TRAM LIGHT YEARS AWAY

State accused of re-routing Stage 3A along 25-year track

TRAMS to Burleigh Heads face being delayed until 2044, with the State Government listing the much-needed project on its “25-year planning horizon’’. Supporters of the light rail Stage 3A extension have accused the state of dumping it altogether. But Transport Minister Mark Bailey hit back and said his government was “committed as we have ever been to extending it”.

TRAMS to Burleigh Heads are set to be delayed until 2044, with the State Government being accused of dumping the project “on the backburner”.

An update of the State’s infrastructure plan published yesterday reveals light rail stage 3A is now listed as being in the “region shaping priorities pipeline”, projects which “have a 25-year planning horizon”.

Construction was meant to begin on the 6.6km, $709 million rail extension later this year but it was derailed after a funding dispute between the federal and state governments.

Supporters of the project have accused the state of dumping the project.

Bonney’s Opposition MP Sam O’Conner told the Bulletin: “After not a cent of funding in Labor’s budget, light rail to Burleigh is now listed under the ‘25-year horizon’ in their own State Infrastructure Plan.

“Labor have put light rail on the backburner. Two other levels of government have put money on the table but all we get are excuses.

“The Gold Coast needs light rail rolled out to manage our growth and Labor need to get on with it.”

The light rail is not among the projects listed as proceeding between 2019 and 2023.

The upgrade of the M1 on the southern Gold Coast are among those listed across forward estimates.

A shocked Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate last night demanded the State Government re-prioritise the must-have transport project.

“I’m shocked and surprised it’s not listed on the 1-4 year program. It will be my first topic of conversation with the Premier when I next meet with her,” he told the Bulletin.

“Council has allocated $92 million and the Federal Government last year allocated $112 million. That’s more than $200 million so the State Government needs to get on board.

“I am calling on the State Government to reprioritise this crucial traffic decongestion project. At this point I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt, it must just be a mistake.”

Improved public transport connectivity between Broadbeach and Burleigh Heads, including the light rail, is mentioned in the strategic plan as a “near-term” project which means it being targeted for construction within five years.

But Transport Minister Mark Bailey hit back and insisted the State Government had a “strong record of building light rail”.

“We are as committed as we have ever been to extending it,” he said.

“What needs to happen to get construction on Light Rail Stage 3A started is a fair funding offer to Queensland from Deb Frecklington’s LNP colleagues in Canberra. Sixteen per cent is the lowest ever offer for a light rail stage from Canberra and Deb Frecklington needs to show some courage and stand up to her own federal LNP party colleagues to stop short-changing the Gold Coast given it is Australia’s sixth largest city

“I’ve raised this matter with the Deputy Prime Minister and federal Transport Minister that it’s time the Gold Coast started getting its fair share of federal infrastructure funding so we can create jobs and manage strong population growth.”

The strategic plan notes that the $20 million business case has been completed on the rail and that delivery of the trams was “dependent on appropriate funding commitments” from the Morrison Government and council.

The tram extension was a stunning omission from last month’s State Budget.

A business case has been completed for the link from Broadbeach to Burleigh Heads. However, the federal and state governments cannot agree on a funding split.

The Morrison Government last year committed $112 million, about 16 per cent of the $709 million total cost. State Government and the City Council argue it is not enough.

Opposition leader Deb Frecklington slammed the delays. “While Labor’s pet Cross River Rail project has seen costs blow out by more than $1.3 billion, there’s not a cent on the table to build Light Rail Stage 3A and the Second M1,” she said. “Putting the light rail project ‘on the horizon’ shows Labor is failing to plan for the future.”

THE GOLD COAST NEEDS LIGHT RAIL ROLLED OUT TO MANAGE OUR GROWTH AND LABOR NEED TO GET ON WITH IT OPPOSITION MP SAM O’CONNER