Bicycle Queensland calls for active transport corridor to be fully reinstated in Logan – Gold Coast Faster Rail Project

Bicycle Queensland and the Logan Bicycle Users Group are calling for an urgent reinstatement of the important active transport corridor promised as part of the Logan – Gold Coast Faster Rail Project. The project team, involving the Qld Dept of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) and the ActivUs Consortium, have removed the promised continuous active transport corridor. It is now a series of disjointed cycle links with key missing gaps. This is despite the necessary land already being purchased for the active transport corridor.

Removing two modest sections is a significant change to the mission of the overall project. The promises made by TMR and included in the reference design were abundantly clear, as previously stated on the project website:

“Key Features: Active transport improvements that will be delivered through the project will include: [a] continuous active transport corridor from Kuraby to Beenleigh train stations. …”

The corridor was going to create a low-risk cycle route all the way from Kuraby to Beenleigh. Logan City Council and the bike community are relying on the new active transport corridor to form a key plank of the much-needed Logan bikeway network. Scenic Rim Regional Council are relying on it to connect to the proposed Beenleigh to Beaudesert Rail Trail. TMR themselves were relying on this corridor as part of their proposed Brisbane to Gold Coast cycle tourism route. Future rail passengers are relying on it to get to the stations. Children are relying on it to get to schools along the corridor, especially the large Loganlea State High School, which services suburbs like Kingston and sits right on corridor.

We are thankful that the proposed green bridge over the Logan River was retained. But two sections have been cut out entirely.

The most egregious section removed is south of Woodridge Station. Here riders will be expected to leave the rail corridor and ride along the high-speed and high-risk Jacaranda Avenue, and then via a rough road and path around Gould Adams Park. Good luck getting to school safely kids!

The other section removed is south of Kuraby Station to Compton Road. It doesn’t seem the Department has any idea how cyclists would now get through this section.

Bicycle Queensland CEO Prof Matthew Burke said: “We know that the removal of these sections in not due to land resumption requirements. The Department has already purchased the land necessary for the active transport corridor. That’s not the problem.”

Prof Burke also said: “Bicycle Queensland’s decades-long history of engaging with the Queensland and Commonwealth Government’s on big urban transport projects shows that if we don’t build it now, it basically won’t happen.”

This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a great asset for the Logan community that will deliver on so many fronts: congestion reduction, health and wellbeing, community connectedness, the environment, the visitor economy, and more.

Bicycle Queensland will be engaging with the Minister, with relevant councillors, and with state and federal members in the coming days. We thank the project team members that briefed us for their professionalism. We especially thank the Logan Bicycle User Group, and especially Rob van Manen, who have been working hard to try and see this critical active transport corridor realised.