Qld chooses alliance partners for Inner Northern Busway link

The Queensland government has chosen alliance partners to complete the missing link in Brisbane's Inner Northern Busway.

Leighton Contractors and its associates Maunsell, Coffey and Bligh Voller Nield will be the government's partners in extending the busway from Roma Street to the Queen Street bus station. This will cut peak hour travel times by up to nine minutes.

The preliminary cost estimate for the project is $140 million, but this could change because the exact scope is still being discussed by the State Government and the Brisbane City Council.

Premier Peter Beattie said there were few cities in the world lucky enough to have a major dedicated busway coming into its heart from both north and south. “But this project will make Brisbane one of those fortunate cities.”

Transport and Main Roads Minister Paul Lucas said Queensland Transport would now enter commercial discussions with Leighton Contractors, with agreement on a contract expected by the end of April.

Detailed planning would then be able to begin, with the busway scheduled to be operating by Christmas, 2007.

The new section of busway includes a tunnel from the Queen Street Bus Station to a new busway station in the lower levels of the King George Square car park, and a ramp leading buses up onto Roma Street.

The first stages provided a dedicated 2.8km busway link from Roma Street to Gilchrist Avenue at Herston.

The Inner Northern Busway Project is a joint project by the State Government and the Brisbane City Council.