Light rail extension plan is taking the wrong track

YOUR editorial “Let’s stick to the facts” on Saturday is on the right track, but chooses some odd facts to attack those who question the wisdom of extending the light rail further south.

You compare the latest patronage of 21,800 passengers a day with its first year. But if you use the buses’ patronage three years earlier the picture is not nearly so rosy. And the buses did not have the University Hospital to act as a drawcard.

It used to be called Rapid Transit but that title was dropped when it was realised it only cuts three minutes off the total journey time, despite not having to dice with the traffic as the buses did. It is ridiculous to dedicate one third of our road space (and two thirds in central Surfers Paradise) to a vehicle that only uses it once every 7.5 minutes.

It has totally failed in its primary aim to “get people out of their cars and reduce traffic congestion”. It is in fact the main cause of increased congestion since its introduction.

Do the people who claim to want it “extended to the border” really want the increased congestion that comes with light rail?

Then there is the phenomenal blowout in costs. The original feasibility study estimated it at $320 to $360 million, and that included what has subsequently become Stage 2.

Stage 1 finally cost $2.2 billion, and you can add a further $800 million for the interest being paid to French banks over 15 years at the astronomical annual interest rate of 9.22 per cent.

You could build the M2 for that and still have enough left over to widen the M1 to Tugun.

The State Government also has to cough up a further $45 million every year to subsidise the running costs. If that were allocated to the 21,800 daily passengers each fare would have to rise by $5.66.

Fortunately that is paid by State taxpayers, but they may not be feeling so generous when presented with the council’s business case for the proposed extension. Especially as passenger numbers will be even lower in the south.

The fact is a fixed rail tram system is a hangover from the days when people didn’t own their own cars. Modern cities worldwide are installing electric powered buses that are flexible enough to service the outer suburbs in addition to inner areas.

Light rail was a huge mistake for Gold Coast and there is no business case for repeating it. ALAN MIDWOOD, BUNDALL