ISLANDERS should stop campaigning for a bridge to Russell Island because it divides the community and gives governments an excuse to delay island improvements, says a prominent local.
Gayle Nemeth has told a Redland City Council meeting that relentless bridge campaigns diluted the importance of other issues like improvements to barge and passenger ferries.
Bridge lobbyists had refused to take no for an answer, so to relieve pressure, councillors had a study done to avoid the issue without committing to any real action.
“Council’s decision kept the bridge lobby alive and islanders alienated,’’ she said. “It gives authorities the opportunity to do nothing substantive because they can claim islanders are divided and no action need be taken until islanders agree to a common goal.’’
Also speaking on behalf of islander Lindsay Hackett, Ms Nemeth said the Moreton Bay Combined Islands Association had produced a flyer which again raised the bridge issue.
Association messages were one-sided and the organisation had not produced analysis to show how a bridge would benefit islands overall or could be made financially viable or environmentally sound.
A bridge was first promoted then dropped in the mid-1980s because it was not financially viable. In 2010, council commissioned consultants GHD to study island access, including barge and water taxi routes and a bridge.
The cheapest bridge would cost about $114 million and require annual revenue of about $8.5 million to break even at the government rate of return. Greater revenue would be needed for a commercial return.
It would need 6.25 million trips or 17,000 trips per day annually to break even after 25 years. It also would push up barge costs to residents of other islands and Russell islanders using the bridge would arrive on the mainland in the middle of nowhere – Little Rocky Point North at Woongoolba – 17km from the nearest major shopping centre at Beenleigh.
“The time and energy spent by council and the islander community wasted on continuing the impractical hope of a bridge between Russell and the mainland should stop,’’ she said.
Association chairman Greg Hartay-Szabo said a bridge had been regarded as a viable transport alternative and had never been dismissed by authorities.
Mr Hartay-Szabo said Ms Nemeth had no figures showing that most locals did not want a bridge and a Facebook supporters group had more than 1000 members.
He said other transport options to bay islands regarding barge services and routes also had to be investigated.
Ms Nesmeth said the bridge idea was opposed by most residents who wanted the islands to remain islands, not be joined to the mainland so as to become just another suburb.
Mr Hartay-Szabo said surveys showed the greatest need on the islands were better transport options and of those surveyed 61 per cent wanted a bridge.
Ms Nesmeth said council should not encourage the idea.
“The islands are special, unique places of peace and tranquillity within the RAMSAR waters of Moreton Bay,’’ she said. “The relative isolation of these islands is essential to their character.
“Surely, people coming to the islands should understand this and choose a different abode if they truly want all suburban conveniences?’’
