MAYOR CALLS FOR CONTINUOUS LIGHT RAIL FUNDING TO STOP HOLD UPS

THE first round of funding for the $600 million third stage of the light rail will be quarantined in this month’s council budget.

The first of the council’s expected $60 million contribution to the Broadbeach to Burleigh link will be put in its strategic reserve ready for when federal and state funding is secured.

But Mayor Tom Tate called on those tiers of governments to reconsider how they fund future stages to avoid the prolonged battle which delayed the start of construction for Stage 2.

“We want our funding ready without having to put any kind of special levy on ratepayers and, all things going well, we could see construction start in late 2019,” Cr Tate said.

“The funding for this project should always be continuous in the budgets for the future. Forget the budget cycles, let’s get out of that loop.

“Work on Stage 3A should be able to get going once the business case is complete. It is viable the costings are being completed. Let’s not wait until the next election.

“The work should keep going as well and once Stage 3A has begun we must announce the investigations beginning for 3B and have the $10 million for that business case ready so we can push ahead.”

The business case for 3A, jointly funded by the council and State Government last year, is expected to be completed by Christmas.

City leaders are hoping money for the project will be secured in both the 2019-20 state and federal budgets, allowing construction to begin late next year.

The 7km link is expected to run down the Gold Coast Highway from the Broadbeach South station to central Burleigh Heads.