Commuters Frustrated by Extended Bus Replacement Delays in Brisbane
Commuters in Brisbane have expressed their frustration after facing long waits for bus replacement services at several train stations. The disruptions are a result of ongoing track closures across the city’s rail network, which have been in place since April 10. These closures are due to a combination of major track works and industrial disputes.
This morning, buses were used as replacements between Northgate and Bowen Hills, as well as between Boggo Road and the Gold Coast’s Varsity Lakes. However, many commuters found themselves waiting for extended periods, with no clear communication about the situation.
Joanne McCarthy shared her experience of a commute from Caboolture to Roma Street, which typically takes one hour but stretched to two-and-a-half hours this morning. She explained that passengers were asked to get off the train at Geebung and join a line of hundreds on the rail bridge before 7am. “There were no buses there waiting for us,” she said. She had to wait 45 minutes in the heat before boarding a bus. “We had no communication whatsoever about what was happening.”
Another commuter mentioned waiting 40 minutes at Eagle Junction station, where long queues formed behind them. They described how two buses to Helensvale stopped, with only a few people boarding while hundreds continued to wait. “It took me 90 minutes to get to work instead of the usual 35,” they said.
At Geebung station, there were not enough replacement buses heading to the city. “Geebung had at least 100 people waiting for the bus to the CBD,” one commuter noted.
Imogen Buckley, founder of the South East Queensland Transport Association, highlighted that while similar track closures have occurred in previous years, the current situation has been worsened by the fuel crisis. “The fact that there are commuters waiting on the platform for a line that stretches outside of the station is embarrassing; it makes public transport look terrible,” she said. She called for more frequent rail buses and emphasized the need for better infrastructure to reduce future track closures.
A spokesperson for Transport and Main Roads (TMR) stated that the department continuously monitors service levels and is exploring options to provide more services where demand is high. They added that TMR works closely with delivery partners to maximize rail replacement capacity, including sourcing hundreds of drivers from interstate.
Track Closures Continue
The government had previously announced that track closures from April 3 to April 26 were scheduled since July last year to allow for critical works on multiple rail projects. However, Queensland Rail recently extended the closures to April 30, citing protected industrial action by unions.
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Queensland Rail confirmed that closures between Bowen Hills to Eagle Junction and Northgate will continue for an additional four days, with plans to reopen on April 16. Despite the planned nature of these closures, Treasurer David Janetzki claimed that the situation was caused by union actions. “We are in this position because of the union actions that are straight out of the CFMEU playbook,” he said.
On the other hand, Labor’s Shannon Fentiman denied any connection to union action. “This is an incompetent government that decided to shut down trains at one of the busiest times of the year and then can’t organise replacement buses,” she said. She expressed surprise that the transport minister was not addressing the public. “I am completely shocked that the transport minister isn’t fronting the cameras today to apologise to Queenslanders and explain what went wrong.”
A TMR spokesperson attributed the longer-than-normal queues for rail replacement buses to protected industrial action by unions over Easter, which delayed critical works. The transport minister has been contacted for further comment.
