Better Transport Queensland

Queensland Parliament is currently debating a modified version of the government's controversial new e-mobility laws, with all suggestions by the State Development, Infrastructure and Works Committee accepted either in full or principle. Although these changes represent minor improvements on the previous bill, BTQ still believes that these represent a step backwards and will unfairly penalise legitimate users of e-mobility devices.

The changes made include upping the speed limit on residential footpaths by just 2 km/hr, or to 25 km/hr if on a shared path designed for bikes and not actively passing a pedestrian. Licensing exemptions have been added for those who are legally incapable of holding a license for medical or disability reasons, or for 12-17 year olds who are supervised by a parent, and changes have been made to allow for additional, alternative compliance standards.

BTQ shares concerns raised by Bicycle Queensland that these changes would make Queensland the "hardest place in the world" to ride a legal e-bike while doing little to prevent the import of illegal e-mobility devices using existing loopholes. Many of the most dangerous e-bike riders are riding bikes already illegal under current law, and any crackdown should be focused on closing this existing loophole rather than putting more barriers to e-mobility adoption in place.

Townsville airport is one of the busiest airports in the state, and yet travellers and workers in the regional city are entirely unable to take public transport, instead forced to rely on options such as taxis, rideshares, or car rentals. As passenger numbers continue to break records, 7 News reports that community consultation shows a shocking 98% of people want a public transport option to be provided.

This is a story that plays out across regional Queensland, with cities like Cairns and Gladstone also lacking any public transport access to and from their airports. This forces travellers and workers into options that can end up being more expensive, less convenient, and make the city as a whole a less attractive destination.

BTQ supports renewed local calls for public transport to be provided to these crucial transport hubs. Providing public transport options helps boost foot traffic to local businesses, reduces congestion & accidents on local roads, and has immense health & wellbeing benefits for not only those who use the service, but also those living nearby. As the state budget approaches we call on state and local governments to prioritise the wishes of their community and deliver this crucial missing link in the Townsville network

More critical train services have faced the chopping block as the industrial debate between Queensland Rail and the unions drags on, with regional and long distance passengers the latest victim.

Queensland Rail has announced that from Monday, 1st of June the Westlander and Inlander services, which serve the communities along the lines to Charleville and Mount Isa respectively, will be cut entirely with no replacement provided. Additionally the Spirit of the Outback to Longreach and Spirit of Queensland to Cairns will have their frequencies slashed to just once a week with an additional replacement bus, down from twice and four times a week respectively.

Passengers have already begun expressing their dismay, with many regional Queenslanders who rely on these trains to access medical appointments left stranded. BTQ shares their concerns and urges Queensland Rail to do all in their power to restore these critical lifeline services as soon as possible.

The Grattan Instute has recently released their report "Wasted Space", which highlights the social and financial costs of parking minimums, and how axing them for residential buildings could dramatically reduce housing costs and improve our quality of life. BTQ supports this move - more space in cities should be dedicated to things like parks, shops, and dense housing instead of places to store private vehicles when not in use. We encourage you to read the report for yourself, but we've picked out some of the interesting bits above. Check the full report out on the Grattan Institute website: https://grattan.edu.au/report/wasted-space-axe-car-parking-rules-to-ease-the-housing-crisis/

🚉 BTQ welcomes the opening of Hope Island station!

Hope Island marks the 2nd of 3 new stations set to open on the Gold Coast, providing more options for Gold Coasters travelling in the SEQ region.

Station features:
• accessible platforms with lifts
• park ’n’ ride with accessible bays
• secure bike storage
• kiss ’n’ ride and taxi bays
• direct connections to local buses

🚌 BTQ is pleased to see changes to the surrounding bus network aimed at improving connectivity to the new station.

• 709 – new route from Helensvale to Sickle Avenue via Hope Island station
• 711 – extended from Southport to Hope Island station via Runaway Bay and Paradise Point
• 725 – realigned from Coomera to Sanctuary Cove via Hope Island station
• 718 – realigned from Santa Barbara to Helensvale via Cova Boulevard and Marina Quays Boulevard
• 727 – realigned along Lauren Grove and Reserve Road, serving Seachange Lifestyle Resort, Palm Lake Resort and Regis Magnolia

⚠️ While these changes represent an improvement to the current network, we still hold concerns regarding the poor off-peak frequencies and poor span of hours for select routes.

