During Parliamentary Budget Estimates on Tuesday 2 August 2022, I asked whether the State Government will consider providing funding for the missing Lambert Rd bikeway link.
You can read the department's answers below or in the official Queensland Parliament Record of Proceedings (Hansard).
Mr BERKMAN: I have, yes, thank you. A further question to the director-general. In my electorate there is a significant missing cycle link that you would be aware of along Lambert Road between the Indooroopilly Riverwalk and the St Lucia Esplanade bikeway. I have previously written to the minister about this issue and I understand that the Brisbane City Council has also unsuccessfully applied for funding under the SEQ Community Stimulus Program to deliver what is called the stage 3 and 4 Indooroopilly bikeway. Has the department considered, or does it have a plan to provide funding for council to deliver this much-needed link?
CHAIR: Director-General, just before you answer—and I am just conscious of the time that’s all—I am happy to go into the break period, but we have got a few minutes until the committee has to have a break.
Mr Scales: I thank the honourable member for the question. There are annual grants available that the councils—not just BCC—can bid into. It would be a matter for them to bid into that. I have not got the detail to hand, but I can assure the member that we are, as a department, really intent on providing active transport, whether it is walking routes or cycling routes. On major projects, we always look at adding active transit. For that specific project, if it has been turned down before it means that it did not pass the threshold for support. That does not mean to say that they cannot resubmit. The issue is that we tend to have more projects than budget, which is a good thing, and one benefit of COVID is that a lot of people are getting out walking and cycling. You will know, I am sure, that if you try to get a really professional pushbike—a cycle—you are waiting six to nine months because there has been a big demand, so there has been a consequent demand for support for the cycleways. On that particular one in your constituency, all I would encourage BCC to do is submit again when the round of tenders comes up.