In February 2019, the Council of Mayors (SEQ) released the SEQ People Mass Movement Study. The Studyexplored the impact that population growth will have on the region’s future transport demand, ultimately outlining a prioritised list of projects needed in South East Queensland to adequately meet this growing demand.
The key finding of the SEQ People Mass Movement Study was that a “business as usual” approach to transport would not keep pace with the anticipated transport demand in South East Queensland.
The Study also revealed a number of other significant findings, including:
- South East Queensland is heavily dependent on private vehicle use, now and in the future. Without access to efficient and reliable public transport options, many residents and visitors have no choice but to use the car as their primary mode of transport.
- Transport modelling showed that even if every committed and planned project in the South East Queensland is delivered, the majority of the region’s major road corridors will be over capacity by 2031. By 2041 (if not earlier), the region will be in gridlock.
- A comprehensive road map of 47 priority projects aimed at avoiding traffic gridlock and addressing the region’s transport and congestion challenges, including the introduction of a South East Queensland Fast Rail Network.
- As the population continues to grow, this plan is an important step towards protecting the quality of life enjoyed in South East Queensland as well as ensuring the safe and efficient movement of residents, tourists and freight throughout the region.
The SEQ People Mass Movement Study brought together all Local and State government transport plans into one complete regional strategy – the first time that a consolidated view of transport had been undertaken in South East Queensland.
The Study found that most councils’ transport plans sought to maximise the social and economic benefits of increased regional connectivity within South East Queensland, with obvious alignments in transport visions and aspirations. This led to the formation of a long-term Shared Transport Vision for the region.

At the heart of this regional vision was the objective of transforming regional connectivity in South East Queensland to support a 45-minute region and 30-minute cities.
This would enable residents to access a range of essential services and daily needs within 30 minutes, and have easy access to high quality jobs, key economic clusters and major lifestyle opportunities within 45 minutes.
In its simplest form, the vision would ensure all urban trips could be achieved with 30 minutes and all city-to-city trips within 45 minutes, even in peak times.
The 45-minute region
There are many reasons why people travel – employment, business, healthcare and wellbeing, education, shopping, exercise and recreation, tourism, visiting family and friends, and for many more purposes.
For commuter trips, research indicates that once commute times are longer than 45 minutes, the perceived costs of a commute rise steeply and these commutes are perceived as lessening wellbeing.
Whatever the reason for making a trip, to secure South East Queensland’s productivity and liveability, it is vital that residents and visitors have reliable access to key activity centres and precincts within a reasonable travel time.
How people travel – by car, public transport, walking or cycling – is a key determinant of journey time. South East Queensland is currently heavily dependent on private vehicle travel, however, this is not sustainable longer term due to several factors:
- Road network congestion and poor travel time reliability: The level of traffic congestion is anticipated to increase markedly across the region in-line with population growth. Travel time variability currently experienced along major northern, eastern, southern and western corridors across South East Queensland is worsening. For instance, there is a 45 minute variation between the minimum and maximum anticipated travel times experienced in the morning weekday peak between Nambour and Brisbane along the Bruce Highway. This is unacceptable, and will worsen further with population growth.
- Reliance on road infrastructure upgrades: Investment in road infrastructure has an important role to play in catering for the anticipated growth in the region’s transport demands. However, spending money on new roads encourages more people to drive due to the improved capacity, can worsen congestion, brings forward further costly road investments and inadvertently de-values more sustainable public transport modes. An over-investment in road infrastructure upgrades may also result in reduced liveability due to high volumes of traffic and in some cases, also worsen urban sprawl. Australian infrastructure data indicates that four dollars are spent on roads for every dollar spent on rail (outlined below), highlighting our reliance on road infrastructure upgrades, and unintentionally eroding the benefits of high quality public mass transit.
