Fast forward 20 years and an additional 1.5 million people are expected to call South East Queensland home discusses brisbanedevelopment.com in a recent opinion article.

Over the last five years, ABS data has showed the growth rate of SEQ has been by over 56,000 or 1.75% per year, which has actually been considered a ‘lull.’ As of 2017, the growth rate had increased to 2.2% per annum, back to the approximately ten-year average rate.

Figures from February 2017 released by Transport and Main Roads say the M1 between Brisbane and Gold Coast sees 144,437 vehicles per day, with the maximum of 170,000 per day expected to be reached by 2020.

So what is next for transport infrastructure? Is high speed rail the answer?

British designer Andreas Vogler has developed a high speed train that could get the 80km Brisbane to Gold Coast trip done in 10 minutes. Yes, that’s right, 10 minutes. The concept, called the ‘AeroLiner3000’, is a double decker train that could carry up to 1,400 people, travelling at 400 km per hour. No doubt this would be a very costly exercise, so costly in fact that there aren’t even any rough figures to work off.

The concept of a ‘smart city’, which would be completely car free environment has been discussed many times. Not sure how realistic this is. The article states there is ample sugar cane land between Brisbane and Gold Coast that has been locked away by the Queensland Government for future state use. Is this a potential location where the site would only be serviced by the above mentioned high speed rail, trams and cycle ways? I’m sure there would be many people ready to sign up for accommodation in a space like this.

With the aim of not turning our wonderful south east corner into a traffic nightmare like Sydney, some big plans need to be made before population soars to 4.9 million in 2036.

For a high speed rail concept video and artist impression images, visit  https://brisbanedevelopment.com/seqs-silver-bullet-solution-high-speed-rail/