Lord Mayor Graham Quirk announces Brisbane Metro plan

A $1.54 billion high frequency subway system has been proposed by Lord Mayor Graham Quirk, as part of his March 19 election commitments, as a solution to ease Brisbane's inner city bus network congestion.

A first of its kind in Australia, the "Brisbane Metro" would see sections of the south-east and inner northern busways altered and an underground subway system built to cater for a rubber-tyred metro service that would link Woolloongabba to Herston.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk's proposed Brisbane metro service would not require overhead wires, with all electrification built within the track system.

Commuters would travel to either Woolloongabba or Herston bus stations and swap onto the metro, which is estimated to almost halve the existing peak hour commute times.

The proposed project would remove up to 200 buses per hour in morning peak traffic across Victoria Bridge, which would become a "green bridge", with general traffic banned, shifting the 800 cars that travel along the bridge daily to the William Jolly Bridge or to the Go Between toll bridge.

The proposed underground portal for the Brisbane Metro at North Quay.

The Cultural Centre Station at South Brisbane would move underground to cater to the underground subway portal that would connect King George Square busway and link with the Inner Northern busway.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said the metro system would ease the city's existing busway stations that were already operating at capacity and which cater for 68 per cent of all public transport users in Brisbane.

"Every day about 170,000 employees, visitors and students travel to or through the city centre, mostly by public transport and this is predicted to climb to 250,000 by 2031," Cr Quirk said.

"Today I am announcing a vision for the next phase of infrastructure building to keep our city moving and plan for our future and keep Brisbane heading in the right direction.

Cr Quirk said the proposed Brisbane metro would have a boarding time of between 8-15 seconds.

"The CBD's existing bus infrastructure, already at capacity in a number of areas, will not be able to cope."

Cr Quirk said the state government's cross river rail project was not going to answer the "broader transport issues" in Brisbane that have been "looming for several years", with the metro system proposal to act as a "supplement".

The proposed underground subway system for the Cultural Centre at South Brisbane.

"The cross river rail project can stand alone and it will service the rail needs in the future, I support a further rail crossing, but what I am saying is that a further two thirds of the public transport function in our city is handled by buses so just doing a cross river rail is not the total answer, we need to do something to supplement that," Cr Quirk said.

Cr Quirk said the council would fund, via borrowings, the "majority" of the $1.54 billion dollar project, however would not be drawn on an exact amount.

"We have demonstrated in the last 12 years we are capable of funding big scale projects," Cr Quirk said.

"We will be the major funder of this project but we will certainly be asking for support from the state government in particular and the federal government," Cr Quirk said.

"I am going to make this happen, the state government have to be co-operative, have to give approvals but we have to do something, if we do nothing, the delays in public transport are going to grow and grow.

"It is not fair and reasonable for what is essentially a state government responsibility for the state to walk away."

Labor's Lord Mayoral candidate Rod Harding slammed Cr Quirk's proposal, calling it "nothing more than expensive, fancy buses".

"This proposal is not the answer to Brisbane's growing congestion crisis," Mr Harding said.

"All around Australia, all around the world, modern cities are moving towards light rail.

"The evidence is conclusive. Modern light rail has consistently been proven to trump buses."

Costings breakdown for Lord Mayor Graham Quirk's Brisbane Metro proposal:

• $1.15 billion: Brisbane Metro line, tunnel and station construction, Woolloongabba to Herston.
• $80 million: Stabling and maintenance depot for rolling stock
• $120 million: Land purchase costs
• $170 million: 75 carriages for light metro sets, will grow to 150 carriages by 2031 to carry 30,000/hour
• $20 million: Business case and detailed design

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