Skip to main content

Brisbane to build combined road/rail tunnel

Australia’s Queensland Government has revealed concept designs for what would be the world’s first double-deck bus and rail tunnel to replace the planned Cross River Rail project. The 15 metres wide, the US$4.6 billion underground bus and train (UBAT) tunnel would be capable of accommodating a double-track railway and two bus lanes with three underground combined bus-and-rail stations. In a statement outlining the UBAT programme, Premier Campbell Newman said: “The project we are announcing today deliver
November 22, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
Australia’s Queensland Government has revealed concept designs for what would be the world’s first double-deck bus and rail tunnel to replace the planned Cross River Rail project.

The 15 metres wide, the US$4.6 billion underground bus and train (UBAT) tunnel would be capable of accommodating a double-track railway and two bus lanes with three underground combined bus-and-rail stations.

In a statement outlining the UBAT programme, Premier Campbell Newman said: “The project we are announcing today delivers the public transport services needed for the next 50 years.”

Deputy Premier and State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Minister Jeff Seeney said: “This exciting, world-class public transport project demonstrated that the Newman Government is fulfilling its election promise to deliver better infrastructure.

“Queenslanders will have access to one of the most innovative public transport connections in the world through the underground bus and train project. The government is also progressing other transport priorities, including the Bruce Highway and the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing.”

Queensland Government has said that work could begin as early as 2015, with construction planned for completion 2020.

Related Content

  • Video developments in automatic incident detection
    May 22, 2012
    David Crawford reviews technological progress with automatic incident detection Highway safety problems are likely to intensify given recent predictions of future traffic growth across the world. In the United States, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that currently over 30,000 deaths and 1.5 million injuries occur as the result of accidents on the nation’s roads each year. These figures will increase with the number of kilometres travelled each year in the US expected to gr
  • Mayor’s plans for London’s road network step up a gear
    February 10, 2015
    The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has revealed further details of plans to deliver his bold vision for the future of London’s road network, aimed at reducing congestion, creating new public spaces and encouraging more people to walk and cycle. The Mayor unveiled proposals to redesign a number of key road networks in the capital in order to unlock growth and make the capital a more attractive place to live and work.
  • System predicts train delays and informs response
    February 25, 2016
    David Crawford looks into the near-term future for Stockholm’s rail commuters. Swedish rail operator Stockholmståg, which runs commuter services in and around the country’s capital, is claiming a world first with the introduction of its automated Pendelprognosen (commuter prognosis) service. Developed to enable the prediction of delays as much as two hours before they are likely to occur, this offers the operator the scope for much earlier remedial action than previously - for example by filling in the expe
  • Smoothing out city freight movements
    May 28, 2014
    David Crawford welcomes a national first. Urban freight movements, while commercially and socially vital, are a growing logistical headache for planners and people alike. Figures from France’s Lyon Laboratory of Transport Economics indicate that goods transport in major urban areas accounts for: 20% of traffic; 35% of CO2 emissions made by all urban trips; and 50% of the diesel used; while final km delivery runs account for 20% of the total cost of the transport chain.