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Narrow and often congested Old Northern Road at Everton Park.Credit:Tony Moore

The project,funded as part of a $20 million agreement with the Federal Government,is set to be completed within months.

“The North Brisbane Moreton Bay Transport Sequencing Plan will cover Brisbane’s northern suburbs,north of Stafford and the Moreton Bay council area,excluding Bribie Island,” a Department of Transport and Main Roads spokesman confirmed.

“The ongoing study will assess future travel demand,the role of key transport corridors,and identify potential new connections and networks requiring upgrade.

“The Sequencing Plan will consider all land-based transport modes including rail.”

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner has called on Transport Minister Mark Bailey to declare his intentions for the North West Transport Corridor.Credit:Tony Moore

Other aspects of the project have already helped guide decisions relating to thewestern alternative to the Bruce Highway,which will support the massive Caboolture West development.

But the timing of the project also sheds new light on the bitter stoush between Transport Minister Mark Bailey and Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner over Brisbane City Council’sproposed road or rail tunnel under the North West Transport Corridor.

Infrastructure Australia last weekrejected the council proposal,reportedly because the underlying study did not adequately consider and rule out the option of a road on the corridor.

The Queensland government – which had already commenced its own work in the area – had wanted to take the lead on the project but in the end refused to be involved.

In theheated political debate that followed the decision,Schrinner claimed the government had “its own secret rail plan” for the corridor and should be upfront about its intentions.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey has engaged in a heated political debate with Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner.Credit:Dan Peled

Bailey accused Schrinner of “meddling in a corridor it does not own for political reasons”.

It has since emerged Bailey wrote to Schrinner in 2020 to inform him that his department would undertake “broader” study as part of its project.

“This study will focus on multimodal transport solutions,including rail,to set a clear strategic direction for the future transport system to support community and economic outcomes,” Bailey wrote.

In March,Bailey said the government had no plan to demolish homes along the corridor for a surface rail line but did not answer questions about what it intended to do.

“I don’t have a clear view of what should go there,or when,” the minister said.

“How anything would be done at on the North West Transport Corridor is a complex issue given the level of urban development since the corridor was first put away as a transport corridor.”

The council also highlighted the restrictions,arguing an underground North West Motorway could carry 109,900 vehicles a day if free,or 61,100 vehicles if tolled,by 2031.

But the tunnel would also cost between $9.5 billion and $14.1 billion – well beyond the council’s budget and therefore needing the support of other levels of government.

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