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Brisbane Metro
Bus rapid transit system in Brisbane, Australia From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Brisbane Metro is a high-frequency bus rapid transit system that services the city of Brisbane in Queensland, Australia. The system currently consists of two routes running through Brisbane CBD every five minutes during peak times, transporting up to 3,000 passengers per hour in each direction.[1] Metro Route M2 commenced service on 28 January 2025, whilst Metro Route M1 commenced service on 30 June 2025.[1][2][3][4]
The system is served by 60 electric, bi-articulated buses that can carry 150 passengers, or 170 passengers during events.[5] The system largely uses Brisbane's busway network infrastructure and stations, with a number of smaller infrastructure upgrades built as part of the project. These include a new short tunnel underneath Adelaide Street in the CBD, an upgrade to the Cultural Centre bus station, the removal of vehicle traffic from Victoria Bridge, and various streetscape upgrades.[6] The total cost of the project was $1.7 billion.[7] Together with Cross River Rail, the project is intended to boost public transport reliability in Brisbane and alleviate congestion.[8]
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History
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In January 2016, the Brisbane City Council (BCC) announced the Brisbane Metro to address the current constraints and challenges facing the city's current busway network, which had reached capacity at many inner city sections.[9] This proposal incorporated the conversion of the busway from Woolloongabba to Herston into a rubber-tyred Metro with a single track to provide power and enable driverless operations.
In March 2017, while keeping the same name, the project was redefined with the project shifting to operating high capacity bi-articulated buses on the existing busway, reducing the cost by one-third.[10] The new buses would operate two routes, with one replacing the existing route 66, and the other replacing routes 111 and 160.[2] In November 2017 the BCC released its business case, detailing the benefits, costs and impacts of delivering the project. In November 2017, the project was budgeted to cost $944 million.[11]
The BCC released a draft design report for the project in April 2018 with a project concept displayed publicly for community feedback, following the announcement that Brisbane Metro has been confirmed as a high priority project on Infrastructure Australia's priority list.[11][12] In April 2018, the federal government agreed to contribute $300 million.[13][14]
In June 2020, the project reduced the Cultural Centre upgrade from an underground station to an upgrade of the existing above ground station with an additional platform for local services heading towards West End.[15] This was due to a disagreement between the state government, who owns the busway, and the council over what the optimal configuration of the underground station would look like. This disagreement resulted in the state government delaying approval to modify their property.[15]
Subjects to approvals, the BCC expects the detailed design and construction of the project to commence in 2019 with services commencing by 2023.[11] This was later revised to 2024.[11] In October 2018 five consortia were shortlisted to bid for the building of stage 1.[16]
- Brisbane Move Consortium: Acciona and Arup
- Lendlease Consortium: Lendlease and WSP
- MetroConnect Consortium: Laing O’Rourke, AECOM and Aurecon
- Metro4Bne Consortium: CPB Contractors, Seymour Whyte, Vinci and SMEC
- TransForm Bne Consortium: McConnell Dowell, John Holland and GHD
ADCO Constructions began work on a 10-hectare (25-acre) depot at Rochedale in October 2021.[17]
On 23 January 2023, route 86 was introduced as a free bus loop, travelling anti-clockwise around South Brisbane and West End. Also known as the South Brisbane Loop and the Kurilipa Loop, this service was set to operate as a 12 month trial due to Brisbane Metro construction works in the area.[18][19] This would later be extended to an 18 month trial.[20]
By February 2023, the project's cost had increased to an expected $1.7 billion.[7][3] A contributing factor was the inclusion of a new $450 million bus station to be built at Woolloongabba, in line with the existing busway.[21] This plan has since been cancelled and the budget reduced to $1.4 billion.[22]
Also in February 2023, construction began on the 213-metre tunnel beneath Adelaide Street in the CBD, which will provide a connection between North Quay and the King George Square busway station.[7][23] The tunnel would connect the South East Busway with the Inner Northern Busway and reduce the number of buses running on city streets.[23] Construction was expected to take at least twelve months.[23]
In October 2024, it was announced that Melanie Zanetti, the voice of Chilli Heeler from popular TV show Bluey would provide the voiceover for the passenger announcement system on the Brisbane Metro.[24]
The Brisbane Metro vehicles began trial passenger service on the morning of 21 October 2024, operating on route 169 between Eight Mile Plains and the University of Queensland.[25] This trial ended on 18 November 2024, with regular buses returning to the 169.[26]
On 5 December 2024, it was announced that route M2 would begin full services on 28 January 2025.[1] Initially services would operate at a maximum of every 5 minutes during peak.[1] Frequency will be increased to every 3 minutes once the Adelaide Street tunnel opens in late 2025.[1]
Despite community support for the continuation of route 86, it was announced that the Brisbane City Council would not supply further funding for the trial service beyond January 2025,[27][28][29] and it was removed from operation on 28 January 2025,[30] coinciding with the introduction of route M2.
Routes 66 and 86 ran their final services on the night of 27 January 2025. Route M2 began operations on the morning of 28 January 2025.
Route 111 and 160 ran their final services on the night of 29 June 2025. Route M1 began operations on the morning of 30 June 2025, along with the introduction of Brisbane's New Bus Network.
