Cameron Atfield reports in the Brisbane Times (4.3.16) about claims that Lord Mayor Graham Quirk’s proposed ‘metro’ public transport initiative would cost twice as much as suggested, after state government analysis.
‘Lord Mayor Graham Quirk could have underestimated the cost of his rubber-tyred Brisbane Metro system by nearly $1.5 billion, according to an internal state government document.
‘But Cr Quirk has insisted he can deliver his Brisbane Metro system for $1.54 billion, should he be re-elected on March 19, and has called on the government to apply similar scrutiny to Labor’s light rail proposal.
‘The memorandum to Department of Transport and Main Roads director-general Neil Scales, dated February 2 and obtained by Fairfax Media, raises serious concerns about how the project would affect the state government’s Cross River Rail.
‘Bureaucrats from the department’s transport strategy and planning branch also warned the cost of the project could blow out to as much as $3 billion.’