This week’s Brisbane City Council budget continues a path set by Campbell Newman, with bus orders to be completed and some extra spending on bus stops
By David Goeldner | June 8, 2011
Brisbane City Council’s first post-Campbell Newman budget was released this week, continuing to deliver planned expansion of the city’s bus fleet – Australia’s second largest – through completing a 2008 $56 million commitment for 500 rigid-equivalent buses.
So far 375 buses have been delivered or are in build at Volgren’s Eagle Farm factory, with the final 125 vehicles to be built and delivered to Brisbane Transport by the end of the 2011-12 financial year.
Lord Mayor Graham Quirk’s first budget also provides for two new bus depots, at Sherwood and the Port of Brisbane Trade Coast precinct’s northern reach.
The inner city Glider bus service will also continue, and there’s money for bus stops.
“The hugely successful CityGlider service – or as I call it ‘the entertainment express’ – moving passengers between Teneriffe and West End via the CBD will receive $6.3 million in funding,” Quirk says.
He says when he took over from Campbell Newman as Brisbane’s Lord Mayor he announced a desire to make Brisbane a more accessible city.
“I am pleased to announce that Council will spend $2.4 million to improve bus stops and make them more accessible for people with disabilities,” Quirk says.
“This is part of an ongoing program to ensure our bus stops meet the needs of all our residents and visitors.”
The total bus stop upgrade spend in this year’s budget is $3.745 million.
Brisbane City Council operates a fleet of over 1100 buses, the second largest bus fleet in Australia, along with the CityCat and Brisbane Ferry network.
The CityCat ferry fleet will be expanded to 19 by 2012 including the construction of two new terminals.
Quirk says that although the planning and funding of public transport is a Queensland government responsibility – undertaken by TransLink – Brisbane City Council continues to work collaboratively with the State government to fund and operate Brisbane’s public transport.
“Council will continue to work with TransLink to plan an integrated network, promote public transport initiatives such as the high frequency BUZ routes and facilitate the development of key public transport infrastructure such as busways.”
Buying decisions by Council will also acknowledge the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Quirk says all energy directly purchased by Council will continue to be emissions-free GreenPower.
“Emissions from vehicle, bus and ferry fleets will continue to be balanced through the purchase of accredited offsets,” he says.
“Council will work to achieve further operational efficiencies to reduce emissions, contain costs and balance the emissions impact of delivering an increasing volume of services to a growing community.”