QLD gov commits $1.21B investment for Olympics fast rail

QLD gov commits $1B investment for Olympics fast rail — The project will support the growing public transport needs of the region. Image courtesy fo the Queensland Government.

The Queensland Government has committed an additional $1.121 billion to deliver faster rail services between the Brisbane, Logan, Beenleigh and the Gold Coast.

The Queensland Government, together with the Australian Government, is planning to increase the number of tracks between Kuraby and Beenleigh from 2 to 4 tracks, with modernised rail systems, station upgrades and level crossing removals.

This infrastructure funding will also complement the Cross River Rail project, which will provide a greater number of public transport routes to busy venues around Brisbane.

Currently, trains between Kuraby and Beenleigh share a single track in each direction, limiting the number of peak services that can run.

The Logan and Gold Coast Faster Rail will double the capacity of the Gold Coast Rail Line and deliver seven station upgrades and two station relocations to improve accessibility, safety and amenity, including platform straightening, and new pedestrian bridges as part of the works.

As the first piece of Olympics transport infrastructure, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the major project would see more tracks laid and level crossings removed to support faster, more frequent train services.

“We’ve seen significant growth in South East Queensland over the last two decades and we expect this to continue with an extra 1.2 million people living in the region by 2036,” she said, “To ensure South East Queensland can continue to grow, we must keep evolving our rail network so it plays a bigger role in moving people from A to B.”

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the Queensland Government’s funding commitment will benefit key areas in the growing South East.

“We know that this project will deliver an abundance of economic and social benefits to the Logan region, and for all those who use the rail line to travel between the Gold Coast and Brisbane,” he said.

The investment follows the Federal and Queensland governments previous commitment of $356.2 million ($178.1 million each on a 50:50 funding arrangement) in preconstruction funding for the project. A recently completed business case puts this project at a total cost of $2.598 billion.

For more information on the project, click here.