Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner’s proposal to expand the Brisbane Metro project to Brisbane Airport is an excellent idea.
People who are arriving as tourists at the airport have an option of catching a taxi, an Uber or the Airtrain, but for people who work there every day it’s not affordable,” Cr Schrinner
The Brisbane Metro is a one billion dollar high frequency rapid transit transport system along 21km of existing busway from the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital to Eight Mile Plains. It includes 18 stations, including 11 interchange stations, two of which will link with Cross River Rail.
The extension proposal utilises the Airport Link tunnel to approach the airport, rather than any new infrastructure having to be put in place and would most likely link with BNE’s SkyGate and the BNE Master Plan’s Mass Transit System.
The proposal would improve the accessibility of the public transport network, provide increased mode choice and encourage additional public transport patronage for BNE’s 23,826 employees.
This will be of crucial importance in light of BNE's anticipated growth. Based on passenger growth the airport's total economic contribution is forecast to grow from its current figure of $4.7 billion per annum to an estimated $8.7 billion by 2040 and employment at the airport is forecast to reach more than 46,000 employees by 2040.
BNE employees have indicated that higher frequency, more ‘out of hours’ services, more public transport stops across the BNE precinct and greater intermodal connection would all influence increased usage of public transport. The Brisbane Metro extension proposal is consistent with this.
The Brisbane Metro’s cost benefit analysis has previously indicated that for every $1 of total expenditure, Brisbane Metro is expected to return $1.91 of benefits to the local economy. The proposed extension would strengthen the business case for Brisbane Metro even further.
For the above reasons this proposal is more than just a thought bubble and accordingly warrants serious consideration, support and ultimately implementation.
