Better Transport Queensland

Local radio station Switch Brisbane has today revealed a possible slippage of The Wave timeline which has not been publicly explained. A recent ministerial statement claims that the state government will spend the next 12 months refining project designs, while older material published by the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) claims a start to major construction in 2026. BTQ has confirmed that while the TMR website was updated just days ago to remove references to a 2026 start, older archived versions still reflect this original 2026 construction start date. Switch Brisbane claims that when contacted, TMR was unable to explain the discrepancy and instead was provided with a general statement on project benefits.

This unexplained change raises significant concerns about the future of the Wave and leaves Sunshine Coast residents in the dark about if the project will be complete in time for the 2032 Olympics. Given the already tight timelines, any delay represents a serious risk. BTQ joins local calls for TMR to provide a detailed explanation of the project's timeline, and for greater transparency of critical transport projects such as the Wave.

Brisbane City Council, the largest local government in Australia, will be unveiling their 2026-2027 budget this Wednesday. Due to BCC's size and over 1.2 million residents it holds more power than any other council in Australia, and the seat of lord mayor is the largest election for a single individual in the country. With the Olympics looming it's more important than ever for council to focus on ensuring the city's transport network is up to scratch. We've picked a few easily-achievable hot topics from our policy platform, but let us know - what transport improvements do you want to see from this year's budget?

Feel like recently your bus is never on time and packed to the brim, if it even shows at all? It's not just you! Since the introduction of 50c fares passenger numbers have grown and reliability has plummeted as more and more users take to our already strained bus network. State and local governments have been pushing for long-term solutions, but a fix doesn't have to wait. There's an easy solution that just involves paint and political will: bus lanes.

In contrast to infrastructure like rail lines & busways, adding a bus lane can be as simple as putting down some red paint, and they provide many of the same benefits. A full bus easily carries upwards of 60 people, and on busy corridors a dedicated lane actually increases the passenger carrying capacity of the road while speeding up bus trips and reducing delays. Not only does this improve the experience for bus users, it also increases ridership which means less cars on the road for those who do have to drive.

There are plenty of corridors in the SEQ region that would benefit immensely from a simple bus lane, and these could be rolled out within months if the political will was there. With fuel prices continuing to rise and bus patronage soaring, state and local governments need to push for a transport network that works for everyone.

BTQ is pleased to learn that the state government has listened to community calls for a Townsville airport bus with the recently announced route 222, starting on the 29th of June. This service will run hourly from 4am to 11pm, 7 days a week serving key destinations on the route from Townsville airport to the CBD, where it will interchange with the wider network. While the frequency could be improved, the long operating hours and all-week running represent a very solid base for the new service, catering to travellers, workers, and those who live along the route.

Being able to catch public transport to and from the airport is undoubtedly a boon for the local community, helping to boost foot traffic, reducing congestion & accidents, and providing countless other benefits to those in the area. We urge the state government to continue this momentum by also providing bus services to regional hubs like Cairns airport which similarly lack any bus connection.

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.