IN REGARDS

to the article and editorial on Mayor Tom Tate’s advocating an M2 toll road from mid Gold Coast to Stapylton as the solution to gridlock events on the M1 (GCB, 6/12).

The proposal ignores the weekday morning and afternoon grind on the M1 between Loganholme and Springwood at the gateway merge which is the true cause of longer travel times.

The M2, which has long been part of state planning, must cross the Logan River to link up with arterial route 47 to bring in a northsouth link from Redlands and eastern Brisbane to make it a true inter-regional road and avoid simply dumping traffic from mid Gold Coast back on the M1 south of Beenleigh.

There won’t be very much time saving and no true alternative north-south route without the extra Logan River crossing.

The planned/reserved inter-regional route includes a further crossing of the Coomera River that would enable the growth regions of Coomera and Pimpama east of the M1 to access the mid Gold Coast without going on the M1.

If the road is to be well used as a general arterial route it should be toll free.

Experience shows that people avoid toll roads where they can.

The best immediate solution to the M1 grind would be widening the section between Loganholme and the Gateway to five lanes each way in line with the numbers of lanes entering and leaving it.

A one-hour trip from Robina to Brisbane Airport is readily achievable outside the daily peak grind times (and any unplanned traffic incidents).

Alternatively use the existing railway – 80 minutes Robina to Brisbane and 105 minutes to BNE Airport. There are no traffic snarls and is usually reliable.

Rail was my main commute to BNE for six years recently. BRUCE PURDON, ROBINA