Local commuters have questioned the Logan and Gold Coast Faster Rail project as costs blowout to $5.75 billion.
Originally set to cost $2.6 billion, with the federal and state governments each paying half, the estimated cost of the project has more than doubled.
“It’s a lot of money, especially when a lot of other things need to be done,” Beenleigh resident Gail Perry said.
The Faster Rail will increase the number of tracks between Kuraby and Beenleigh from two to four, enabling express trains to stop less.
The project is predicted to shave a few minutes off commuters’ total travel time.
Ms Perry said it would be a better investment to establish a train line to services suburbs west of the current rail corridor.
“But I think the government really needs to focus on the homeless,” she said.
“There are so many people living in tents it’s not funny – you can see them all over.”
She said there were more important issues than railway upgrades to worry about.
Stations between and including Kuraby and Beenleigh will receive upgrades, with some relocated, and some tracks straightened.
The initial cost blowout was first revealed in the Australian government’s infrastructure audit last month, which dedicated an extra $1.75 billion to Faster Rail.
At the time the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) refused to give an updated cost estimation.
But a few weeks later, it was forced to.
Last week Infrastructure Australia revealed the new $5.75 billion cost of the project on its website, and claimed the federal government would pay half – $2.875 billion.
Transport minister Mark Bailey said he was blindsided by the federal government’s announcement, but admitted the figure was accurate.
“This project, like many major infrastructure projects across the world, has been subject to cost escalations which has seen the confirmed estimate increase to $5.75 billion,” Mr Bailey said.
“We will continue to fight for the Logan and Gold Coast Faster Rail project because we understand how important it is.
“By doubling track capacity, from two tracks to four tracks, our faster express trains will no longer have to compete for priority with all-stations services, enabling more trains to service two of Queensland’s fastest growing communities.”
A Translink spokesperson told MyCityLogan “higher construction costs and inflation rates” could be blamed for the blow out.
