The main political parties have been true to form in the lead-up to the federal election, pledging billions of dollars to transport projects that lack full business cases or have yet to be assessed as priorities.

And they have promised to funnel the greatest proportion of money – almost $4 billion – to Queensland, the state where the election is likely to be won or lost.

An analysis by the Grattan Institute has found the Coalition, Labor and the Greens have made big commitments to transport infrastructure that "not only lack proper business cases but are not even on the Infrastructure Australia priority list at all".