A new bus interchange proposed for UQ 'would reduce St Lucia traffic by 20 per cent' UQ vice chancellor Professor Peter Hoj. Credit:Glenn Hunt "We have traffic modelling for [consultancy] MRCagney which indicates that if we had the opportunity for buses to 'go through' the university – and in this case we would want it to go under UQ – you would reduce traffic on the St Lucia road network by 20 per cent," he said. The university planned to take buses from Eleanor Schonell Bridge, have them run into a new bus interchange built underground between the Lakes bus station and the Chancellors bus station, then link to Indooroopilly and Toowong. "So we are simply signalling to the people that would be planning to deal with our awful traffic congestion that we want to be part of the solution, not an obstacle." Professor Hoj said UQ would spend $500 million on new campus buildings in the next five years and $100 million a year maintaining its "$3 billion" estate.

University of Queensland recommends a new green bridge run from Orleigh Park at West End across to Guyatt Park at St Lucia. Credit:Google Street View It would ask for state and federal government funds to help build new infrastructure. "When it comes to a piece of infrastructure that helps the whole state, not just the UQ, that would have to be done in partnership between the state, perhaps with assistance from the federal government and UQ," Professor Hoj said. UQ rejected a new green bridge idea for Boundary Street at West End across to UQ. Credit:Google Street View He said the university's first priority in its 15-20 year plan was to "rejuvenate" its existing campus.

Short- and medium-term plans 2018: Start of construction of new student accommodation, to be finished by 2020. 2020: Plans to have 1300 additional units to St Lucia campus. 2022 onwards: Plans for new green bridges; public transport issues. New green bridges – West End and Yeronga

Profesor Hoj appeared unaware of the impact of building a green bridge capable of carrying light rail into West End's Orleigh Park itself. The proposal on Monday angered the West End Community Association – which had no had input towards the planning – and Brisbane City Council's city planning chair Julian Simmonds. However Professor Hoj said it was a plan for the "five to eight-year" time frame and that further feasibility studies would be done. He said the original suggestion was to build a bridge from the university campus across to Boundary Street at West End. "When we first started building our first inclination was that bridge across Boundary Street was the place, because it has been planned since the 1920s," Professor Hoj said.

However he said traffic consultant MRCagney had instead recommended the second green bridge be built across to Orleigh Park. "Their insight into other ambitions of public transport and bicycle pathways in Brisbane have led them to believe that it makes much more sense to have a bridge across to Guyatt Park, rather than at the Toowong Rowing Club," Professor Hoj said. "So that's the reason why." He said the university was told by MRCagney it would "give access to a public park" and that the university planned Saturday markets on the St Lucia side of the river. When pressed why the Boundary Street link was rejected, Professor Hoj said the university "was driven by facts".

"All I can say is that we have been driven by data and what traffic experts tell us," he said. "We don't deal in opinion. We deal in facts and that is the facts we have been given." Ms Trad said it was important the South Brisbane community was included in talks about UQ's plans. "Our community of South Brisbane is close to key institutions like UQ and is an important centre in our growing knowledge-based economy," she said. "I am very keen to talk to my community about the UQ master plan and the potential effect it may have on our suburbs.

"I understand this is a long-term plan about the future of our largest university and it's important that we take the time to have deep community conversations to shape how UQ will grow into the future. "However, I know that locals will be very concerned about any impact on Orleigh Park and it is very important we preserve and create green space rather than reduce it." Professor Hoj said the university had put forward its master plan so it could be debated as state (Cross River Rail) and local (Brisbane Metro) plans were finalised. However he said the university had a "bigger picture" objective to provide access to education as widely as possible. "Because nothing powers democracy and prosperity more than people being educated."