The Queensland Government says construction is on track on the $550.8 million Beerburrum to Nambour rail project (B2N) Stage 1, with new photos showing early works under way. Stage 1 focuses on the section of line between Beerburrum and Beerwah stations which will be duplicated from one track to two and straightened.
This stage also includes upgrading stations, building new park ‘n’ ride carparks and constructing overpasses at Barrs Road and Burgess Street
The suite of improvements is designed to reduce congestion along the busy North Coast Line used by freight and passenger trains, and make trips quicker by around three minutes.
A new aerial photograph (above) shows progress on one aspect of early works to realign a 1km section of the main thoroughfare of Steve Irwin Way.
Sunshine Coast commuter advocate Jeff Addison said the project was well behind because it was meant to be up-and-running in 2022. “It truly has to be one of the slowest rail projects in Queensland, and it stops around 4km short of Landsborough,” he said.
“It needs to go to Landsborough at the bare minimum. All the reports I have read over the past decade have said that.
“Even Queensland Rail acknowledge that it needs to get to Landsborough.”
The project was announced in 2018 and since then “not one sleeper has been laid for the heavy rail, not one,” he said.
Because of the delays, Mr Addison said freight was being forced into trucks and on to the roads.
“I welcome any moves to get this project moving – and completed, but it still falls well short of what is required,” he said.
“It has been static for heavy rail for over four years now.
Mr Hunt said the broader Beerburrum to Nambour (B2N) project would support more than 330 jobs throughout the life of the project.
However Federal Member for Fisher Andrew Wallace said the State Government was “rehashing” old announcements to galvanise its image after “years of neglecting the Sunshine Coast”.
Member for Nicklin Rob Skelton was pleased to see works already under way on Stage 1 of the upgrade.
“Stage 1 will see the duplication of the rail line between Beerburrum and Beerwah, and deliver better trackside infrastructure along the way,” he said.
“We’re on track to get Queenslanders home safer and sooner.”
Read more here: https://www.sunshinecoastnews.com.au/2022/07/06/beerburrum-to-beerwah-railway-upgrade/
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