Council says 85 per cent of Brisbane bus trips faster despite closure of services, stops

Brisbane City Council says 85 per cent of bus trips will be faster from June 30. But there are fears of disruption for commuters in some areas, with services and bus stops shut down.

The Brisbane City Council bus network will see significant changes from June 30. Picture: AAP Image/Josh Woning

More than 80 per cent of bus trips will be faster or at least as fast from June 30 when the biggest changes to Brisbane’s bus network in decades begin, council has promised.

But commuters who bussed into the city were warned their journeys would be very different and even motorists have been told to expect changes.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner told council’s Tuesday meeting that the network review had been more than 18 months in the making.

He conceded bus stops would also be removed but said work had already started to build new ones.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner. Picture: AAP Image/Josh Woning

“Yes, there are changes across the city, but that’s because it’s improving the network – you can’t improve something without changing it,’’ Mr Schrinner said.

He pointed out that former Labor state transport minister Bart Mellish signed off on the new network and agreed to fund 75 per cent of the cost.

Mr Mellish accused the Lord Mayor of “verballing” him.

He said all council and the former government had signed off on last year was the completion of an annual review.

The proposed routes were not decided at that time.

“The Lord Mayor and the new transport minister (Brent Mickelburg) have to justify these bus route changes they’ve agreed on and obviously can’t blame a former state government if they get it wrong,” he said.

Labor Councillor for Moorooka, Steve Griffiths, whose southside ward would have multiple bus stops and services closed, asked Mr Schrinner to reveal how many bus stops would be shut from June 30.

A council spokeswoman confirmed that 27 new bus stops wouldbe opened, 21 of them in the suburbs, while 41 stops would be decommissioned, with 22 of those in the suburbs.

There were more than 6000 bus stops across the city.

The five loading zones that will become bus stops are: 140 Margaret St; 145 Ann St stop 10A (reduction of loading zone to extend bus stop); 545 Queen St, stop 30; 65 Mary St, stop 50; 324 Queen St, stop 60.

Transport chair Ryan Murphy said while there would be impacts in some areas, reliability (on-time performance) was estimated to increase between 25 per cent and 50 per cent.

“The CBD will no longer be the hub for all services,’’ he said.

“If you travel into the city you should assume your journey will change.

“And it won’t just be for bus passengers. It’s important for drivers to take note of changes because some loading zones will become a bus stop by the end of June.

“The change is big but it is necessary.’’

Originally published as Council says 85 per cent of Brisbane bus trips faster despite closure of services, stops