If you ask the average Australian commuter which infrastructure developments are the most important, chances are they’ll answer with those that support transport throughout busy city centres. For example, Brisbane is home to more than 2 million people, a figure which can see significant stress placed on city streets, highways, bus lanes and train lines across the city.
Investing in these developments not only creates apprenticeship opportunities across a number of different trades, it also improves the lives all the people who will use the various upgrades once work is complete. The latest project to join this group is the Cross River Rail, a piece of infrastructure that’s considered a priority for the current Queensland government.
The development will be a major one, and demands the creation of new rail lines, tunnels under the river and inner-city stations. It also may pioneer the use of a revised system of rail signals to add further safety and efficiency to the city’s rail network.
Cross River Rail receives government support
At this stage, the Cross River Rail project is still in the investigation phase, with the expectation that the government will have a completed business case by the middle of this year.
The recent announcement of widespread government support for the initiative is important not just because it means the development is on track, but because it means conversations around funding can begin.
Acting Premier Jackie Trad explained that these latest commitments are a positive sign for the future of what could be one of the state’s largest infrastructure projects.
“I welcome the support of the need for Cross River Rail given today by Federal Minister for Major Projects Paul Fletcher and the Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and hope that this will translate into funding commitments down the track when the business case is finalised and the model for the authority announced,” she said.
Stirling Hinchliffe, Queensland Minister for Transport, reaffirmed the idea that widespread government collaboration is essential for getting projects of this scale underway.
“The delivery authority model announced today will mean all levels of Government can partner together with private investment to truly reshape Brisbane and share in the value of that redevelopment,” he explained.
Once the project is finalised and has a concrete start date, it’s likely to be an ongoing source of apprenticeships in Brisbane for a significant amount of time.
By Leanne Macnamara, Public Relations Coordinator
