GET RAIL ON RIGHT TRACK
COMMUTERS saw what improved rail services can mean for our city when all stops were pulled out by state transport authorities for the Commonwealth Games.
As part of more than $1 billion spent on transport in the lead-up to the Games, stage 2 of the light rail was completed, linking the trams to trains at Helensvale, and heavy rail duplication was completed between Helensvale and Coomera.
As a result, commuter rail services more than tripled on the Gold Coast line for the duration of the Games, with 270 services each day of competition as trains ran on average every 10 minutes. Bliss.
Queensland Rail’s annual report for 2017-18 also reveals about 600,000 customer trips were made on the line during that moment in the spotlight.
That was a one-off event, with resources thrown at the problem, but what was achieved then was just a taste of what has to be achieved now and into the future as massive population growth puts pressure on infrastructure. Heavy rail must extend to Coolangatta Airport and services between the city and Brisbane have to be more frequent and considerably faster.
The Morrison Government has already flagged this week a determination to overcome shortfalls in the delivery of infrastructure and services in Australia over the past two decades. Indeed, it is the astounding population growth of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and southeast Queensland that is driving the Federal Government now to act to improve transport services into the regions with high-speed, efficient rail to encourage people to live there, easing pressure on the state capitals. The result of falling well behind in infrastructure is evident – major congestion on the roads, with traffic jams on the M1, ramps and service roads the obvious local examples.
Yesterday the Bulletin learned Canberra is serious about attacking the problem, providing $8 million for a business case for faster rail for the Gold Coast. At the moment commuters are subjected to a 74-minute trip averaging 69km/h to cover 89 kilometres. That has to change, and we understand authorities want trains capable of 160km/h to cut the time down by more than half to 32 minutes. Canberra also wants the track extended from Varsity Lakes to the airport. This cannot happen quickly enough. But we fear there will be a sticking point if recent history is any guide. The State Government is committed to completing its priority project – the $5.4 billion Cross River Rail in Brisbane – before Gold Coast line services can be boosted. It sought federal funding, which was denied, so is going it alone. Now Canberra will be asking it or the private sector to match the $8 million for a business case.
A new climate of co-operation has to be created if work on the airport extension is to occur before 2026, which is the time frame that has previously been suggested.
We also fear the usual federal-state row over how a fast-train Gold Coast line will be funded.The time is long overdue though for such tiresome political arguments to be left behind. With transport services rapidly approaching breaking point on infrastructure that is decades behind where it should be, our region cannot afford such distractions. Ultimately it is the taxpayers who fund these projects. Just get on with it.