✔️ Public transport works best when travellers don't need to check the timetable. The stress of missing your last bus home should be a thing of the past! We hope to see further improvements to the surrounding bus routes in the future.

The RTBU Qld Branch has claimed in a Facebook post this evening that Queensland Rail rejected an offer today to temporarily lift a ban on special events trains during the NRL Magic Round in exchange for what they claim are 'sensible and easy to agree to' concessions. Just last Friday the Deputy President of the Fair Work Commission issued a statement expressing concern over public safety during the magic round due to the industrial dispute between QR and the unions, which has been ongoing since April 1st.

The RTBU has not shared any specifics of their proposed offer, possibly due to a Fair Work Commission embargo on discussing details of mediation. BTQ is unable to determine the accuracy of their claims, but if true this represents a serious blow to both NRL fans and the wider public. Brisbane's bus network is already struggling under the load of additional passengers, and given the potential for overcrowding BTQ shares the Fair Work Commission's concern for public safety.

We are pleased to see that the minister for transport has finally met with unions, and that the Fair Work Commission has successfully locked in 3 days of meetings per week for 6 weeks in order to resolve the dispute. This dispute must be resolved as soon as possible and we once again encourage all sides to focus on the public rather than political squabbles.

BTQ is pleased to see that the report of recommendations for the government's proposed new e-mobility law includes several major improvements. The scrapping of exclusionary licensing requirements and removing the impossible 10 km/hr speed limit is a major step in the right direction. The many thousands of submissions made by both organisations like us and members of the community have clearly not gone to waste, and the government now has a clear list of exactly what they need to change in their bill. We call on the government to listen to the concerns of the community and to accept these recommendations in full.

BTQ would also like to thank everyone who helped raise awareness of this law or made a submission themselves. If you'd love to keep fighting for better transport, please follow us on social media and join us on our forum at https://btq.org.au

EDIT: Our wording above has caused some confusion, so to clarify - the best outcome would be the government scrapping these proposed laws and focusing in enforcing the current ones. However, these changes represent a significant improvement on the original proposal

After over 7 hours of negotiations on Thursday Queensland Rail and unions are still no closer to a deal, according to the Brisbane Times. Negotiations continued today, with no sign of an agreement being reached. Industrial disputes have been ongoing since April 1st leading to major maintenance backlogs for QR's fleet, and a service reduction slashing almost 20% of weekday trips.

BTQ understands that if this dispute continues QR may be forced to further reduce or even completely suspend passenger service around Brisbane, causing major disruption and placing further strain on an already struggling bus network. This outcome cannot be allowed to happen - the travelling public must be prioritised over politics.

Hope Island, the second of three new Gold Coast infill stations planned to open for the Cross River Rail project, has been confirmed as opening on the 18th of May. The new station will feature full-length accessible platforms, a bus loop, and the provision of bike parking as well as a park & ride.

BTQ is pleased to see that bus routes 711 and 725 have been modified to include an interchange with the new station, as well as the creation of a new 709 route to extend the station coverage. Proper integration of train stations with local bus and bike networks can significantly boost ridership, reduce congestion, and improve quality of life for the communities they serve.

Check out the Translink website for more information.

Industrial disputes between Queensland Rail and workers have escalated, with an urgent meeting called by the Fair Work Commission.

Union officials have stated that QR is escalating partial work bans into what is effectively a lockout, and that if return to work notices issued by QR are not withdrawn a network shutdown is only days away.

BTQ understands that Brent Mickelberg, Minister for Transport, has not yet met with the union. BTQ calls for the minister to meet with the Rail, Bus, and Tram Union, and for all parties to work together on a solution that reduces impact on the public.

The ongoing impasse is untenable. As Transport Minister, Brent Mickelberg MP has a clear obligation to intervene and work constructively with unions to bring this damaging stalemate to an end. The public must not be held hostage for political point scoring.