Golden Age: Gold Coast political and business leaders back need for fast rail and southern heavy rail to Gold Coast Airport

MOMENTUM is building behind a push to build a high-speed bullet train between the Gold Coast and Brisbane as it can be revealled when the heavy rail will be extended south to the Gold Coast Airport.

GOLD Coasters want leaders to seriously consider a fast-train link between the Gold Coast and Brisbane, as business and political bigwigs say the time is now to plan for the future.

About 90 per cent of those who took part in the Bulletin’s Golden Age survey say they would ride a bullet train to Brisbane if the journey took less than 15 minutes.

Of those, 88 per cent said they would be willing to pay a fare of either $10 or $20.

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High speed rail has support from political and business leaders.

Federal Tourism Minister and Gold Coast MP Steven Ciobo said it showed Gold Coasters wanted “high-quality public transport”.

“The fundamental problem remains that we need to find a fast public transport solution that stacks up financially and fundamentally. I believe we should look at the future, not the past and this means thinking outside the box.

“It is clear there is a revolution coming around public transport and in 20 years we will be the intersection of autonomous vehicles, electrical vehicles and potentially mag-lev technology which will reshape the transport corridor.

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A High Speed Train in China.

“However, Gold Coasters wanted to know the solutions for tomorrow and clearly public transport provisions have not had an eye on the future. Progress has been made but given the rapid population growth, even more will be required.”

Mr Ciobo this year suggested cutting-edge hyperloop technology — a super-fast train which could travel to Brisbane in 10 minutes — as a solution to the city’s traffic woes.

Other leading businesses say it is time to look at future transport options.

A spokesman for The Star Entertainment Group said a fast rail system would have a significant on the Coast.

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Artist's impressions of the proposed Hyperloop transit system

“The Star Entertainment Group welcomes discussion and supports calls to develop a fast-rail link between the Gold Coast and Brisbane,” he said. “It has the potential to accelerate and multiply the already compelling economic benefits tourism can deliver to the southeast Queensland region.

“There are infrastructure issues to address if the tourism opportunity is to be fully harnessed.

“They include more hotel rooms to cope with surging visitation and connectivity, where fast rail can be a key part of the solution.

“We know tourists prefer public transport as a mode of travel and the additional attraction for residents of SEQ are obvious.”

A Hyperloop

Why we want southern heavy rail fast tracked

BUSINESS and city leaders are calling on the State Government to prioritise the extension of the heavy rail line to Gold Coast Airport.

The line, which terminates at Varsity Lakes, has not seen any extension in nearly a decade.

Gold Coast Airport boss Chris Mills and Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate say both the light and heavy transport networks are needed to deal with the city’s growing population.

Mr Mills said the airport’s masterplan included both a light and heavy rail station.

“Gold Coast Airport currently handles more than 6.5 million passengers per annum, and passenger movements are expected to climb to 16.6 million annually in 20 years. So improved transport links to the airport are central to our future development plans.

Varsity Lakes railway station

“In terms of visitors to the region, prioritising light rail makes the most sense — it’s about allowing people to get to their accommodation, typically along the coastline, as quickly and efficiently as possible.

“In the medium-to-longer term, heavy rail to the southern end of the city also needs to be planned, particularly for the increasing Gold Coast population living to the west.”

Cr Tate urged the state to invest further in the rail network.

“(The heavy rail extension) has stalled but they should plan for both (light and heavy) rails,” he said.

Meaghan Scanlon. Picture: Jerad Williams

The Varsity Lakes line opened in late 2009 and was the most recent addition to the Gold Coast line, which was established in the 1990s to replace the original railway which was scrapped in the 1960s.

Gaven MP Meaghan Scanlon said a rail corridor south of Varsity Lakes had been preserved since 2009 in anticipation of an eventual extension.

The timing of the extension of the heavy rail from Varsity Lakes to the Gold Coast Airport is subject to funding and competing statewide priorities.

Three further heavy rail stations are planned for the line at Pimpama, Helensvale North and Worongary as part of the State Government’s Cross River Rail project.

However, 55 per cent of those who responded to the Bulletin’s Golden Age survey said they did not believe the stations were necessary.