Earlier in the week Warren Pitt, Minister for Main Roads and Local Government stated clearly to Brisbane City Council the requirement for a comprehensive plan regarding traffic management around the Hale Street Bridge construction area.

Today Mr Pitt announced the recently released Council plan was insufficient.

Pitt said today he needed to read only one line in the Brisbane City Council’s traffic management plan for the Hale Street Bridge construction project to know that it was unacceptable.

This was the line referring to traffic on Coronation Drive that said “very significant delays..increase of 40 to 50 mins on existing inbound travel times (Toowong to City)”.

“Immediately, I knew this was not good enough - that delays of this kind were being contemplated. I can walk from Toowong to the city faster than that.” he said

Having taken the pleasant walk along the combined cycle, walkway it would also be a more pleasant way to approach the journey.

Councillor Newman has said the traffic management plan that the council has put forward is the best they can come up with, and there is no room for further improvement.

Given the construction project is expected to cause disruptions for a number of years this tussle between council and the state is certain to get more interesting.

Fuel for Stop the Hale Street Bridge campaigners to reinforce the “told you so” even if the approval has been granted.