Moreton Bay Regional Council
Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh and Moreton Bay Regional Council Mayor Allan Sutherland today signed the Moreton Bay Rail Link Intergovernmental Agreement at North Lakes.
Prime Minister said the historic signing was a key milestone in the delivery of the Moreton Bay Rail Link - a crucial piece of nation building infrastructure for Queensland.
Put simply, it means it is all systems go for this much-needed public transport system in one of the fastest growing regions in Australia.
Key benefits of the project include:
* Reduced travel times; when completed, an express train from Kippa-Ring to Brisbane CBD will take approximately 45 minutes, compared to more than an hour by car in peak traffic conditions.
* A reduction in congestion and carbon emissions; each full train will remove 600 cars and associated carbon emissions from arterial roads including the Bruce Highway.
* Local jobs; the Moreton Bay Rail Link will create over 8,000 new jobs over the life of the project.
* Greater use of public transport; at present, more than half the region's working population leaves the region for work daily with (83%) commuting by private vehicle.
The $1.15 billion project is jointly funded by the Australian Government ($742 million), the Queensland Government ($300 million) and Moreton Bay Regional Council ($105 million).
The Queensland Government will also provide the rail corridor for the project, which had been preserved for three decades and is valued at $120 million.
Premier Anna Bligh said there has already been significant progress in planning and community consultation for the project.
"The time is right for this project to become a reality and the agreement we have signed today means that construction will begin in 2012," she said.
This is an unprecedented commitment from three levels of government to build the 12.6 kilometres of dual-track rail line from Petrie to Kippa-Ring, including six new rail stations at Kallangur; Murrumba Downs; Mango Hill; Mango Hill (east); Rothwell; and Kippa-Ring.
Mayor Allan Sutherland said the signing of the Intergovernmental Agreement and the release of computer animation signalled once and for all the Moreton Bay Rail Link was on track for delivery.
"After more than 100 years of promises nobody should now be in any doubt that real work has started on the Moreton Bay Rail Link. It will be built and that's the reality," Mayor Sutherland said.
"This is an investment that will benefit the entire Moreton Bay region by relieving pressure on the Bruce Highway and other arterial roads while also driving new investment.
"The Moreton Bay Rail Link is part of council's strategy for managing the growth of the region and it's not only a win for commuters, but also local businesses that rely on the road network for goods, services and importantly their livelihoods."
Construction of the Moreton Bay Rail Link is scheduled to be completed by 2016.
Community consultation is already underway and continues with the third community open day held tomorrow, Saturday December 4, 2010, at the Redcliffe Library, Oxley Avenue, Redcliffe.
Further community open days are also planned for February 2011.