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Routes
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Brisbane Metro consists of two routes covering 21 kilometres, linking Brisbane's outer suburbs with the CBD.[31] The network uses the existing busway infrastructure and was planned to provide high-frequency services with three minutes headways during peak times, however this was later scaled back to every 5 minutes.[2][32][33] Once all 60 buses are delivered and sufficient drivers are trained, three minute headways can be introduced if passenger demand is appropriate.[22]
The system has curtailed some regular bus routes, previously bound for the city via the busway. These bus routes now terminate at busway stations outside the city, allowing for transfers with the Brisbane Metro, reducing bus traffic in busy inner-city stations. Most routes terminating at Queen Street bus station remain, however.[22]
Metro 1
Metro 1 replaced routes 111 and 160. It provides a key corridor from the southern suburbs to Brisbane CBD and provides interchange to other Translink services, via the South East busway.
Stations
Below is a list of stations that Metro 1 services and its available transport connections.[34]
Metro 2
Metro 2 replaced route 66. It provides a key education, knowledge, and health corridor by connecting the University of Queensland with the Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital, including Princess Alexandra Hospital and the Queensland University of Technology's Kelvin Grove Campus, via the Eastern and Northern busways.
Stations
Below is a list of stations that Metro 2 services and its available transport connections.[34]
Metro 3
Metro 3 is a proposed route planned to begin works in late 2025 onwards. It would run from Capalaba to Brisbane CBD, replacing bus route 222.[35]
Stations
Below is a list of stations that Metro 3 may service and potential transport connections.[34]
Metro 4
Metro 4 is a proposed route planned to begin works in late 2025 onwards. It would run from Woolloongabba to Brisbane Airport, however no final routing has been decided.[36][37]
Stations
Below is a list of stations that Metro 4 may service and potential transport connections.[34]
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Vehicles
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The project introduced 60 bi-articulated buses based on the HESS lighTram 25[38] with the capacity to carry up to 150 passengers in comfort mode and capable of using the existing busway infrastructure alongside regular bus services.[11] In "event mode" the buses were announced as carrying up to 180 passengers, however this was subsequently revised to 170.[5] The Metro buses are 24.4 metres long[39] and visually resemble a tram or light rail vehicles. Buses can travel 90 km/h. The buses have lithium-titanium-oxide batteries.[40]
On 24 November 2019, the BCC announced a consortium of Hess, Volgren and ABB had been awarded a contract for 60 buses. The buses will be fully electric via pantographic overhead wireless charging that will charge at the end of each route for less than six minutes.[41] The buses will be fully low-floor and have next stop displays and audible announcement of the next stop. In addition, they have onboard WiFi, USB charging points,[42] automatic wheelchair ramp at first compartment, and three large double doors. A pilot bus was built and tested in Europe in 2021. Originally planned by 2020, the pilot bus arrived in Brisbane for testing in early 2022.[43] Following successful testing, an order for the further 59 was placed with delivers scheduled to start in late 2023 for operations in 2024.[44][45] The 60 vehicles cost $190 million, an increase of $100 million compared to more traditionally powered vehicles.[46]
Depot
A depot was built adjacent to the South East Busway at Rochedale.[16] The 10-hectare site hosts stabling and maintenance facilities for the fleet.[40] The design of the depot is based on sustainability.[47] There are 2,300 solar panels in use. Rainwater harvesting and recycled water systems for vehicle washing are both used. Sixty 50 kW slow chargers are used during off-peak times.[47]
During the 2024 Brisbane City Council Elections the LNP announced their intentions to build a Metro Bus depot and charging facility on the Bill Brown Sports Reserve at a cost of $125 million.[48][49]
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Extensions
There are proposed future extensions of the network to Capalaba, Carseldine, Springwood and Brisbane Airport (subject to approvals).[50][51]
In August 2024, Premier Steven Miles and Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner announced plans to extend the network to Capalaba, Carseldine, Springwood, and Brisbane Airport in time for the 2032 Summer Olympics. As part of that announcement, it was confirmed that a conversion of the Doomben line to Busway for a Metro to Brisbane Airport was one of the two shortlisted routes, the other being a more direct alignment via the Airportlink tunnel with a depot on the site of the former Toombul Shopping Centre.[52] The Northern Transitway as well as a new busway tunnel as part of a new Gympie Road bypass tunnel would be built north of Chermside and the existing Northern busway between RBWH and Kedron Brook bus stations would be used for a Metro extension on the northside of Brisbane.
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Name
The project being called a "metro" has been met with some criticism. Unlike a standard or rubber-tyred metro, the Brisbane metro is not on a rail track, and therefore, does not meet the International Association of Public Transport's definition of a “metro”.[53]
In 2022, the project's name was criticised by a rail lobby group for having a misleading name that implied it was a rail system, but Brisbane City Council rejected the idea of changing its name.[54] In late 2023, further complaints about the name were raised.[55] A poll by the Brisbane Times revealed 71% of respondents thought that Brisbane Electric Rapid Transit (BERT) was a better name.[56]
Robert Dowe of RAIL Back on Track said "They're very good buses, but that's what they are; they're not trains, they're not trams."[57] The Chair of Brisbane Transport Ryan Murphy has admitted the name had caused "some confusion".[58] The name Brisbane Metro may also cause conflict if Queensland ever builds a real metro service.[57]
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See also
- O-Bahn Busway, a guided busway in Adelaide, South Australia.
- Transport in Brisbane
References
External links
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