G:link’s southern comfort
Heavy support for light rail to extend to border
NEARLY three-quarters of southern Gold Coasters want the light rail extended all the way to Coolangatta, but the state and federal governments are holding back on funding the project.
More than 70 per cent of the 988 Currumbin residents surveyed in a ReachTEL poll late last month want a tram line to the border. It was particularly popular among younger respondents.
The poll was comissioned by Queensland Labor.
A business case is being prepared by the Gold Coast City Council to ask the state and federal governments for funding to extend the tram from Broadbeach to Burleigh.
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said construction for the Burleigh extension was expected to begin in 2019. It would be another two years before trams started running.
Cr Tate said he would push for funding from higher levels of government.
About $5 million has been put forward by the state government to help with the business case, which includes more detailed designs and plans on how to build the project.
The state or federal governments are yet to commit money to build the tramline.
The cost of the 9km expansion will not be clear until the business case is completed, but previous estimates suggest it will cost about $70 million per kilometre.
Once construction has started on the Burleigh stage, the council expects to begin work on extending the tramline further south to Coolangatta.
Judging by timelines for previous stages, any work on the light rail from Burleigh to Coolangatta is not expected to begin until 2023.
Work includes determining the route, creating a business case and asking the state and federal governments for funding assistance.
Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Jackie Trad said the light rail had “revolutionised public transport”.
“We have committed $5 million to the business case for Stage 3A of the Light Rail and will continue to work with the council and the community to deliver further stages of Gold Coast light rail, including the potential to extend to Coolangatta,” she said.
The light rail corridor transports more than 21,800 passengers daily.
The second stage, linking Southport and Helensvale, is undergoing testing but not expected to open before April’s Commonwealth Games.
A spokeswoman for Urban Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher said it was too early to comment on extending the light rail to Coolangatta.