Gold Coast light rail Stage 4: Palm Beach residents and business owners reveal what they really think about tram
Palm Beach residents have fired up over a vocal anti-light rail movement in the area - who have now been called “pests” and “whingers”. SUBSCRIBE TO HAVE YOUR SAY
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PALM Beach residents have labelled a vocal anti-light rail movement in the area “pests” after a shock push by Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate to give the suburb a miss.
Mayor Tate has pushed for the light rail network to sidestep Palm Beach in a shock designed to avoid those against the tram in the beachfront suburb.
‘GROW UP’: Radical light rail plan divides a city
The controversy has led several residents and Bulletin readers to label the group a “vocal minority” on social media.
“We already know that a previous few Palm Beach pests do not speak for the majority of decent, forward thinking locals here,” wrote Sandy Grisham on Facebook.
“Local businesses want this tram down the Gold Coast Highway and the rest of the Gold Coast wants this also.”
Others said they were sick of the “vitriol” being spewed over the issue by anti-tram members of the community.
One Bulletin subscriber identified themselves as a Palm Beach resident, and said they lived within 15 minutes of the planned light rail route.
“Why should a majority of Gold Coasters suffer because a minority of Palm Beach think they can dictate ‘no’,” they wrote.
“Their arguments about Palm Beach losing its ‘village appeal’ is preposterous as it lost that feel 20 years ago when high density development started.”
But the push by Mayor Tate has also caused a number of residents and prominent Gold Coasters to speak out against the tram network, among the former mayoral candidate Mona Hecke.
“If the council were truly interested in community engagement there would be community forums, transparency in business cases, discussions about trackless trams, electric buses, cost comparisons and its development intention,” she said.
“No one is opposed to reliable public transport.
“The community questions the choice of public transport alongside the outrageous relaxations of the City Plan that will inevitably invite a spine of poorly designed, densely populated high rises.”
HOW THE DEBATE WAS STARTED
SOUTHERN Gold Coast business owners are aghast at Mayor Tom Tate’s push for light rail to sidestep Palm Beach and its “whingers”, fearing they will miss a huge commercial bump.
The majority of a dozen Palm Beach, Currumbin and Tugun business operators spoken to at the weekend wanted the original track plan to go ahead, running along Gold Coast Highway.
Newly opened Palm Beach fish and chip shop Hunky Dory owner Tory Trewhitt said he “can’t wait” for the light rail Stage 4 to Gold Coast Airport to follow the Gold Coast Highway as originally planned.
REVEALED: HOW MUCH NEW TRAM ROUTE WILL COST
HOW LIGHT RAIL WILL TRANSFORM PALM BEACH STREETS
“It will add value. I’m an advocate,” he said. “The more people who can get here, the better.
“I understand absolutely why locals don’t want it, but they probably don’t own a small business. My uncle lives in Palmy and he’s against it. He doesn’t want it because he bought here 30 years ago.”
Wildernis Cafe and Bar manager Isaac Burton agreed with the original State government plans.
LIGHT RAIL’S NEXT DESTINATION AFTER AIRPORT
“It would be great news to bring it this way (along the Gold Coast Highway),” he said.
“It creates more (customer) traffic for us. My previous job was at the Southport RSL and they had the exact same issue.
“When they were (building) that, people were worried about the traffic. (But) It made it so much easier.
“It’s a short-term pain for a long-term gain.”
Their reactions comes after a fed-up Cr Tate revealed a radical new plan for light rail Stage 4 to the Gold Coast Airport that bypassed the three southern suburbs Palm Beach, Currumbin and Tugun. He raised the prospect of it turning right onto Nineteenth Avenue after crossing Tallebudgera Creek. The line would then follow the heavy rail corridor and join up with the airport at Coolangatta.
Some southern businesses rejected both the original plan to go south along the Gold Coast Highway and Cr Tate’s alternative Nineteenth Ave proposal outlined on Saturday.
Cr Tate said all voices would be heard: “We all have a view on what is best for light rail stage four.
REPORT: WHICH TRAM ROUTE THE STATE GOVERNMENT BACKS
“With stage 3 funded and the tender process happening, it is done and dusted so the plan now should be what can be done to light rail stage 4 all the way to the airport and Coolangatta, as well as start negotiations with the NSW Government to find out their political will to take it into northern NSW.
“It is important we start the planning and consultation process in the near future and this is why we have put funding in the budget so we are ready, willing and able to roll up our sleeves with our resources and funds.
“I await the Premier’s announcement and we can get going with this.”
Tugun Village Florist owner Penny Mavroidis said she wanted the light rail to pass by her shop.
“To take it straight through is good because it brings more business. I don’t think it’s a bad thing,” she said.
Ralph White, owner of Palm Beach shop Ralph White Music for 52 years, is not in favour of it coming his way.
“It’s bad news. There’s a saying - if things are working, don’t change it,” he said.
A Ralph White Music shop assistant agreed, believing light rail would see crime rise.
“Everywhere it has gone has had crime rates go up,” he said.
“Thousands of residents who live in the Hinterland would l have to travel all the way out to the highway just to catch the tram.
“It should be more in service for Hinterland people.
“The best thing they could have done was hit right at (Burleigh) and go through Bermuda st. It would have serviced more of the Gold Coast. It won’t be as much as value (here).”
A newly opened business along the Gold Coast Highway - who didn’t want to be named - was worried it would “bring in the wrong crowd”.
“Around here is very local and community orientated. It’s going to ruin the vibe,” they said.
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