This was published 6 years ago
Shared space for pedestrians and cyclists 'narrow' on Victoria Bridge
By Tony Moore
Both Brisbane City Council and the Queensland government face the problem of narrow shared space for pedestrians and cyclists on the Victoria Bridge for the Brisbane Metro superbus project.
More detailed studies since the project’s May 2017 business case suggest the upstream side may not be wide enough, sources suggest.
Proposed changes to Brisbane's Victoria Bridge showing it is planned to become a green bridge.
State Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington said the answer to the problem was not to cancel the Neville Bonner Bridge, as her party colleague Adrian Schrinner argued, from the retail floor of the Queen's Wharf hotel and casino development across to South Bank.
“The answer is not scrapping the Neville Bonner Bridge,” Ms Frecklington said.
“The LNP fought hard for the bridge to be included in the design.”
Ms Frecklington said better communication between the state government and the council should solve the problem identified by both parties in December.
“Brisbane City Council and the state government should work together to develop better connectivity for cyclists across the Brisbane River.”
The council wants to change the configuration of the four-lane Victoria Bridge to become a green bridge.
The Brisbane Metro “superbus” and most of the council’s existing bus fleet, other than the high-frequency West End to New Farm services, would use the middle two lanes.
“The configuration of Victoria Bridge will be adjusted, with Brisbane Metro and bus services using the centre two lanes, and other bus services connecting to West End using the outside lanes,” the May 2017 business case shows on page 19.
“The existing shared path for cyclists and pedestrians will be maintained on the upstream side, while the downstream side will be widened to provide additional cross-river pedestrian capacity.”
In December 2017, Transport Minister Mark Bailey floated the idea of an elevated cycleway in a ministerial media statement “as a possible solution if the Victoria Bridge became a green bridge and cycle lanes on the bridge were inadequate” as cyclists questioned the proposed Neville Bonner Bridge.
Cr Schrinner, the deputy mayor, suggested the $70m million Neville Bonner Bridge across to South Bank be cancelled and Destination Brisbane Consortium’s money be used for options to improve the Victoria Bridge after cyclists questioned why they could not use it.
Comment was sought from Mr Bailey, State Development Minister Cameron Dick and Tourism Industry Development Minister Kate Jones, who collectively manage the projects, about the options now being discussed.
Acting Premier Jackie TradCredit: Dave Hunt/AAP
Instead, Acting Premier Jackie Trad confirmed the government was trying to enhance cycling options, but warned the council from continually asking for funding.
“We are happy to sit down and talk to them but quite frankly the local council should be delivering their own local infrastructure without coming to the state government all the time asking for money,” she said.
“We are looking at a whole range of cycling enhancements for the people in Brisbane."
Ms Trad said the issue was not linked to the Neville Bonner Bridge alone.
“It is not just the (Neville Bonner) bridge, it’s the Victoria Bridge, it’s the Goodwill Bridge; it’s the Kurilpa bridge, they are both great cyclists bridges,” she said.
“We know we need to do more for cycling infrastructure and we are.”
The council on Tuesday asked the government to think of alternatives to spending Destination Brisbane Consortium’s $70 million on the proposed Neville Bonner Bridge.
Ms Trad said she believed the council wanted to spend the money on a ferry terminal at Victoria Street at West End.
“And for Council to attach the construction of this ferry terminal to the Neville Bonner Bridge I think is a little bit mischievous at this point in time,” she said.
That suggestion has not been raised by Cr Schrinner.