GC TO BRIS IN 32 MINS
Feds locks in $8m business case for congestion-busting fast rail to slash commuter times Airport route from Varsity Lakes also on the timetable
PRIME Minister Scott Morrison has green-lighted an $8 million business case to investigate a fast rail line slashing the Gold CoastBrisbane commute to 32 minutes.
The business case will also look at the need for extending the existing rail line - or a new fast rail track - from Varsity Lakes to Gold Coast Airport.
Mr Morrison will today reveal the Gold Coast-Brisbane congestion-busting plan is among five national fast rail business cases being funded in a bid to boost capital city connections to regional centres.
PRIME Minister Scott Morrison’s Federal Coalition plans to fork out $8 million on a business case for a new fast rail line slashing the Gold Coast-Brisbane commute to 32 minutes.
The business case will also look at the need for extending the existing rail line – or a new fast rail track – from Varsity Lakes to Gold Coast Airport.
The existing train connection between the two cities takes 74 minutes at an average speed of 69km/h, but the fast rail being envisaged would race along at a striking 160km/h.
Mr Morrison will today reveal the Gold Coast-Brisbane congestion-busting plan is among five national fast rail business cases being funded in a bid to boost capital city connections to regional centres.
The fast rail infrastructure plan would give time back to commuters and enable more people to “live in our regions and work in our cities”, Mr Morrison told the Bulletin.
“This is all part of our plan to manage population growth – to take the pressure off our big cities like Brisbane and make our regional cities like the Gold Coast even more attractive places to live and work.
“As our population grows, fast rail networks are crucial to easing the congestion pressures in our cities and shaping Australia’s future.
“As well as reducing our migration cap and introducing new visas and incentives to encourage more migrants out to the regional areas that need their skills, our record investment in congestion busting infrastructure is key to tackling Australia’s population challenges.”
The business case is on top of Mr Morrison’s $112 million contribution to get light rail from Broadbeach to Burleigh Heads.
Gold Coast-based Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews confirmed the business case would analyse heavy or fast rail extending to Gold Coast Airport.
Ms Andrews, the Federal Member for McPherson, said the growth of the southern Gold Coast’s population meant the need for infrastructure such as the heavy rail, light rail and an upgraded M1 were necessary.
“This will reduce the commuter travel times from the Gold Coast to Brisbane and improve the connectivity,” she said.
“We are focused on getting people to and from work quickly and this means they will be able to get home sooner as well as getting them off the M1.
“Something this study will look at is how many people would be projected to use the train line to travel north and south.
“For the southern Gold Coast this would be a huge game changer – it will make a difference in getting traffic off the feeder roads, relieve the M1 and get people moving to Brisbane.”
The fast rail business case push will be a pleasant surprise for some Gold Coast business leaders who had been expecting the focus to remain on extending light rail south of Broadbeach.
Late last year Queensland Airports CEO Chris Mills, who oversees Gold Coast Airport, said in an ideal world both light and heavy rail would eventually connect to the airport but he believed light rail was more likely to proceed first.
Federal Minister for Cities, Urban Infrastructure and Population Alan Tudge said the fast rail plan was a critical part of the government’s recently unveiled population plan for dealing with soaring growth.
“Fast rail from the big capitals to the regional cities eases the pressure off the big cities while supporting the growth of the regions,” Mr Tudge said.