In November 2013, the
Queensland Government announced a revised plan for the BaT (Bus and Train) project as an alternative to the previous
Cross River Rail proposal. The revised plan involved a 14.8m external diameter (13.5m internal diameter) tunnel to accommodate both a dual track rail line on the lower level and a two lane busway above. The cost was expected to be $5billion with construction proposed to start in 2015 and completion in 2021.
Citytrain having increased at an annual average of 3.4% between 2006 and 2012, compared to an average annual population increase of 2.4% over the same period, confirming forecasts that the
Merivale Bridge will would reach capacity some time between 2016 and 2021. The proposal commenced in the vicinity of
Dutton Park station, with two new underground stations at
Woolloongabba (adjacent to
The Gabba) and
George Street (in the
CBD) adjacent to a proposed casino redevelopment site. The balance of the proposal involved the previously proposed underground station at Roma Street and the line connecting to the
Exhibition line near
Bowen Hills. The Underground stations were to also be busway stations. The southern end of the busway was proposed to connect directly to the existing
Eastern Busway, with the northern end then proposed to connect to the
Northern Busway via a bridge over the railway and adjacent Inner City Bypass motorway. The stations were proposed to have 175 metre platforms to cater for future seven carriage trains, with the peak hour headway of 2.5 minutes between trains giving a notional capacity of 24 trains per hour in each direction. This was proposed to facilitate an increase in
Gold Coast line services by 80% when it opened, and was also stated as catering for the 'Hillcrest (New
Beaudesert) line by 2031'. That proposed line involves converting the existing
standard gauge line from the
Acacia Ridge freight terminal (just south of
Salisbury station) to dual gauge.
Hillcrest is a suburb west of
Browns Plains and north of
Greenbank. The standard gauge line passes west of Beaudesert on its way to the
New South Wales border, and re-establishment of
Bromelton station may be what is intended by the term 'New Beaudesert line'. No surface property resumptions were required under this revised plan. Dutton Park station was proposed to be closed, as it would need to be demolished as part of the project and the government stated that its patronage level of ~150 passengers per peak hour didn't justify the $150m cost to rebuild the station. Following public objections, particularly to the proposed walkways from
Boggo Road station, 800 metres away (proposed to provide replacement access to the
Princess Alexandra Hospital, the major facility adjacent to Dutton Park station), the government reversed its decision. The George street station was proposed to be built 48 metres below 63 George Street building on the corner of
George and
Mary Streets. The George Street building, which houses many state government departments, was to be demolished. The Woolloongabba station was to be 38 metres below surface level, with the Roma Street station to be 31 metres below surface level. The ruling grade in the tunnel was proposed at 3.25% (~1 in 31). ==2014 revision==