We won't stop fighting until we achieve a fair outcome for The People. Hopefully we have your support also. 🙂 More information & the basic points:
1. Vic Bridge is iconic & belongs to all residents of Brisbane, a bridge on this site was established only 40 years after the settlement of Brisbane.
2. Brisbane residents have in NO UNCERTAIN TERMS said that they DO NO WANT VIC BRIDGE CLOSED TO GENERAL TRAFFIC AND BIKES. This was made ABUNDANTLY CLEAR most recently with the results of the RACQ Residents Vote to Bridge Brisbane Survey:
• Of 12 projects proposed, LEAST SUPPORTED was Victoria Bridge modifications, with the HIGHEST AGAINST VOTE IN THE SURVEY, the people said they WERE NOT IN FAVOUR OF VICTORIA BRIDGE BEING TURNED INTO A PUBLIC TRANSPORT ONLY BRIDGE! Does this BCC propose to ignore the wishes of the people and if so they should be on notice we have a voice and we vote.
3. The new bus system won't service residents in the built up 4101 Peninsula, yet takes the bridge out of car, vehicular and bike use. BCC also plans is to remove the cyclist lanes and pedestrian access over to Brisbane Square, so people have to walk right over to Adelaide St on the western side. BCC says that even bike lanes cannot be accommodated with Metro because engineering reports confirm this would compromise the structural integrity of the bridge. Cyclists are expected to share on the pedestrian side footpath which is stupid and dangerous for both. Victoria Bridge was not constructed to accommodate this Metro, and is obviously not suitable for it along with other Brisbane road users who also have a perfect right to use the bridge, so why risk breaking the bridge’s back by forcing this Metro idea- leave Victoria Bridge alone.
4. The private operator busway plan should not proceed; we want to see the busways preserved for all Brisbane residents.
5. Brisbane residents, businesses & employees suffered terrible traffic congestion effects in South Brisbane/Cultural Centre Precinct, when BCC closed 2 lanes of Victoria Bridge to traffic in 2000, and when they made a mess of that, now the reasoning is it's already a mess so let's close it off completely. Outrageous and unfair, enough is enough- leave Victoria Bridge alone!
6. Surrounded by a nearby toll-bridge, Go Between, which RACQ says should have the toll removed; and Go Between does not directly access C*D.
7. Choking Sideways Congestion already experienced by the 4101 Peninsula and the inner city south, east and west suburbs.
8. Insufficient community consultation has been undertaken, particularly excluded was the 4101 Peninsula, yet inner south 4101 residents & businesses will experience the worst negative effects from the Vic Bridge closure proposal. Consultation should have occurred within 4101 and every business we have spoken to has not been aware of BCC’s plans to close the bridge; nor have BCC undertaken studies into possible damage to these businesses. We finally received a glossy brochure from BCC, at which point we commenced our voices in protest.
• The BCC DOES NOT have a mandate to close Victoria Bridge.
• Lord Mayor Graham Quirk announced during the election campaign that Brisbane was to have a “Paris style subway”.
• This nonsense Metro idea has now undergone many different incarnations, and looks nothing like a Paris style subway- not rail, nor light rail or tram- but now: rubber tyred, articulated (banana buses), above ground, costing $1Billion. (The opposition insists it will be much more).
• When this Metro idea is in shambles, BCC is pushing for Vic Bridge to be bus only, based on the premise that it will “reduce costs for the project.. by utilising existing infrastructure”. BUT BRISBANE RESIDENTS DO NOT WANT VICTORIA BRIDGE CLOSED TO GENERAL TRAFFIC.
9. The opposition states the figures are ambitious, saving 2 minutes on a 58-minute journey,
10. Independent Translink Engineers' report of 17/07/17 urges the BCC to reconsider the Metro idea, stating Metro banana buses will: Damage Kerbs, Not Fit 2/3 of existing bus stops, Bad Turning Difficulties with Tailswing; so METRO BANANA BUSES ARE NOT BETTER BUT WORSE THAN CURRENT BUSES.
11. Metro busway disregards eastern busway passengers completely, western passengers past UQ, northern passengers past Herston, and will require interchange (off a bus and on to Metro) by all passengers at Woolloongabba or Herston hubs. The Metro DUPLICATES current routes of existing bus and railways, and the Cross River Rail project. Coincidentally one of the limited suburbs the Metro is proposed to service is Eight Mile Plains, where Lord Mayor Quirk resides and his ward is located. Many people are feeling that this Metro push despite all of its numerous problems is nothing but an ego monument/legacy for Lord Mayor Quirk.
12. At $944M is this a good use of Ratepayers' money, when 80% of bus users are satisfied with the existing service.
13. BCC has no plans for a high capacity public transport service for the 4101 suburbs yet population is est. to double by 2031, plus loss of major foundational infrastructure Vic Bridge.
14. There have been numerous BETTER suggestions, than this plagued Metro busway proposal, that have not been explored yet DO NOT propose to disadvantage Brisbane Residents:
Dr Thomas Sigler and Associate Professor Glen Searle, School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, UQ noted:
"The proposed route does not connect the future intensive high-rise precincts around Fortitude Valley and West End to the C*D. The present east-west City Glider service will be inadequate to cope with future population rises in those areas, and the Valley-Central train link does not give good access to the main C*D office area. This group of qualified professionals suggested a high frequency cross city option- more desirable and servicing more regions!
15. The Queen's Wharf Casino Development will build a walk bridge from the Wheel to the Casino- making 3 other footbridges, a rail bridge, and a bus bridge, but no direct vehicular access into the C*D from inner south.
16. Research is required into the possible damage to businesses in the inner city and 4101 areas.
17. It goes against the 2006 Brisbane City Centre Draft Masterplan; which proposed a bus only bridge from Adelaide St, not closure of Vic Bridge to Vehicles and Bikes. Users risk being banned from this page if they repeatedly post material that hinders a meaningful and constructive discussion or if the user does not accept the response and feedback from the moderator. We reserve the right to delete comments that contain false statements or information. This page will not tolerate abuse including inciting aggression, religious vilification and profanity, which is unacceptable, humiliating or attacking other users and their posts. Such posts will be deleted and the user banned.
