Brisbane City Council will be supported as part of the Morrison Government’s $1.8 billion boost for road and community projects to local governments across Australia.

The investment will support local jobs and businesses and boost local economies struggling under the effects of COVID-19.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said the package included the establishment of a new $500 million Local Road and Community Infrastructure Program and brought forward $1.3 billion of the 2020-21 Financial Assistance Grant payment.

Under the Financial Assistance Grant program Brisbane City Council, the local government body in Bonner, will receive $11,710,003.

Mr Vasta said accelerating local infrastructure projects was important for supporting jobs and the local economy in Bonner.

“Every single job we support now makes a huge difference to our local community as we navigate out of the coronavirus pandemic,” Mr Vasta said.

“Not only will this package support local jobs and industries in construction and surveyancing, it will also improve our local roads and deliver much needed community projects.

“I will be working closely with Brisbane City Council to make sure projects get underway to support jobs and businesses as soon as possible.”

The new program is based on the successful Roads to Recovery program and will enable local councils to deliver priority projects with a focus on upgrades and maintenance to local roads and community infrastructure.

As well as delivering new bridges, roads, street lighting and rest areas, a broad range of community infrastructure projects will be eligible including new or upgraded bicycle and walking paths, community facilities, picnic shelters and barbeque facilities at parks.

For more information visit https://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/lrci

The dangerous London and Stanbrough roads intersection in Belmont will get a much needed safety upgrade thanks to the Morrison Government’s Black Spot Program.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said he had delivered $905,000 to upgrade the black spot intersection to help commuters in his electorate get home safer and sooner.

“We’ve seen some nasty accidents at the London and Stanbrough roads intersection in the past,” Mr Vasta said.

“I’ve been working with Cr Murphy to ensure we can deliver this project with Brisbane City Council’s support to provide road users with a safe intersection, which can get quite busy around the peak hour commute.”

Mr Vasta said the Morrison Government’s Black Spot Program would reduce accidents and injuries by an estimated 30 percent across Queensland.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said Queensland would receive $25.3 million over two years under the latest round of program funding.

“The Federal Government’s record investment into upgrading roads is saving lives right across the nation,” Mr McCormack said.

Brisbane City Councillor Ryan Murphy (Chandler Ward) said the intersection was well known to motorists for its difficult navigation.

“This intersection is notorious, we’ve had fatalities here in the past,” Cr Murphy said.

“The Black Spot funding Brisbane City Council will be receiving will go a long way to make this intersection safe for motorist.”

The Black Spot Program upgrade for the London and Stanbrough road intersection includes:

• Installation of splitter islands
• Re-surfacing, kerbing and channelling
• Re-grading
• Upgrade to traffic signs and line markings
• Installation of pedestrian refuges

Construction is ramping up on the state-of-the-art Brisbane Metro depot to house the fleet of fully-electric vehicles.

It is a major milestone for the $944 million Metro project with 165 direct jobs expected to be created during the construction phase.

Brisbane Metro will provide services every three minutes in peak periods, reducing travel times by up to half, busting congestion and improving the greater Brisbane public transport network.

Federal Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure Alan Tudge MP said works on the Rochedale site would include the removal and relocation of a number of buildings.

“Construction is underway and this work will continue throughout 2020,” Mr Tudge said.

“The Metro project will revolutionise the way Brisbane commuters travel by doing away with the need for timetables.”

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said a tender was announced for a fleet of fully-electric Metro vehicles and they were finalising the depot design to include charging infrastructure for these vehicles.

“The depot will be the base for an initial fleet of 60 new electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, maintenance and staff facilities,” Cr Shrinner said.

“There is also capacity for future growth at the School Road location at Rochedale as the Brisbane Metro system expands.

“This major infrastructure development is expected to start next year and take two years to build in time for the delivery of the full Metro vehicle fleet.”

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said Brisbane commuters were excited to see the Brisbane Metro up and running soon.

