I wish to provide a brief update on how we are tackling traffic congestion in the Aspley area through a number of connected and coordinated projects. In our community, the Aspley electorate, the Palaszczuk government is delivering not just in response to the
transport infrastructure we need but projects that make the area a better place to live and work.

Firstly, the $5.4 billion Cross River Rail project is a fantastic project that will revolutionise public transport in South-East Queensland. It will allow more trains to run more often to enable a turn-up-and-go transport system for the whole of South-East Queensland. Remarkably, the LNP still does not back this project. On the same train line we are delivering an upgraded Geebung park-and-ride which includes 70 new car spaces. This benefits those parking at the station to catch the train and locals in Geebung streets, who tell me their concerns about their streets being parked in on weekdays, so we are relieving some of that congestion as well. It was also great to see Anika Wells, the Labor candidate for Lilley, recently announce that a Shorten government would add to this by adding an extra 70 carparks.

This fits in very nicely with the over $400,000 upgrade to the Geebung Bowls Club, very close by, which I announced at the last budget. I thank Minister Bailey, his office and Queensland Rail for promptly helping the bowls club with a couple of access issues they recently had. It is a great local club that does great things locally.

Further down the road towards the city the Northern Transitway project—a $53 million congestion-busting project—is progressing. The project will deliver on-road bus priority along Gympie Road between Kedron and Chermside, delivering continuous dedicated bus lanes during peak hours from Chermside to Kedron while retaining all existing lanes. Projects like these help people make those step-change decisions about whether they drive to work or catch public transport. Not all transport modes suit all people, that much is clear, but the easier you make it for people to catch public transport the more people will make that decision to use public transport, which helps all commuters.

I am also very pleased that this month we have seen consultation on what to do with the Beams Road level crossing. At the last election I secured a $400,000 commitment to look at options to improve congestion at the site, and I thank all locals who have contributed to that process and attended the drop-in session. I am also pleased that the recent SEQ City Deal, which was launched a couple of
weeks back, acknowledged open level crossing removals as way of optimising our transport network. Beams Road definitely got a mention in that document. I look forward to seeing these and other projects progress as we continue to plan for the future transport needs of the Aspley electorate.