Tag: Public Transport

Pallara Pushes for Direct City Bus Connection – ‘We’re Still Waiting’

Pallara residents are stepping up their campaign for better public transport, asking for a direct bus service to Brisbane City as the suburb’s population surges and commutes stretch beyond an hour each way.

Read: Locals Call For Public Bus Service In Pallara

A Suburb Outpacing Its Transport

Over the past few years, Pallara has changed dramatically. Once semi-rural, it’s now a growing community filled with new homes, young families, and busy streets. Yet as the population has surged, public transport has barely budged. Most residents still face a 1-hour and 15-minute commute each way, often involving multiple bus transfers just to get to work or school.

For many, the impact is more than just inconvenience. The extra travel time chips away at family life, adds daily stress, and forces people to rely on cars — contributing to congestion, higher emissions, and parking headaches across the city. It’s a reality that locals say shouldn’t exist in a modern, growing Brisbane suburb.

Voices Rising for Change

A new petition has been lodged and the request is straightforward: extend Route 137 or introduce a new direct bus line that connects Pallara to the city centre. The petition, open until 15 December 2025, has already drawn more than 200 signatures from residents eager for faster, more reliable transport.

Supporters point out that the nearby Willawong Bus Depot makes it easy and cost-effective to add services. They want frequent buses during peak hours and future planning that keeps pace with the suburb’s ongoing growth.

Pallara
Photo Credit: Neegzistuoja/Wikimedia Commons/CC Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International 

A Longstanding Concern

This isn’t Pallara’s first transport battle. In 2022, locals voiced their frustrations through a Change.org campaign, demanding basic bus services. There were small steps forward, including plans for new stops on routes in the south. But for many, progress has been too slow and too limited.

Now, residents are no longer just asking for any bus — they want a direct, efficient connection to Brisbane City that could save commuters up to an hour a day, reduce traffic, and support Brisbane’s sustainability goals by encouraging more people to leave their cars at home.

Read: Community Petitions Push for Infrastructure Upgrades in Pallara

It would also give Pallara what many believe it deserves: the same level of connectivity enjoyed by other growing suburbs.

Published 20-Oct-2025

Would Public Transport Be Able To Keep Pace With Pallara’s Booming Population?

Pallara may be one of Brisbane’s fastest-growing suburbs, but sadly, public transport and other infrastructure and amenities have been lagging for years, much to the frustration of its residents.

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Residents say that it has been five years since developments in the area were approved. Families were encouraged to move into the newly created suburb of Pallara with the prospects of future facilities including shops and public transport being available to the locals soon. They are, however, yet to see these amenities delivered to their community.

Particularly, Pallara residents have long been campaigning for their own public bus service. A petition launched last year highlighted the concerns of parents over their children’s safety with “so much movement with developments” in the area and the main road being used by motorists to access alternate suburbs.

Recently, Councillor Angela Owen confirmed that there will be six new permanent bus stops that will be built by summer this year in Pallara, following its agreement with the Department of Transport and Main Roads to install a new bus route in this booming suburb.

Three pairs of new bus stops will be built at Pallara by summer, and two of these stops will be installed at Brookbent Road. Another pair will be located at Ritchie Road, near where the old Pallara State School was once situated, whilst the two other stops will be built close to the new Pallara State School. 

The current route 126 (Mitchell St, Acacia Ridge East to Zamia St, Sunnybank Plaza) will be realigned and then extended to run along Mains Road and also south to Ritchie Road. This change will provide a bus route to Sunnybank Plaza and CBD connections and even further south to Heathwood. 

The Council initially wanted to fast-track the project by installing temporary bus stops but TMR was requiring permanent bus shelters that are federal accessibility and Australian laws compliant before the 126 bus service could be extended. 

This was underscored by TMR through a letter sent to Councillor Ryan Murphy, council’s Civic Cabinet Chair for Transport, stating that Translink supported the business case for the amended bus route and is ready to implement the new services subject to the bus stop requirements.

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Member for Algester Leeanne Enoch confirmed that Council has agreed to the requirements and plans to deliver at least six bus stops in the interim to facilitate the extension of route 126 bus services to Pallara. Residents are to see some construction activities commencing in the coming months. Other stops are expected to be delivered after the bus services are already in place.