You picked up on a very strange comment about the project and I don’t think the person who said that in the presentation realised where this can lead.
How else do you get the private sector involved for what is a public funded project?
I was reflecting on the comments from others here. The reference to vibe doesn’t suggest any rigorous research method.
You’ve said the BRT proposal would have been based on studies, modelling and local government consultation - but haven’t provided evidence of any of that specific research having been done.
Totally agree
Any simple research/analysis would show that the BRT/Rail “seamless transition” (as a single corridor) would be nothing of the sort. Same for Stage 4 of Gold Coast but worse on Sunshine Coast as train capacity is greater.
Both are political thought bubbles!!
It is most concerning the doubtful future of the DSCL as was envisaged. Too little coherent action for a long time now.
Kind of sums up Public Transport and rail in QLD.
Usually when TMR involves the private sector, it is in the role of contractor. It sounds like they intend to hire a consortia and ask the consortia to come up with design(s) to select from. This is the norm for many projects.
Tolls on the Sunshine Motorway were removed in 1996, it was formerly a toll road, similar to the Logan Motorway or Gateway Bridge. It seems unlikely that a toll would be placed on it given the recent discussion about cost of living. https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Work-of-the-Assembly/Tabled-Papers/docs/4896t1976/4896t1976.pdf
How major projects appear to be delivered in Queensland
Most major projects in Queensland follow a non-linear path. Generally they are announced, delayed, changed, relocated, reviewed, cancelled by an new incoming govt, reinstated, renamed, relocated, rescaled (usually down), before the project emerges in its final form.
Usually there is a cost-shift / funding battle involved with the level of Government above or below (or both). A project may be intentionally paused for this to resolve, which can add years to the timeline. Projects also tend to proceed when a partnership is formed - generally there needs to be at least one other partner on board (e.g. Federal or an LGA).
Major projects are highly collaborative with multiple parties/agencies and co-ordination involved.
A reduced version of the project might be delivered at twice the cost and with an opening date significantly later from what was initially announced. Projects also tend to be delivered incrementally or piecemeal. The Gold Coast line, for example, was built as single track in 1996. Over the course of 22 years, the Queensland Government went back and duplicated bits and pieces of it and the Beenleigh line. It is still not quite finished, as the line is supposed to end at Coolangatta Airport.
What we are seeing play out here appears to be a similar story. It seems unlikely that much of it will actually be built by the time the next election comes along, so there still is scope for further changes.
If you could change it, what would you change and how?
Sorry I mean not worth adding to my map as there’s no protected corridor or any kind if indication on the exact route it’ll take. Definitely think it needs to run to the airport, they just don’t know how yet 
It would probably just use the motorway to the airport. Would be worth adding UniSc at Sippy Downs to the SC Mass Transit Project plans.
I think this ultimately depends on how far they can get DSCL by 2032. They really should have SCMT running by then, and if they can only get DSCL to Caloundra then they should have SCMT connecting to the Caloundra station as a bare minimum (this would be an acceptable “plan B” if Stage 2 DSCL was delayed, which I still think it might be considering it requires 1km of twin tunneling).
On the other hand if they pull off DSCL to Birtinya in time for the games and can fully build the tracks and stabling infrastructure I don’t think the need for SCMT to Caloundra is as urgent. It isn’t hosting any games events and the route that Stage 2 of SCMT follows is already serviced relatively well by additional buses which could just be bumped up to 5 minute headway or something.
One advantage that the Sunshine Coast has is that the existing North-South route along the coast is pretty straight, built to a pretty good standard (2-3 lanes each way) and much of the recent upgrades have been done in a way that allows extra space for SCMT to be integrated. Nicklin Way itself makes up over 10km of the route and they have ample space to add a dedicated buslane in each direction for about 10km simply by removing on street parking and it would take under a month to complete.
I don’t think anyone is arguing they would have, but I think you’ll find most people here are pretty critical of both parties despite the views of members probably being more aligned with the red team. Labor have underfunded public transport on the Sunshine Coast, that much is obvious, but they started delivering Cross River Rail, they started delivering the Beerburrum to Beerwah Duplication and they played a big role in progressing DSCL, as mentioned I don’t for a second believe they would have gotten it to Maroochydore by 2032, the business case said that’s impossible, but they also didn’t go to the election promising that unlike the LNP. It’s great that the LNP have made a lot of noise about The Wave and seem to be determined to deliver SOMETHING, but it’s also important we hold them to account, just like we would if Labor were building it. The outcome that we want is better public transport and we should apply skepticism to any claim regardless of which team made it.
I have often wondered if Sippy Downs would be worthy of a completely seperate SCMT route. You could have SC1 from Maroochydore to Caloundra and then SC2 from Birtinya to Palmview via UniSC and Sippy Downs, SC3 from Birtinya to Nambour via Maroochydore and Woombye, SC4 from Birtinya to Noosa via the airport and Coolum, etc.
Those 4 routes would effectively cover all the major urban centres on the Sunshine Coast connecting them to the DSCL stations and free up a lot of buses to run as feeders. I think it’s definitely worth BTQ paying more attention to SCMT, it’s currently in the business case and planning stages and now is a good time to try and have a seat at the table because it’s going to be the equivalent of Gold Coast Light Rail just in a different mode. Maybe worth a seperate thread soon.
I’m definitely keeping an eye on it and plan on raising it in upcoming meetings behind the scenes.
Love to see it, I honestly expect with the trajectory that the wave is taking SCMT will probably be absorbed into the Wave at some point anyway. From memory the SCMT planning, routes etc assumed CAMCOS all the way to Maroochydore with SCMT acting as an interurban connector + feeder service.
With BRT now clearly going to form some role in The Wave and both projects being developed around the same time, there will surely be some kind of merge between the two as having two seperate BRT networks interchanging with each other makes no sense.
My personal belief is that the Wave Stage 3 should use the SCMT corridor so that the camcos corridor can be reserved for heavy rail at a later date.
What do members think about staging?
IMO SC Mass Transit Project should start as soon as possible, and the BRT vehicles connect at Beerwah while they start building out the rail.
Would add UniSC and SC Airport corridors to the SC Mass Transit Project as well.
Completely agree! That should be the default outcome.
Fully support this. Council have been doing feasibility studies, public consultation for 15 years now, they started planning this while Stage 1 of GCLR was still under construction. Over 80% of responses were positive but issues with funding and anti-mass transit community groups have just stalled the project since then. It looked like it had some wind behind it for a bit a couple of years ago when the mode was put to community consultation but as soon as BRT was selected as the preferred option the project completely died again and they’ve since started another business case.
It’s basically just going in circles. They need to bring in whoever built the GCLR, throw money at them and tell them to get a move on. I don’t even want to think about how much more expensive it’s gotten over the last 13 years.
I just don’t really get why SCMT has gone with BRT instead of choosing light rail like on the Gold Coast. Hell, you could’ve been able to get away with bringing John Holland, Keolis Downer and Alstom in one go for greater efficiencies.
Oh well.
The more I think about ’ The Wave ’ as the chosen name (by whom?) the more it seems dumb.
Wouldn’t that be good, but no funding or delivery plan as yet (re vehicles, routes).
I don’t mind the name and should be for the whole of Sector 1. Aka Coast to Coast
I don’t mind the name and should be for the whole of Sector 1. Aka Coast to Coast
No thanks … 