Cooly residents to have say on trams
COOLANGATTA residents fear the multi-billion extension of the light rail to the border will create a traffic nightmare.
Community consultation on the Tugun to Coolangatta via Gold Coast Airport stretch of the tram network begins on Monday, with political leaders of all stripes urging locals to have their say.
The feedback will help form the business case for the project, which is expected to be completed in mid-2023.
State Transport Minister Mark Bailey has vowed the process will be “gold standard” while area residents and the local federal MP say they have been given too little time to weigh in.
Southern Coast residents
Max and Karen Shaw have lived in the area for nearly 50 years and feared the light rail’s progression south would destroy the look and feel of their home.
“I’d rather it not come, but it is. It’s so hard to get through Burleigh and Palm Beach even now, it would just be a nightmare,” Mrs Shaw said.
“When they did it through Surfers, all those shops went broke because there was no way to access them. So many businesses never came back.
“They’ll ruin it, the whole ambience of (Coolangatta).
“For the people who live around this area and the businesses, it’s just going to ruin it. It’s basically just there for the tourists, isn’t it?”
The couple said alternatives such as extending the pre-existing train line further south along the highway or a
monorail should have been considered before another light rail development.
The plans for the tramline were unveiled in late October and depicted for the first time how the tram will reach the border.
No time frame has been given for the project but it is expected to be completed in time for the 2032 Olympic Games, with construction to begin after 2025.
Others, including Xenia Coolangatta bar manager Beaudeen Germano say they are excited about the prospect of more tourists coming to their suburb.
“This area was struggling after the border closures – everyone around here got hit pretty hard, so it’ll be a good opportunity to get more people down the Coast,” the Bilinga resident said.
“It’s not bringing any more cars and it’s not bringing any more traffic, it’s just bringing more people.”
McPherson MP Karen Andrews warned the “so-called” consultation appeared to be “reasonably rushed” despite concerns from residents.
“What has been proposed is really information sharing rather than consultation and I don’t think this will deal with the broader issues of transport infrastructure on the Southern Gold Coast,” she said.
“Doing eight sessions in the lead-up to Christmas is very limited and this is taxpayers money so if the government wants to spend billion on light rail, questions need to be asked about if they are futureproofing the city and it raises issue over parking. “Whatever is built needs to be
fit-for-purpose, cost-effective and provide for the future of the Gold Coast.”
Ms Andrews, who declared her opposition to the route of Burleigh Heads to Tugun section of Stage 4 through Palm Beach just weeks out from the May federal election, said she was reserving her opinion on the project.
“I reserve my opinion until we head what the community has to say,” she said.
Mayor Tom Tate urged locals to have their say.
“I welcome the community consultation and urge everyone with an interest in the Tugun-Coolangatta section to have their say,” he said.
“Light rail will benefit all Gold Coasters and it’s great to see the state leading this latest round of public consultation.”