Bus link 'needed sooner'

PRESSURE is mounting on the State Government to fast-track construction of its Eastern Busway project.

Commuters may have to wait up to 20 years until they can catch a bus all the way from Capalaba to Brisbane City along a dedicated busway.

The Buranda section is now being built and some of the other stages along Old Cleveland Road will be rolled out in the next two years, but the Carindale to Capalaba stages are not planned until after 2026.

As a compromise TransLink says transit lanes will be installed in the meantime.

But TransLink’s view that the final stages will not be needed until at least 2026 has drawn fire from many groups.

Bus company managers, State MPs, the Opposition and Redland City Council have all called for the final completion dates to be brought forward.

Veolia Transport Brisbane general manager Colin Jennings said population growth would create extra traffic problems and the busway was needed more urgently.

“The sooner the Eastern Busway is done, the better for the commuters of the Redlands,” he said.
Member for Capalaba Michael Choi said he was pushing for the project to be finished sooner because it was what residents wanted.

Opposition transport spokesman Tim Nicholls cautiously backed the calls, saying the Government risked “playing catch up” in the future.

Parliamentary secretary for transport Gary Fenlon said he believed more detailed plans for the Eastern Busway would be unveiled as part of next week’s State Budget.

A TransLink spokesman said traffic levels would be monitored “to determine if any change to the post-2026 timeframe is needed in the future”.

The debate over the busway comes as Veolia Transport starts planning improvements to its bus services over the next year.

Mr Jennings said the company would add 17 more buses to its 109-strong fleet this year.

A major review of its services early next year would lead to more services and timetable changes.

“We’ve got traffic congestion and it takes longer to do a route,” he said.

The Redland Times (Bayside Bulletin)

Mr Jennings blamed late bus services on unpredictable, heavy traffic.