Complete» Inner-Northern Busway

[KJBrissy]

Official Website

On ten news tonight it said that the Inner-Northern Busway is 6 months ahead of schedule. It also said that the busway was design to cater for light rail in the future.

On a similar yet different note, Paul Lucas didn't rule out a busway to the Western Suburbs.

[Locke]

Got some caps off the news:

[SoulVision]

Great news! Im glad its designed to cater to light rail...

Thanks for those caps locke... I missed the news so that helps

[KJBrissy]

Underground network flourishes

THE drought may be threatening the livelihoods of thousands of workers and drying out Brisbane back yards, but it has helped put a major transport project ahead of schedule.

Transport Minister Paul Lucas yesterday announced the $333 million inner-northern busway would be finished on budget and at least six months early, in mid-2008.

But Albert St and Adelaide St businesses yesterday slammed State Government compensation payouts as woefully inadequate.

The 500m busway will link the Queen Street interchange with Roma Street train station, virtually taking buses off city streets altogether.

Mr Lucas said it is expected 2000 buses a day will use the tunnel to connect directly with 760 train services, at Roma St station.

He said the dry weather and innovative construction had put the project ahead of schedule.

Busway area manager Ken Bryan said the drought had also created challenges for engineers.

He said workers followed a strict water management plan, that involved collecting any rain on site, and re-using it for things such as dust suppression.

"In the last month, 25,000 litres of water has been collected and re-used," said Mr Bryan.

About 200m of the 500m busway has been completed, and work is progressing at a rate of about a metre a day.

Since work began in May 2006, 11 businesses have lodged claims for compensation from the Government.

Seven of those have so far been successful, receiving a combined total of $230,000.

Negotiations are continuing with the other four businesses.

Albert St jeweller Hardy Brothers pocketed approximately 16 per cent of what they claimed, which national sales manager John Mansfield described as incredibly inadequate.

"It would seem Queensland Transport does not fully understand the impact of the project on business," Mr Mansfield said.

Mr Lucas said in addition to compensation, his department had funded spruikers and advertising for the shops affected.

Lisa Gutierrez from women's fashion store Scaasi said Queensland Transport had been quite helpful, but the compensation payment would not cover one week's wages.

"It's an insult, an absolute joke," she said.

Miss Gutierrez said the boarding erected near the store was a hazard to shoppers, and it would be a miracle if Scaasi were still trading when the work was eventually finished.

[SoulVision]

What do they expect? the state government to give them millions of dollars? those people should just bite the bullet and put up with the "inadequate" amount they were given.

The tunnel on the other hand is coming along nicely! 200m of 500m already finished.