DRIVING GC MAD
With the potential of an Olympic Games on our doorstep in 2032, something needs to be done to rectify the significant congestion that takes place on our roads
FORGIVE me for coming off the long run on this column but unless our political leaders get this right, we’re all going to finish up in a jam.
The Gold Coast is in the grip of a traffic congestion crisis and the unfortunate fact is that it’s only going to get worse. A lot worse, unless our politicians start to show some ticker and vision. The Gold Coast’s population on June 30, 2020, was 635,191. It will be home to one million permanent residents by 2034.
So because Treasurer Cameron Dick has just lately become fond of “wish lists”, here’s several projects that need to happen before the 2032 Olympics, assuming we get the green light in Tokyo in July. If they’re not done, we’ll be the laughing stock of the world. We need a second M1 between the Gold Coast and Brisbane, starting yesterday. Forget Coomera Connectors. Using a Band-Aid on a severed artery just won’t work.
The M1 has become one of the most congested roads in the country. In peak hour, on sections between Slacks Creek and the Brisbane CBD and Pimpama and Nerang, it slows to a crawl. We also need a heavy rail route between the Sunshine and Gold Coasts, a very fast train that can move people around quickly as an alternative to the highways.
The problem for southeast motorists is that there are too many cars on the highways for roads, people can adapt to the congestion by adding it on to their travel time. Fifteen years ago, on the M1, Hope Island to Mudgeeraba at 7am was a 25minute run. Now it’s 35 minutes because of the traffic jams but people do adapt and plan accordingly.
The problem is that accidents happen. It’s why we have insurance and why prang companies make a fortune. And that’s where liveability becomes an issue. A few weeks back we had two major accidents on the Pacific Motorway. One was at 6am, which turned the usual one hour 15 minute commute at that time from the Gold Coast to Brisbane into a two-hour plus nightmare.
Then at 3.15pm near Nerang, on the same day and again in the northbound lane, another bad accident closed the highway and caused huge the number of quality roads. In delays. While motorists on the other words, the growing pains M1 were inconvenienced and that the Gold Coast has frustrated, the issue for Gold experienced over the past 30 Coasters was the strain those years have now become fullblown accidents caused on the feeder pains in the butt. roads and the thoroughfares
According to Queensland traversing the middle of the transport traffic data, the city. average number of vehicles Those getting to work and travelling across Coombabah coming home from work who Creek, taking in Foxwell Rd, is avoided the M1 were subjected more than 43,000 during the to crazy traffic on roads that peak morning period. Smith St are just not built to cope with contends with 4000 vehicles those number of cars. an hour on any given day. Motorists were being Now, if everything goes to subjected to five, six, seven sets plan and there are no of traffic-light changes to get accidents on these major through major intersections.
Rat runners had finally swallowed the arsenic.
It demonstrated that this is a city with a car crisis and a fragile transport system that is well-intentioned but it takes very few vehicles off the road, especially during peak times.
Which brings us to the $69,000 question – would you pay a road user tax to get the kids to school on time or get home from work more quickly? The so-called congestion tax would only apply in peak hour and tradies and cabbies would be exempt. Tolls would be scrapped.
The government’s building authority, Infrastructure Australia estimates congestion costs in the southeast will top $10bn by 2031. Locally, RACQ’s inaugural Cost of Congestion report estimated the additional burden on southeast Queensland main roads amounted to $156m a year.
Stockholm in Sweden saw an overall reduction in traffic volumes by 20-25 per cent when a congestion tax was introduced as well as significant improvement in air
quality. Londoners, whose fondness for the tube is well known, can also thank the city’s congestion taxes for the investment that is ploughed back into the city’s rail network. Even New York City is planning a controversial toll to manage Midtown traffic congestion.
My concern with a road user tax is that the money derived out of the Gold Coast may not necessarily be spent on our busy roads.
I don’t trust any form of government to spend the money where it comes from, or where it is needed most. Right now, unless we do something, as the rock band Talking Heads would say, we’re on the road to nowhere.
Vale Brian Mossop, the nicest guy I ever met in newspapers. And gee could he write, particularly cricket, a game he adored. Condolences to his wonderful family.
Right now, unless we do something, as the rock band Talking Heads would say, we’re on the road to nowhere
WITH the end of an era approaching, we, the regular customers, are all saddened at the forced closure of Goldstein’s at Harbour Town.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful girls at Goldstein’s, who, by their courtesy, kindness and consummate professionalism, have made it an absolute pleasure, to partake in our daily coffee, with a great atmosphere, created by the girls, who will be sadly missed by all of their customers.
We would like to wish all the girls the very best for any future endeavour they may pursue, which we are sure they will address with the same outstanding quality provided at Goldstein’s Harbour
Town for many years.
Farewell and God bless you all. DOUG. MCCARTNEY, GOLD COAST
TOTALLY agree with Shaun Cunneen (GCB, May 13). Mark Bailey is not a traffic warden but I also think he is far from being a competent Transport Minister. ROD WATSON, SURFERS PARADISE
MARK Bailey, I’ve just received your info regarding the Varsity Lakes-to-Tugun upgrade – Waikiki Ave noise barrier and landscaping.
All looks very fancy and in 20 years the wildlife may return.
Won’t comment on the severe carnage caused to local wildlife, nor the copious amount of diesel fumes and road noise that now floods the area between the M1 and Tahiti Ave since the removal of the bushland on the M1 verge.
However, in your document, you mention that there are qualified professionals who have identified the properties that require a building inspection.
My house has been vibrating constantly for at least four weeks yet no “qualified inspector” has been knocking on my door.
Earthquakes at 3.5 on the
Richter scale would have the local news out for a story.
I’m still waiting for the same government department that promised an inspection prior to and after the widening of the M1 back in ’95/96 , during which time I did some renos and found that my attention to detail was perhaps a tad premature. Gaps opening up on walls, cornice etc.
Can definitely expect some “carnage” during this progressive time but please don’t load up my letterbox with Main Roads propaganda unless you put “our” money where your mouth is.
My property is still hopefully solid, but the lack of qualified inspectors is not.
NIGEL TICE , PALM BEACH