Brisbane Busway

Busway brings public transport flexibility

Construction of Brisbane's Boggo Road Busway's final section is well on its way to providing a dedicated connection to the Eleanor Schonell Bridge says the Queensland Premier Anna Bligh.
And an updated report on the impact of the $226 million bus way concludes it won't significantly increase air pollution for students at the nearby Dutton Park State School.

From the Park Road Busway Station, the bus way will continue in a tunnel below the former Boggo Road jail, Annerley Road and Gair Park to emerge at Dutton Park where it will connect with the Eleanor Schonell Bridge and local road network.

Bligh says the new project will save people time and money.
"People from Brisbane's south and east will be able to travel direct to the University of Queensland without going through the city," Bligh says.

"Other passengers will connect with train services at the Park Road busway station, including the Gold Coast line and Airtrain, which will start usin g the station from 2009.

"Still others will transfer at key stations and stops in the corridor to connect to services elsewhere on the network, including the South East, Inner Northern and Eastern busways."

A site office will shortly be established at Dutton Park in preparation for construction activities.

Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel says
while the updated air quality report confirmed an earlier assessment a planned busway station at Park Road was designed so it could be covered if necessary.

"An independent study investigating the impact of the busway on the health of students at the school was released in February this year.," he says.
"This addendum to that report addresses issues raised during public consultation.
"It is based on models of air pollution concentration that could be attributed to the busway - and it concludes the project will not increase the existing risk in any significant way."

The original report and its addendum were prepared by Professor Lidia Morawska, a consultant to the World Health Organisation on air quality and a member of the Clean Air Society of Australia and New Zealand. Professor Michael Moore from the University of Queensland analysed the health risk posed by the busway.

Mickel says clean bus technology was contributing to this outcome.
"A full bus produces 11 times less greenhouse gas emissions per person, per kilometre, than an average car with just the driver," he says.
"More than one third of Brisbane Transport's buses now run on compressed natural gas, and we plan to gradually replace the remaining older diesel buses with compressed natural gas or alternative, cleaner-fuel buses."

The entire busway between the Princess Alexandra Hospital and the Eleanor Schonell Bridge is due for completion in mid-2009. [from Bus+Coach]