CAPALABA could be in line for a fast, frequent Metro-style link to Brisbane’s CBD under a multi-billion- dollar expansion plan set to revisit the city’s long- abandoned busway vision.
Brisbane City Council has begun investigating an Eastern Metro route from the CBD to Capalaba via Old Cleveland Rd as part of a wider push to extend the successful Metro network into more suburbs.
The proposal is still in its early stages, but the business case, backed by Council, the Queensland Government and Federal Government, will examine routes, vehicles, dedicated infrastructure, costs and staging.
For eastern suburbs, it could mean a mix of new transitways, dedicated bus lanes, busways and tunnels designed to cut travel times and make public transport a more realistic option for commuters.
Almost 30 years ago, the State Government proposed a 75km South East Queensland busway network.
Only about a third was ever built.
Now, the Metro expansion study will examine whether missing links can finally be completed as Brisbane’s population booms.
The CBD-to-Capalaba corridor is forecast to grow by 29 per cent over the next 20 years, with an extra 88,000 residents expected across the three proposed residential Metro corridors to Carseldine, Capalaba and Springwood.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said Brisbane Metro had proven it could attract people back onto public transport.
“Brisbane Metro has been a huge success and residents want it expanded to more suburbs,” Cr Schrinner said.
“We’ve already invested more than a billion dollars to get stage one of this project going, but future stages will only become a reality with support from all three levels of government.
“Brisbane Metro, together with 50 cent fares, has helped drive a massive 30 per cent increase in passengers over two years.
“Now that we know it works, we need to replicate this project in other parts of Brisbane and beyond.”
But the Opposition accused Cr Schrinner of delaying action on Brisbane’s congestion problems while commuters waited for better services.
“Adrian Schrinner is desperately covering up his decades of public transport failures with an announcement that we need the State Government to build more busways and tunnels after the Olympics have come and gone,” Cr Jared Cassidy said.
The Opposition said Brisbane needed more suburban bus services now, rather than waiting years for a potential Metro extension.
Transport analyst Ross Elliott, from Suburban Futures, said an eastern Metro connection could do more than help Redlands commuters get to the city.
“And in the case of the extension to Capalaba, this will open up new local employment opportunities so that people can work closer to their homes in the future – so the benefits are many,” he said.
Consultation on the Metro expansion plan closes on Sunday, December 13.
The business case is expected to be completed in the second half of 2027 with any future expansion dependent on planning approvals and funding.
