A GRAPHIC proposal for a cable barge to Straddie via Russell Island is the latest concept plan to link the mainland to Stradbroke Island via Russell Island.
The proposal, stumped up byThe Russell Island Bridge Supporters, is for a cable barge from the mosquito helicopter landing site on Serpentine Creek Road at Redland Bay across Pannikin Island and on to the southern end of Russell Island.
The cable barge would then goes across the northern tip of Long Island before landing on Russell Island where the route splits into two - one heading north to Karragarra and the other east across Russell and Willes islands before landing on southern North Stradbroke Island.
The cable barge would be modelled on the Moggill Ferry, which operates across the Brisbane River.
Russell Island resident Greg Hartay-Szabo, a proponent for a bridge to Straddie via Russell Island, said the island was less than 5nM from the mainland Imagine and a shorter connection would boost the economies of all four southern bay islands.
But the cable barge proposal raised concerns from Brisbane and North Stradbroke Island woman Megan Sainsbury, who said a cable barge would not be any different to the existing barge and would add a further 20km to a trip from Cleveland to Point Lookout.
Many residents said they wanted more competition on the southern bay island routes and not just island ferry services provided by Sealink, which acquired the marine assets in September.
A battle broke out between the state and the council over who was responsible for designing an infrastructure plan to bridge North Stradbroke Island to the mainland in November.
Transport director-general Neil Scales reignited debate over the long-running bridge issue when he palmed off requests for a bridge to Straddie via Russell Island to Redland City Council.
In an October letter to the Russell Island Bridge Lobby Group president Joyce Webb, Mr Scales referred the long-time bridge lobbyist to work with council.
He said council needed to do preliminary work on viability and routes before the state could then assess the value of the plans.
In his letter, Mr Scales said he was aware there was local demand for bridging the islands.
Redland City Council said major infrastructure such as a bridge to Straddie via Russell Island was always the responsibility of the state.
Last year, the Newman government announced a $2 million business case for a second bridge to Bribie Island and in 2010 the Bligh government spent $315 million on a bridge to Redcliffe.
"If council had to fund it, it would send the city broke," council said.
"There are examples all over Queensland of state governments of both persuasions funding this type of infrastructure.
"For the state government to now suggest this infrastructure should be paid for by the people of the Redlands is just plain wrong.
"It is also disappointing that the department hasn't even bothered to advise council of its position.
"Council has lobbied successive State Governments for this infrastructure and will now write to the minister on behalf of our residents to get clarity on this matter."
“By suggesting council include this bridge in its Local Government Infrastructure Plan, the department is saying the money to fund the bridge would either come from infrastructure charges or from ratepayers.
“Because these islands are already developed, there is little development or redevelopment potential on the islands that would attract infrastructure charges as a means to even partly fund such a project.
“Even if there was development potential on the islands the reality is that the State’s capped charges would not allow sufficient recovery to fund the projects. As such the LGIP is not the appropriate tool to program island bridges,” the council spokesman said.
