BORDERLINE

EXCLUSIVE NSW study on trams to Tweed

THE NSW Government has commissioned a study to examine taking the Gold Coast light rail system across the border into the Tweed. The Gold Coast City Council is currently finalising the route of stage three of the trams from Broadbeach to Coolangatta via Gold Coast Airport. A future NSW route would connect at Coolangatta and forge south.

A MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR study is looking at extending the Gold Coast light rail network south into the Tweed.

The study will plot the best cross-border route from Coolangatta and is being funded by the NSW Government under a deal agreed to by that state’s Transport Minister Andrew Constance.

The Gold Coast City Council is finalising the proposed stage three tram route from Broadbeach to Coolangatta via Gold Coast Airport.

Tweed MP Geoff Provest said he would meet Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to discuss the link-up but interstate negotiations have been ongoing since last year when the council endorsed plans to take trams to the border.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate met a NSW Government delegation early last month to discuss the project with the cross-border commissioner.

The meeting focused on how to proceed with the Coast’s third stage and how it would integrate with any NSW extension.

Among the major challenges is how the Queenslandbased GoCard System, used on buses and trams, would be used within NSW which has a different system.

Mr Provest said 20,000 new homes were set to be approved in the region and there was a dire need for public transport infrastructure.

“It’s crucial. Our front door is Queensland and our back door is NSW,” he said.

“It’s our growth corridor and public transport is the go.

“(The Minister) agreed to fund a planning study to identify a route ... probably down the coastal route along the side of the M1.

“In my view, I think (the route should be) initially down to Tweed City (Shopping Centre).”

Mr Provest said with NSW Government support the project should be more likely to attract Federal Government funding.

“The more people use it … the more economically viable,” he said.

Tweed Shire councillors would back a proposal to extend the light rail over the border and say there could be potential to take the line as far as Byron Bay.

Deputy Mayor Chris Cherry and councillor Warren Polglase said there was strong political support for the light rail to stretch south of the border.

“We’re interested in light rail coming south into Tweed,” Cr Polglase said.

“That’s probably the natural progression … but it’s a long way out.”

Gold Coast Airport chief operating officer Marion Charlton said a southern route would boost tourism.

“In the 12 months to March 2016, more than 227,000 international passengers who flew into Gold Coast Airport visited northern New South Wales,” she said.

Byron Shire Mayor Simon Richardson urged the NSW Government to include Byron Bay in the study.

“With strong visitation numbers from southeast Queensland into Byron, we could welcome the million visitors into Byron without their cars,” he said.