Plan to save homes on light rail route

Dozens of property owners along the Gold Coast light rail route could be spared resumptions under a radical new plan aimed at limiting the tram corridor through the southern Glitter Strip.

Dozens of property owners along the Gold Coast light rail route could be spared resumptions under a radical new plan aimed at limiting the tram corridor through the southern Glitter Strip.

The planned $2.7 billion fourth and final stage of the light rail from Burleigh Heads to Coolangatta has sparked a fierce backlash from Palm Beach locals amid fears it will worsen traffic chaos on the already congested Gold Coast Highway.

There are also concerns at the prospect of dozens of resumptions along the narrow route through Palm Beach.

But Coast Mayor Tom Tate has floated a plan to run only a single tram line through the suburb, with the track ‘splitting’ to two lines to the north and south.

Cr Tate said this would also allow four traffic lanes to be retained along the highway at Palm Beach while minimising resumptions.

“As far as I’m concerned, our home is our castle - I want a solution with minimal resumptions,” he said.

“I would say … there should be hardly any.”

Cr Tate said he could ‘guarantee’ four traffic lanes under the new plan which would involve removing parking lanes along the highway.

“If we can’t do two (traffic) lanes on both sides (of the highway), I wouldn’t be mayor of the city,” he said.

The Gold Coast City Council on Tuesday voted to approve a $7.5 million budget allocation for a $15 million business case, jointly funded by the State Government, to fast-track the 13km Stage 4 tram extension.

“It was a super-majority (vote) … only two councillors were against,” Cr Tate said.

“As one councillor said, it would be embarrassing to stop (the tram line) at Burleigh Heads.

“It’s the right way to go all the way to the airport and Coolangatta. It will complete our transport infrastructure ready for the Olympics.”