Halcrow to Carry Out Demand Forecast for Proposed New Rail Link in Queensland
11 November 2010
International transport and infrastructure consultancy Halcrow has won a contract from the Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR) in Queensland to carry out a complete demand forecast for the proposed Moreton Bay rail link north of Brisbane, Australia.
More than 350,000 people live in the Moreton Bay region, making it the third largest local government area in Australia. It is also one of the fastest growing areas in the country with the population projected to exceed 500,000 by the year 2031. Infrastructure in the region is heavily geared towards cars. Over half of the population leave the area every day for work and 87% use a private vehicle for their journey.
The aim of the Moreton Bay rail link is to improve public transport to the area significantly, encouraging commuters to switch from private cars to public transport. This will in turn reduce congestion for those who have no alternative but to use their cars. It will also have a positive impact on carbon emissions over the long term.
"This is a great win for the transport planning team," says Halcrow project manager Mac Hulbert, who is based in the company's office in Brisbane. "It's all due to the hard work done by Halcrow staff from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, building on our existing relationships in Queensland, and demonstrating their sheer expertise in this area."
Halcrow's work will form part of the financial and economic studies commissioned by DTMR. The preliminary report is due by the end of January, with work on the four-year construction project itself due to start in 2012.
