Residents of new outer-city developments make plea for better public transport in south-east Queensland

Hundreds of thousands of new homes are currently being built in priority development areas across south-east Queensland, but residents say there is one crucial thing missing in these outer suburbs: adequate public transport.

Disability pensioner Maria Feige lives on the outskirts of Logan at Flagstone, soon to be home to 50,000 new dwellings and 138,000 people.

Despite the rapid growth, her world feels small. 

“Currently I can be at home for three weeks at a time without being able to get out because I can’t walk to public transport,” she said.

“You’re isolated out here, you’re cut off.

Flagstone is in a priority development area; a state government designation meant to encourage new builds and cut red tape. 

Developers have put in a bus stop within walking distance of her home, but the suburb’s only bus service does not extend there yet.

“I don’t understand why the developers can put in infrastructure, but Translink won’t come to the party and extend the bus service to provide for everyone out in these areas,” she said.

Margaret Carswell, who lives nearby, recently had to stop driving due to an eye condition.

“I just like to feel independent, look after myself, and do things my way,” she said.

The retiree spends most of her time at home researching her family history because of how difficult it has become to move around.

“It doesn’t take care of their needs.”

Flagstone’s one bus only goes to Browns Plains, still 30 kilometres from Brisbane’s CBD.

To get to Brisbane, a train station, or a major shopping centre like the one a half-hour drive away at Springfield, requires at least one bus transfer.

To get to Jimboomba — a nine-minute drive from Flagstone — takes two hours and two buses.

Margaret’s doctor’s surgery is at Jimboomba. 

“It’s not practical to take the bus for two hours … and that’s if everything lines up properly, if the bus is not running late or cancelled,” she said.

Two hours, four buses

Travelling between these new-growth suburbs is also convoluted. 

To get from Flagstone to Yarrabilba — another priority development area in Logan — is about a 20-minute drive, or a two-hour commute on four different buses.

Logan Mayor Jon Raven said public transport services, which are run by the state government outside of Brisbane, were not keeping up with growth.

“These [priority development areas] are meant to have 60 per cent employment containment,” he said.

“But they just don’t. They’re more around the 5 per cent mark.

“So that means 95 per cent of residents who work in the PDAs [Priority Development Areas] have to leave every day for work.”

Taxiing between neighbours

Residents are spending on upwards of $90 on a single taxi to go between nearby suburbs, according to Cr Raven. 

“These are the challenges that people are facing,” he said.

“And it all comes about because of out-of-sequence development.”

The Department of Transport and Main Roads, which operates Translink, said bus networks were regularly reviewed, and routes around Flagstone, Yarrabilba and Jimboomba had been improved. 

A $70 million state government program is due to expand networks in fast growth areas around Ipswich, including Ripley and Deebing Heights next, a spokesperson said. 

“Requests for new or additional services are carefully assessed against local transport needs, network performance and broader priorities across the state.”

In the Ripley priority development area — where 49,000 new homes are being built — residents have no choice but to drive, Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding said. 

“When you’re looking at the new residents here, if they come in and there’s no public transport, then all of a sudden the family has to be a two-car family as opposed to a one-car or a zero-car,” she said.

“So, there’s a big environmental impact. It also means there’s more cars on the road, so you have to spend more money on roads when you could be spending it on public transport.”

She wants to see a train line between Ipswich and the nearby satellite city of Springfield to ease congestion. Both hubs have direct lines to Brisbane. 

The proposed train line would also add stations in growing areas like Ripley and White Rock.

“Seventy per cent of our growth is going to happen on that train line,” she said. 

“So, that means that population needs to be able to move around. They need to get around to work, they need to get around to play, they need to get around to study.”

The council, along with the state and federal governments, is confirming the scope and timeline for a business case for the project, but nothing is locked in. 

“We need shovels in the ground,” Cr Harding said.

Back in Flagstone, Maria Feige just wants to see all levels of government come together for a solution.

“We all just need to speak up and make a stand for what we need,” she said.