Translink commissioned VLC and PSA to develop a bus Network Development Plan for Northern Brisbane, including service and infrastructure, for the five and ten-year horizons.

Client requirements

Changes in development patterns including growth and intensification, investment in infrastructure such as the Northern Transitway, and the sudden closure of the Toombul Shopping Centre have a profound impact on current and future travel patterns across Northern Brisbane, requiring a review of the bus network to ensure the area’s public transport continues to meet the needs of residents and visitors to the area. With an extensive internal and external stakeholder engagement component, Translink sought to develop a new bus network to respond to these changes in development and travel patterns and support customer needs and patronage growth. A core element of the project was co-design of a new bus network with multiple teams at TMR and Transport for Brisbane for the five and ten-year horizons, as well as infrastructure investment to support the service offering at each horizon.

The closure of Toombul Shopping Centre has created challenges for North Brisbane’s bus network.

Outcomes

The project team worked closely with Translink and Transport for Brisbane to develop a new bus network, with extensive stakeholder engagement facilitating buy-in from diverse stakeholders with often differing needs and priorities. While the initial scope was to develop two different network options in order to reflect the diversity of stakeholder needs, the process of revising the networks resulted in the different options converging into one proposed network that was broadly supported by stakeholders, reflecting a unified vision of the future network for Northern Brisbane.

Key elements of the network included a vast expansion of the frequent network from just four routes today to more than 20 at the ten-year horizon, simplification of the network through removal of duplication, improved directness of routes and connectivity with major activity centres across the region.

Innovation achieved

The co-design methodology brought key stakeholders into the room throughout the design process, which allowed for the incorporation of different ideas from numerous sources, facilitated productive discussion regarding network priorities and messaging, and resulted in a proposed network solution with broad stakeholder buy-in and support, which will hopefully increase the likelihood of a successful public consultation process and ultimately delivery of an improved bus network for Northern Brisbane.