6 days ago
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Does Brisbane need more T2 lanes to relieve congestion, or are 50¢ fares doing the heavy lifting?
Queensland’s transport minister has responded to more than 600 people asking for more multi-person vehicle lanes – either permanently, or in peak hour – but offered no firm commitment on pursuing their proposal.
The petition, started by frequent petitioner Tony Magrathea, says many major roads in Queensland’s cities are “severely clogged” during the morning and afternoon peaks.
T2 transit lane on Kelvin Grove Road at Herston.Credit: Google Street View
“Billions of dollars [are] being projected for spending to try and relieve the congestion,” the petition reads. “A simple fix is available, make one of the lanes a multi-person vehicle lane only.”
People are allowed to travel in a T2 lane if their vehicle is carrying two or more people, and a T3 lane if they are transporting three or more people, or if they are using a bicycle, bus, motorbike or taxi.
Several major roads in Brisbane have transit lanes, including Kelvin Grove Road at Herston during weekday peak times. Mains Road at Upper Mount Gravatt has a 24-hour T3 lane, but people regularly complain motorists flout the rules and use them despite carrying no passengers.
The most recent open data shows 710 people were fined for illegally driving in a transit lane in Brisbane in 2021-22. And research for the Queensland Main Roads Department in 2009 showed up to 89 per cent of vehicles travelling in some transit lanes were ignoring the rules.
Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg told petitioners that transit lanes could encourage carpooling and improve traffic efficiency but network impacts, enforcement and equity needed to be considered.
“The Department of Transport and Main Roads will continue to examine a range of congestion management strategies, including high-occupancy vehicles lanes, as part of ongoing planning and policy development,” he said.
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Mickelberg said the state government was committed to planning for the state’s future by building the roads and infrastructure needed for a growing population so Queenslanders could spend more time at home and with their families, and less time commuting.
He said since 50¢ fares were made permanent, in February, and the end of August, 114.7 million trips had been taken across south-east Queensland on public transport.
“Each trip that Queenslanders are incentivised to take as a result of permanent 50¢ fares helps to reduce the pressure on our roads,” Mickelberg said.
However, this masthead revealed that while public transport usage jumped in the quarter when 50¢ fares were introduced, passenger numbers had still not cracked pre-COVID levels after one year.
Mickelberg also said the state was expanding the Smart Motorways system, including electronic variable speed limit signs, lane control systems, ramp metering and incident detection.
A report last year found Brisbane was the most congested city in Australia – and 12th in the world – with drivers losing an average of 74 hours to traffic delays a year.
T2 lanes were removed from the Pacific Motorway between Klumpp Road at Mount Gravatt and Eight Mile Plains, and on Coronation Drive in 2013.
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