Council sticks hand out

Funding needed for next stage of $700m light rail plan

THE Gold Coast is putting its hands out to the federal government for help funding the $700 million next stage of the light rail and upgrades to the congested M1.

Acting mayor Donna Gates, as a part of a delegation of south east Queensland mayors, gave a wishlist to the federal government yesterday for infrastructure projects across the state.

The request was a part of a City Plan deal the Council of South East Queensland Mayors is hoping to strike with the federal government to ensure they are on board with major projects.

The council of mayors include local governments from as far north as the Sunshine Coast and west to Toowoomba.

The deal not only pushes for the slated M1 upgrade between Varsity Lakes and Mudgeeraba but also flags a $1 billion upgrade from Varsity Lakes south to Tugun.

“This section of the M1 is the most congested in the region,” the plan presented to the federal government reads.

“An upgrade to six lanes to link the Robina to Varsity Lakes section to the Tugun bypass is required to ensure the region is effectively linked to Brisbane and NSW, and to support reliable interstate freight movements.”

Cr Gates said both projects had been well received but it was still early days for the light rail.

“We will have a better business case (for stage 3A of the light rail) by the middle of this year, once council has seen the report,” she said.

“As for the M1, the Federal Ministers present know only too well that these upgrades are critical and I made that clear to all in attendance.”

The funding push for the next stage of the light rail comes days after the Gold Coast City Council announced Stage 3A would run from Broadbeach to Burleigh Heads.

Cr Gates said there was also discussion about the proposed Arts Centre and Cultural precinct planned for Evandale.

The acting mayor and the delegation of South East Queensland mayors will spend two days in Canberra meeting various federal ministers to discuss the future of the region.

Moncrieff MP Steve Ciobo said the federal government would not make a decision on the next stage of the light rail until a feasibility study was completed.

“I can say the federal government was involved in stage 1 of the light rail and that was the case for stage 2 as well,” he said.

Mr Ciobo could not confirm any details regarding upgrades to the M1 expect to say a deal on the Mudgeeraba to Varsity Lakes section was “close”.