Action stations may be too late

ADDITIONAL train stations will be added to the Gold Coast network as part of a $120 million State Government Budget announcement, but their arrival may be “too late”.

Stations at Pimpama, Helensvale and Worongary/Merrimac have been fully funded as part of the Cross River Rail (CRR) commitment.

However, it will not happen until the 2020-21 financial year to 2023, and won’t open until 2024.

Gold Coast businessman and developer Norm Rix said the bursting northern corridor could not wait that long and work needed to be fasttracked.

The 84-year-old had offered to build the station on his land next to the Pimpama City Shopping centre and lease it back to Queensland Rail, in a bid to quell ongoing traffic and congestion problems before it was “too late”.

The suburb’s residents are instead forced to park and ride at often full station car parks at Ormeau in the north or Coomera. Many have been slugged for parking illegally.

The stations are anticipated to be open for the first CRR services in order to ease ongoing congestion on the M1.

The proposal is part of a previous election commitment from the State Government. However, this is the first time funding has been earmarked in the Budget.

The State Government said construction of the stations was expected to support a “substantial” number of jobs.

Member for Coomera Micheal Crandon who had long called for the development said the northern Gold Coast had been “dudded” by the promises of accessible rail.

“Operation by 2024 is far too late,” he said. “The people of the northern Gold Coast need it now. We need it this financial year.

“If they were fully committed the funding would be in the Budget. Get the darn thing built now.”