RUBBISH bins bolted shut at Brisbane train stations yesterday will be removed indefinitely, a Queensland Rail spokeswoman has confirmed.

Bins at stations between Bowen Hills and South Brisbane, and at Toowong, were shut at the weekend, with laminated signs saying: “For safety concerns this bin is no longer available”.

The spokeswoman said those bins would be removed completely in the near future.

“Those particular bins will be removed indefinitely,” she said.

“It’s stations where there’ll be large crowds... basically our busiest stations.”

The spokeswoman said Queensland Rail had an established security plan linked to the Federal Government’s National Terrorism Public Alerts levels.

“Because we are well prepared and practiced we were able to implement this plan as soon as the Federal Government raised the alert level,” she said.

“One of these measures included the closure of bins at a number of stations.”

The spokeswoman said Queensland Rail was in the process of reviewing different bins with additional security features which may be put in place at our stations in the future.

“As always, we will ensure our stations are clean and tidy for our customers,” she said.

“We appreciate our customers’ understanding as we implement these necessary changes and ask that they dispose of their rubbish thoughtfully, at a later time.”

Earlier, Premier Campbell Newman confirmed the bins were being welded shut or removed in response to Queensland and Australia’s heightened terror alert level.

Mr Newman said the move was not especially aimed at preparing for the upcoming G20 meeting in Brisbane, pointing to Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s announcement last week about the raising of the alert level.

“This is not for G20 particularly,” Mr Newman said when asked about the bins.

“If you go back to last week, the Prime Minister raised the terrorism alert level in this nation.

“I said on that day that you’d see enhanced security around Queensland. So you will enhanced security at Government buildings, at Parliament House and at certain railway stations and the like and you will see that happening with bins.”

The Premier said the move was a clear sign the state was taking action in response to the fresh terror threat.

“People should be comforted by the fact that we are adopting a state of preparedness and readiness to ensure that we’re not an easy target, that we are protecting our community and these are signs that we are active,” he said.

“I said that we would act and you can see that action taking place.”

He added that the removal or shutting of bins was about making it more difficult for potential “criminals” to harm the community.

“This action protects Queenslanders,” he said.

“It ensures that we are doing everything we can to make sure that those criminals who do the community harm are deterred from doing so.”

The G20 leaders’ summit will be held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre at South Brisbane on November 15 and 16 - just metres away from the location of the out-of-order bins.