Question regarding the cost comparison between the MAX light rail project and a proposed bus rapid transit (BRT) option, specifically focusing on whether cost figures are escalated and if the public was misled.

AnsweredQoN 336Legislative Council
Asked
25 March 2015
Portfolio
Transport

QuestionView source ↗

METRO AREA
EXPRESS LIGHT RAIL — REPLACEMENT BUS SYSTEM
336. Hon KEN TRAVERS to the
parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the Minister for TransportXXX ###XXXs
answer to question without notice 308.
(1) Can the
minister explain why he did not answer the specific question regarding whether
the $1.2 billion was escalated?
(2) Does his refusal to answer this specific question confirm
it is not an escalated figure?
(3) Does the
minister accept that comparing an escalated figure for Metro Area Express light
rail with an un-escalated figure for his bus proposal is misleading?
(4) If the
$1.2 billion figure is un-escalated, did the minister seek to deliberately
mislead the public or was it accidental?

AnswerView source ↗

On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the
Minister for Transport, I thank the member for some notice of this question.
The minister has provided the following response.
(1) The
minister has previously stated that the MAX light rail project will cost
approximately $2.5 billion escalated, and a like-for-like bus rapid transit
option could potentially be delivered at half the cost. This equates to approximately
$1.2 billion of the escalated light rail cost. Detailed planning and costing,
inclusive of any escalation, will be completed for a BRT option prior to
consideration by government.
(2) No.
(3)–(4) Not applicable.

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