Re: [QLD] Brisbane Light Rail Scrapped

["James C" <noemail@emailsux.com>]

Colin Weaver <weaver@powerup.com.au> wrote in message
3969A8F4.DC7A8EEB@powerup.com.au">news:3969A8F4.DC7A8EEB@powerup.com.au...
> The Brisbane Light Rail project has been scrapped.  The channel 2, 7 and
> 9 news tonight all reported the abandonment of the project, due to cost
> blowout and concern about it increasing inner city congestion (!!).
Do'h!.....tram will HELP congestion...not the other way round......

> It
> looks like the scare campaign by the RACQ and Property Council of
> Australia hit home - as did the lack of support for the project from the
> Soorley administration (maybe Clem's been having a word in Lord Jim's
> ear?).
ALso QR itself....QR hate LRT also because the plan involved convert 2 of
the track between Indoorpilly and City.


Don't derail Brizzy!!!



Cheers
JAmes


> It was interesting that both the channel 2 and 7 news got it completely
> wrong, showing artwork and network maps from the earlier BrizTram
> project which went belly up two years ago.  Of the reports I saw, only
> channel 9 got the name of the project right, or used the correct artists
> impressions.
>
> It looks to me like light rail in Brisbane is dead in the water for the
> time being - the only light rail proposal in QLD which is still alive is
> the Gold Coast proposal which has firmed up considerably in recent
> months.
>
> It was also reported that Peter Beattie raised discussed the issue of
> the $65 million Centenary of Federation funding for the project with the
> PM during the recent trip to the UK - and that the funding should be
> diverted to another public transport project in Brisbane (Kippa-Ring? -
> the recent announcements about the choice of heavy rail fit with the
> timing of this announcement).
>
> I guess this is vindication for those of you who thought light rail
> would never get up in Brisbane.  Guess who won't be voting for this
> government come the next state election!
>
> --Colin