic upgrades for roads, train stations and accessibility ranked second (75.8 per cent).

About seven in 10 RACQ members also identified the removal and upgrade of unsafe rail level crossings across Queensland as important.

RACQ General Manager Advocacy Joshua Cooney said the research showed Queenslanders wanted to see real, long-lasting transport legacies from the 2032 Games, and that was the challenge for planners, designers and all levels of government.

“Frequency, speed and service routes are the biggest issues holding many Queenslanders back from leaving the car at home and opting for a bus or train,” he said.

Brisbane residents on board Brisbane Metro from UQ Lakes Station, St Lucia to Eight Mile Plains electric bus depot, Saturday, October 12, 2024 - Picture: Richard Walker

“Improving our public transport services to bring Brisbane in line with other world-class cities that have hosted the Games would be a legacy Queenslanders would be proud of.”

Mr Cooney said active transport was another cost-effective investment that needed to be made.

He said South East Queensland had the bones of a promising network, but it was missing critical links on key corridors leading to and from Brisbane’s CBD.

“Connecting existing bikeways with safe and accessible active transport infrastructure is an easy win for planners and governments in the lead up to the Games,” he said.

“More people will choose to ride, scoot and walk to work if they don’t have to risk their lives by sharing the road with cars, buses and trucks.”

“The more people on bikes and scooters, the less congestion on our roads and the healthier our community.”

On the Bruce Highway, he said: “Even Queenslanders that don’t live along the Bruce believe it’s critical to fix it, which goes to show how significant this highway is for our State and its

people.”

Council of Mayors (SEQ) CEO Scott Smith said South East Queensland had been under significant growth pressures for well over a decade.

Queenslanders have listed public transport among their priorities. Picture: Richard Walker

“Catalytic infrastructure, particularly the expansion of fast and reliable public transport, has not kept pace,” he said.

“In 2015, the region’s Mayors saw this challenge unfolding and pursued an Olympic and Paralympic Games to accelerate government and private investment into new generational infrastructure and public transport the region needed.”

Mr Smith said the state government’s 100-day review of Brisbane 2032 was an opportunity to deliver on why the Games were supported in the first place.

City of Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery called on the state government to fast-track the Bruce Highway Western Alternative, dubbed the Moreton Motorway, to free up congestion on the Bruce Highway.

The Bruce Highway sadly has a long history of tragedies.

The proposal includes a new transport corridor between Beerburrum and north Brisbane.

“The Bruce Highway is a car park most mornings and afternoons,” he said.

The Crisafulli Government this month announced it would re-establish the Bruce Highway Advisory Council to identify priority projects for upgrades.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Brent Mickelberg said the Premier had already raised restoring the 80:20 funding split with the Prime Minister.

“The Crisafulli Government will fight for Queensland’s fair share when it comes to Bruce Highway funding, Queenslanders won’t cop the Federal Government walking away from regional Queensland and critical Bruce Highway upgrades,” he said.

Originally published as Qld survey lists Bruce Highway and public transport as top priorities