The Council of Mayors South East Queensland (COMSEQ) is exploring the potential of air mobility to manage the region’s congestion as the population grows, releasing a joint opportunity paper with aerospace company Wisk Aero.
Moreton Bay Regional Council Mayor, Peter Flannery, said Moreton Bay’s population growth has continued to exceed projections set by the Queensland Government and there is no sign of it slowing down.
“We need to be innovative and ambitious if we are going to solve growing congestion issues in our region and to improve mobility across South East Queensland by the time the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games come around,” Mayor Flannery said.
According to the opportunities paper – Advanced Air Mobility in South East Queensland – locals could soon be travelling between key business and social hubs within Moreton Bay like Redcliffe, Caboolture, North Lakes and Brendale in just a matter of minutes.
“This is a great opportunity for new and ambitious industries to take off right here in Moreton Bay, which could not only help solve existing congestion issues but opens up huge possibilities for jobs, business investment and other opportunities,” Mayor Flannery said.
“Innovation like this supports our vision for a polycentric city model to have multiple business hubs across the region rather than one singular centre like Sydney and Melbourne which have all become car parks.
“A polycentric city supports all forms of transport and aims to activate east-west travel within our region as well as the existing north-south routes.
“This doesn’t mean we have our heads in the clouds or that it comes at the cost of other much needed road and transport infrastructure, which are vital to our region’s mobility.”
Mayor Flannery said he would continue to lobby the Queensland Government to gazette a corridor for the Bruce Highway Western Alternative so councils know the route and can plan accordingly.
“New and innovative ideas like air taxi services are not the entire solution but they can certainly support our overall transport plan to create a better future for everyone in Moreton Bay.
“We will continue to look at all options for public and private transport with both the State Government and the private sector to create more opportunities for locals.”
Wisk Aero and COMSEQ have entered a strategic partnership to collaborate on outreach and events to showcase the benefits associated with advanced air mobility.
The recent paper highlighted potential flight times between Brisbane and key Moreton Bay business hubs:
- Brisbane CBD to Caboolture – 15mins
- Brisbane CBD to Redcliffe – 11mins
- Brisbane CBD to Brendale – 8mins
