Queensland residents draws to the attention of the House that in 2017 the South East Queensland Council of Mayors identified the Top Ten Most Critical Infrastructure Projects in South East Queensland. The Eastern Busway to Capalaba (a dedicated corridor that separates buses from general traffic) was designated #5 in this list. However in November 2017 (immediately prior to the last State Election) the Palaszczuk Government promised the electorate they would deliver the Eastern Transitway, which is a 5-intersection, watered-down version of the full Eastern Busway. As yet, the promise to deliver the lesser Eastern Transitway has not been honoured. The residents of the Redlands continue to suffer gridlocked traffic conditions on a daily basis. Since 2008, when Anna Bligh announced the Busway designer, population growth in the Redlands alone has increased by more than 15% (over 20,000 people). Some 12 years later, the Eastern Busway project remains stalled at Coorparoo.

Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to acknowledge the immense difficulties faced by residents of Redlands coast and the eastern suburbs of Brisbane as a result of the failure to deliver either the Eastern Transitway or the Eastern Busway. As the community deserves fast, frequent and reliable public transport, we furthermore request the House identify this Eastern Transitway project as being overdue, and to prioritise it’s delivery in order to ease congestion for residents of Redlands coast and the eastern suburbs of Brisbane.