Brisbane is the place to be this weekend with a feast of footy and fireworks, with record crowds expected
September 2, 2010
TransLink expects a boom in public transport patronage in south-east Queensland this weekend with four major events planned for Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
Transport Minister Rachel Nolan says services will be boosted to cover final round rugby league games at Suncorp Stadium and Skilled Park on Friday night and Brisbane’s annual Riverfire on Saturday night.
Brisbane band Powderfinger – one of Australia’s leading musical acts – will also perform on Saturday night.
Nolan says crowd numbers for the four events could reach half a million, potentially setting a new weekend public transport record for the region.
“Tens of thousands of people will be heading to the footy and Riverfire so we have added extra public transport capacity to move larger than normal crowds.”
TransLink will coordinate 190 extra buses and 60 extra train services this Saturday.
Extra services are also planned for the Broncos and Titans games on Friday night.
“Public transport will be the best way to get to and from the city for Riverfire,” Nolan says.
Extra buses will run from 1pm Saturday on 20 routes across Brisbane up till the 7pm start of Riverfire.
Riverfire is Brisbane’s annual fireworks extravaganza along the city reaches of the Brisbane River.
“People heading to the Powderfinger concert at The Riverstage on Saturday night should keep in mind the Goodwill Bridge will be closed and CityCats near the city will stop for an hour for Riverfire,” Nolan says.
Friday’s football shuttle buses will run to Suncorp Stadium at regular intervals between 5.30pm to 7.30pm from Adelaide Street, Eight Mile Plains busway station, Carindale and Chermside interchanges.
Shuttle buses to Skilled Park will run on demand from Firth Park Mudgeeraba, Alabaster Drive, Burleigh Heads Primary School and Pacific Fair Shopping Centre between 4.50pm and 7.10pm.
“These are crucial games for our local teams and big crowds are expected so I encourage fans to take advantage of the extra buses and trains,” says Nolan.
Return shuttle buses will operate for one hour after both games.