The Queensland Government will lay off 1970 of its transport workers in its restructuring of the Department of Transport and Main Roads and TransLink.

These intended sackings will result in 18 per cent of corporate or support roles disappearing from the department and TransLink.

Savings are expected to run at $287 million over the next four years from this ‘restructure’ which will amalgamate the government’s transport services under one ‘TransLink’ banner.

The government will remove the TransLink board and the department will stay in five divisions with senior executives slashed from 37 to 21.

Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Scott Emerson said this was a tough decision in tackling the cost of living pressures.

Mr Emerson said there were two separate government agencies doing the same task in different areas of the state under the previous government.

This created additional costs passed on to passengers as three consecutive 15 per cent fare increases in South East Queensland.

According to the Queensland Government, TransLink will no longer operate as statutory authority confined to the state’s south east.

Rather it will become a part of the department and will oversee the state’s qconnect bus network, TravelTrain services and school bus services, subsidised regional airline, coach and ferry services.

“This streamlined structure will deliver improved outcomes for Queenslanders, whether it’s a business tendering for work, someone travelling across the State or an individual using any of the hundreds of services offered by the Department,” Mr Emerson said.

Compared with the government’s current sackings, the previous government gave out 818 voluntary redundancies valued at $76 million, but simultaneously added 918 new staff.