Further, the privately-funded bridge is now expected to cost $50 million more than anticipated and require the removal of trees at South Bank parkland.

The pedestrian-only bridge, which would connect the casino and hotel complex to South Bank, has been proposed as part of Queen’s Wharf Brisbane, but there have been continual calls from Brisbane City Council for it to be scrapped.

As plans for the bridge progress, Fairfax Media understands, a pontoon at South Bank (Pontoon A) would be displaced by the construction of the bridge.

This pontoon is understood to cater for about 2000 vessel movements a year and is used by at least 10 tourism operators, including River City Cruises and Seadeck.

These operators could be displaced from October 2019.

River City Cruises operator Carolyn Timms said she was staying positive and hopeful the jetty would be relocated rather than demolished.

“That is the number one and only pick up location for charter boats on the Brisbane River in the city centre,” she said.

“We need a berthing location in the CBD, there is no point building it as West End of New Farm.”

This is not the first time Queen’s Wharf Brisbane has forced the relocation of river services.

River City Cruises had to leave its moorings under the Riverside Expressway when the Destination Brisbane Consortium development started.

Ms Timms said all the development was fantastic for Brisbane but called for any infrastructure that was removed to be replaced.

“At this stage where we will be relocated to is a little unclear,” she said.

“We are certainly very confident the Brisbane City Council will relocate it,”

A Destination Brisbane Consortium spokesman said the consortium was working closely with the Queensland government, South Bank Corporation and other stakeholders on the final design of the pedestrian bridge landing.

“The consortium will engage further with local stakeholders in the lead up to construction once the detailed design has been approved by EDQ (Economic Development Queensland),” he said.

A South Bank Corporation spokeswoman said it was still in discussions to the project proponents regarding pontoon A.

“The focus for South Bank Corporation is to optimise the landing point for business and visitors,” she said.

“We will work to ensure stakeholders in and around the landing point experience minimal disruption during construction.”

The council’s deputy mayor and public and active transport chairman Adrian Schrinner has renewed his calls for the bridge to be scrapped, citing an expected cost blow out as the latest reason.

It is understood the projected cost of the bridge has increased by about 70 per cent to $120 million.

Cr Schrinner said an estimated cost of more than $120 million is a big jump from the original anticipated cost of $70 million.

“The bridge was originally sold to the community as a public benefit ... it’s becoming increasingly clear that the public benefit is limited,” he said.

“If there was a $120 million or even a $70 million investment into a new bridge it would be a different bridge than what has been designed.”

Bicycle Queensland chief executive Anne Savage has backed the council’s calls for the bridge to be scrapped and urged the state and local government to work together on a solution.

“The Neville Bonner Bridge is not the solution we need to get more people walking and riding in Brisbane,” Ms Savage said. “$120 million is a cost blow out of nearly 70 per cent, representing a poor investment of extremely low value.”

Preparation work for the South Bank bridge landing have begun with geotechnical drilling works underway.

It is understood the anticipated impact zone for the bridge in South Bank includes several large mature trees as well as public open space near the Wheel of Brisbane.

Cr Schrinner said any impacts on Brisbane’s biggest and most important tourist attraction was something to be mindful of.

Innovation and Tourism Industry Development Minister Kate Jones said the council provided three formal submissions as part of the assessment process for the plan for development for Queen’s Wharf Brisbane and none raised a formal objection to the Neville Bonner Bridge.

“This is too little, too late from the deputy mayor,” she said.

Cr Schrinner has previously said a formal objection was different from raising concerns, and the council had raised concerns.

The South Bank Corporation spokeswoman said the bridge contractor, Destination Brisbane Consortium, was responsible to offset any vegetation removed.

“South Bank Corporation policy is to implement a six to one offset program,” she said.

Destination Brisbane Consortium did not respond to specific questions asked by Fairfax Media about the removal of mature trees and displacement of pontoon A to make way for the bridge landing.