Brisbane City Council is forging ahead with its plans for the Brisbane Metro, releasing renders of the Cultural Centre station and precinct. 

Works are under way on the council’s $1.7-billion mass transit project, which will extend from Eight Mile Plains in the city’s south to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, and connect to the Cross River Rail at Woolloongabba, under new plans.

Brisbane Civic Cabinet chair for Transport Councillor Ryan Murphy said more than 10,000 people caught a bus to or from the Cultural Centre every day, and the Brisbane Metro would expand capacity when it begins operation at the end of 2024.

“Transforming the Cultural Centre station will be just one of the huge benefits of our Brisbane Metro project,” Murphy said.

▲ Work is under way on the $1.7-billion Brisbane Metro, which will be a city-shaping infrastructure project.

“Under our redesign, the Cultural Centre station won’t just be a bus stop but an entirely new precinct.

“With lots of open space and improved platform design, people will be able to easily move through the bus stop and connect into QPAC and the museum and art galleries.

“Wider footpaths, shaded walkways, public art, a shared cycleway and a brand new pocket park on Grey Street will also be delivered.”

▲ An upgraded public realm and pocket park will make up the new Cultural Centre Metro Station precinct.

Two weeks ago subsidence in underground works for the Metro tunnel caused one of Brisbane’s CBD streets to be shut down.

The council has ordered a further 60 buses for the network after the pilot bus passed rigorous testing to build what Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner described as the “most advanced electric vehicles” for public transport.

As part of the Brisbane Metro infrastructure project a tunnel is being excavated under Adelaide Street, a river-viewing deck will be built at North Quay, the Cultural Centre station is being upgraded, Victoria Bridge will include three Metro lanes and a dedicated cycling and pedestrian pathway, and suburban stations will be upgraded to include end-of-route EV charging facilities.

There is also discussion around a north-west tunnel underground between Bald Hills and Kedron, which could remove up to 109,000 cars from northside roads by 2031, according to a feasibility study.