About the Roads and Transport Alliance

The Roads and Transport Alliance (the Alliance) is a long-standing collaborative partnership between the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) and local governments across Queensland.

For 23 years, this partnership has helped deliver a more strategic approach to the planning, investment, and management of the state's road and transport network.

The Alliance is guided by the principles set out in the Roads and Transport Coordination Accord. It reflects the shared commitment of state and local governments to improve transport infrastructure for Queensland communities.

Through this partnership, we aim to:

• maximise economic, social, and environmental benefits by coordinating investments across jurisdictions
• plan and deliver the network more efficiently through collaboration
• build capability and capacity in road stewardship of local government staff
• help create a safe and reliable transport network for Queensland communities.

Roads and Transport Alliance Model

All Queensland local governments can participate in the Alliance.

Participating local governments collaborate to form 17 geographically aligned Regional Roads and Transport Groups (RRTGs), which are the foundation of the Alliance.

The Alliance promotes collaboration through:

• joint purchasing
• resource sharing
• skills development and training.

Working together through the Alliance helps build strong, lasting relationships by bringing councils and TMR staff together regularly to plan, fund, and deliver transport projects. It creates a space for open conversations, shared goals and learning from each other, which builds trust and makes future collaboration easier and more effective.

Regional Roads and Transport Groups

RRTGs are made up of geographically aligned councils and TMR district offices. They work together to plan and deliver regionally significant road and transport projects.

These groups make infrastructure investment decisions based on regional priorities, ensuring that funding is directed where it's most needed.

Each RRTG includes elected representatives from local governments and the local TMR District Director. Together, they:

• set the strategic direction for their region
• decide on regional infrastructure priorities
• work across local and state-controlled transport assets.

Technical Committees

Technical Committees support RRTGs by providing expert advice. These committees include technical staff from local governments and TMR. They make recommendations to help RRTGs make informed decisions.

Support from TMR

TMR’s Local Government Partnerships team leads engagement between councils and TMR under the Alliance. The team:

• supports RRTG operations
• administers the relevant policies and guidelines
• provides a statewide perspective across all RRTGs
• facilitates connections between RRTGs and TMR subject matter experts.

Transport Infrastructure Development Scheme

The Transport Infrastructure Development Scheme (TIDS) provides nearly
$76 million in annual funding for local governments to invest in regionally prioritised road and transport network projects. In 2024–25, TIDS funding supported 177 projects across Queensland from roads to marine, airport and active transport infrastructure. 

The 17 RRTGs are empowered to make regional investment decisions that are right for their communities, across both locally and state-controlled transport assets. The fixed funding allocated to each RRTG supports certainty for project and financial planning. Typically, local government RRTG members will match or exceed the TIDS funding allocation to maximise investment on their local road network. 

Additionally, the TIDS Statewide Capability Development Fund (SCDF) also provides many opportunities for local governments to improve capacity and capability in transport network stewardship.

Local governments that don’t participate in the Alliance can still access support and funding through the TIDS.