More than 160,000 bus services will be added across Brisbane each year under a new funding agreement between the Queensland Government and the Brisbane City Council.
On the same day a report showed Brisbane residents had the lowest access to frequent, reliable public transport of any major Australian city, the State Government committed $75 million to beef up the Brisbane bus network.
State Premier Steven Miles said the agreement also locked in a 75:25 funding split between to two governments.
He said, under the deal, the Brisbane Metro would also boost capacity by up to 30 million seats annually.
“Brisbane has the highest demand for integrated and connecting public transport services in the state – a demand that will be catered for through new, expanded and integrated public transport offerings under today’s agreement.”
In addition to the overall funding commitment the new deal includes:
- Demand-responsive bus services, funded by the State and operated by Council during the 50 Cent Fares trial from August 5.
- Rapid deployment of Brisbane Metro vehicles on the busy 169 bus route between Eight Mile Plains and UQ St Lucia from October 2024.
- Arrangements made to allow the Brisbane Metro M1 & M2 services to commence when complete.
- Collaboration to deliver bus priority projects on key routes, including the Northern Transitway and Mains Road corridors.
- A commitment to creating a stronger advisory board to allow a more balanced perspective for investment into the transport services of the Brisbane LGA.
- A northside bus network review following the introduction of Brisbane Metro and Brisbane’s New Bus Network (BNBN).
- A commitment to a joint, annual network review process which adds capacity into the network where it’s needed.
- Reform of Brisbane’s Bus Network to reduce waste & duplication and improve bus to rail connections