“Brisbane Metro will have four stops in my electorate of Bonner and I have no doubt once completed we will see thousands of commuters embracing this new public transport infrastructure,” Mr Vasta said.

“This project is expected to provide significant benefits right across the Brisbane CBD and Brisbane’s southern suburbs.”

Intersection upgrades at the corner of Peel and Merivale Street and Peel Street and Cordelia Street, in South Brisbane and Skew Street and Upper Roma Street in the CBD have already been completed as part of the Brisbane Metro project.

Council is finalising the procurement process for the design and construction of the Brisbane Metro depot. The Request for Tender is expected to be released in mid-2020 and awarded by mid to late 2020.

The preferred tenderer involving Brisbane-based suppliers Volgren and world-leading electric-vehicle producer HESS to deliver 60 vehicles for the Brisbane Metro, was announced in November.

The initial Metro pilot vehicle will arrive this year and be housed at Volgren’s Eagle Farm workshop to allow for trials and testing in local operating conditions.

The project will drive jobs and economic growth, with an extra 40 jobs created in Brisbane for fit-out and maintenance of the Metro vehicles when they are delivered.

Flash charging technology at each end of the route will recharge the vehicles in just six minutes, meaning passengers will get home safer and quicker in a Metro vehicle with no tailpipe emissions.

Council is delivering the $944 million fully-funded Brisbane Metro in partnership with the Australian Government which has committed $300 million to the project.

Preliminary works for Brisbane Metro will commence around the Cultural Centre in early 2020.

Stage 1 of Brisbane Metro will provide a 21-kilometre service connecting 18 stations along dedicated busways between Eight Mile Plains and Roma Street, and Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital and University of Queensland.

Stage 2 may see services expanded to Carindale in Brisbane’s south east and to Chermside and Brisbane Airport in Brisbane’s north.

Local road maintenance in the Bonner electorate will receive a boost thanks to funding under the Australian Government’s Roads to Recovery Program.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said the program would help deliver a much-needed upgrade to Player Street in Upper Mount Gravatt.

“This project will extend Player Street to provide a connection with Kessels Road, with the Morrison Government committing $3.8 million to the project,” Mr Vasta said.

“Work will involve constructing the new road link from the existing intersection of Kessels Road and MacGregor Street through to Player Street.

“The work will also include removing the existing traffic signals at the Kessels Road and Cremin Street intersection, and providing left-in only access to Cremin Street.”

Mr Vasta said in total the Australian Government would deliver over $139.6 million to 310 local government authorities nationwide for safer and better-maintained roads.

“The Roads to Recovery funding will allow councils across the area to progress a number of high-priority projects, using local knowledge to deliver the best local roads,” Mr Vasta said.

MacGregor Ward Councillor Steven Huang said this jointly funded Australian Government and Brisbane City Council project would improve local roads and reduce congestion for residents.

“It’s great to see a joint approach to this road project which will improve safety, reduce queue lengths and delays and provide better access to and from the residential catchment north of Kessels Road,” Cr Huang said.

“Every day Council works with local residents and other levels of government to deliver the infrastructure our growing city needs, and the Player Street upgrade is a great example of this.”

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack MP said the Australian Government had committed an additional $100 million per year to the Roads to Recovery Program from 2019–20, as part of the Local and State Government Road Safety Package announced in the 2019–20 Budget.

“From 2013–14 to 2023–24, the Government will provide $6.2 billion under the Roads to Recovery Program, with an ongoing commitment of $500 million each year following,” Mr McCormack said.

Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister Andrew Gee MP said the Australian Government was committed to getting Australians home sooner and safer, no matter where they lived.

“Our Roads to Recovery investments will deliver safer roads in local government areas throughout the country,” Mr Gee said.

The Australian Government supports local governments to provide vital infrastructure and services through Financial Assistance Grants, and the Bridges Renewal, Black Spot, Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity and Roads to Recovery programs.

More information on these programs is available at www.infrastructure.gov.au.