TWEED ON TRAM WINNER

THE Gold Coast’s light rail system has proven the Midas touch in luring billions of dollars worth of investment and business in the past three years.

It has also served its primary purpose of providing the city with a new layer of much-needed public transport.

In less than two months since its launch in mid-December, stage 2 had carried 110,863 passengers from the three new stations between Helensvale and the Gold Coast University Hospital, well above expectations.

The system is providing a uniform connection to suburbs previously only intertwined by car or getting on bunnyhopping buses, and that will further be boosted once the light rail eventually extends south to Burleigh and then Gold Coast Airport at Coolangatta.

It is therefore no surprise that the NSW Government is keen to explore routes from the airport to its premier northern shopping centre, Tweed City.

A number of shops have closed and a light rail system to the airport would provide the economic injection the town badly yearns.

Tweed MP Geoff Provest knows it will be a game changer for his electorate. It would also provide added political clout in the region in the Coalition’s bid to be reelected at the March 2019 NSW election.

Top-level infrastructure is a moot point for voters. Look at the daily reaction from gridlock traffic on the M1.

It offers no favours in the way it treats motorists, irrespective of their job, salary, age or way of life. Everyone is in the same predicament.

The best cities around the world have created economic and cultural boons by providing efficient transport and infrastructure solutions.

Leaders on the Gold Coast realised long ago that the city needed a fully integrated transport system. Where the light rail runs is delivering that.

Mr Provest can see it. He just needs to rustle up $400 million to build it.