2015-16 Value of engineering construction work by the private sector ($ billion)
Roads and Bridges | Rail | |
By the private sector for the public sector | 7.48 | 2.32 |
By the private sector for the private sector | 4.6 | 1.07 |
By the public sector for the public sector | 3.93 | 0.24 |
Total | 16.01 (82%) | 3.63 (18%) |
Source: Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development 2016
Road infrastructure is important for freight transport, commercial and trade trip purposes as well as emergency vehicle access, however enhancements to the existing road network should be undertaken as part of an integrated approach – improving alternative modes such as public and active transport, as well as encouraging changes in travel behaviour for urban passengers, thereby improving the overall efficiency of the transport network.
The high environmental cost of car dependency and associated negative impacts.
The current reliance on private vehicle travel is no longer providing businesses, residents and visitors with reliable accessibility or regional connectivity. This situation will worsen with anticipated population growth in South East Queensland, especially with growth in the regions and not within the cities themselves, e.g. as infill.
There is a lack of attractive alternatives to private vehicle use within South East Queensland, especially for regional trips that tend to be longer (trips that cannot be typically undertaken by walking or cycling, often more than 10km in length).
For instance, the journey time exhibited by the existing CityTrain service between Sunshine Coast and Brisbane is an average speed of less than 60km/h, which is not attractive for a regional express travel time and takes longer than motor vehicle travel outside peak times.
Existing Travel Experience using Public Transport in SEQ (Sunshine Coast – Brisbane)
Service | Number of stops | Stops serviced | Timetabled travel time |
Gympie North | 22 | Roma Street, Central, Fortitude Valley, Bowen Hills, Eagle Junction, Northgate, Petrie, Dakabin, Narangba, Burpengary, Morayfield, Caboolture, Elimbah, Beerburrum, Glass House Mtns, Beerwah, Landsborough, Moolooolah, Eudlo, Palmwoods, Woombye, Nambour | 1 hr 53 mins |
Gympie North (Express) | 18 | Roma Street, Central, Fortitude Valley, Bowen Hills, Northgate, Petrie, Caboolture, Elimbah, Beerburrum, Glass House Mtns, Beerwah, Landsborough, Moolooolah, Eudlo, Palmwoods, Woombye, Nambour | 1 hr 48 mins |
Source: Services as per TransLink’s 29th July 2019 timetable
There is a need for efficient and reliable regional public transport with travel times (or travel speeds) that are competitive with car travel – minimising our environmental footprint and maximising community amenity.
Rationale for Fast Rail
The shared transport vision for South East Queensland of 45-minute regional connectivity necessitates a public transport mass transit solution that is beyond what is currently available within the region. This is where Fast Rail as a “new mode” can support South East Queensland’s growth.
The strategic benefits of a Fast Rail network are:
- Regional economic growth,
- Faster and more accessible rail,
- Greater passenger mode choice – particularly for regional trips,
- Improved safety and transport system reliance,
- Improved social connectedness with increased access to health, lifestyle and cultural destinations,
- Increased liveability and amenity – both immediately and for future generations.
By enabling access via a direct and reliable public transport network, Fast Rail has the potential to attract additional tourism visitation in South East Queensland and travel by local residents who may have otherwise opted to travel via private vehicle.
A South East Queensland Fast Rail Network will transform the way people move throughout the region. A fast and reliable connection between Brisbane to Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Ipswich and Toowoomba will significantly transform the region’s accessibility and transport behaviour.
Transport accessibility is a key aspect of the visitor or resident experience, and ultimately a key driver of economic and employment activity for South East Queensland. Visitors and residents require access to safe, reliable and affordable transport links to reach destinations and regional areas, as well as a range of transport options to access essential services and activity precincts.
Currently, travellers and residents wishing to access destinations across South East Queensland are limited to private vehicle travel or lengthy travel times with multiple interchanges. Fast Rail has the potential to transform this by offering a viable alternative. Fast Rail services, if carefully planned and connected with quality interchanges to suburban rail and bus networks, will enable more residents and visitors to shift from private vehicle travel to public transport.
There are broader strategic and transport network implications of Fast Rail. Investment in the public transport network can provide intergenerational and longer-term benefits to the overall transport network and support the achievement of integrated land use and transport planning objectives, while managing demand on the road network.