Gold Coast light rail: Palm Beach tram extension construction could begin earlier than expected
A Gold Coast city leader has accused those behind the construction of the light rail of failing to get the basics right. READ THE FULL REPORT
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UPDATE: Gold Coast planning boss Cameron Caldwell has accused those behind the construction of the light rail of failing to get things moving.
As the Queensland Government rushes to clear roadblocks to fast-track construction of the light rail’s Burleigh Heads-to-the-southern border extension as early as 2023, Cr Caldwell is pointing the finger at planning errors.
“The key to light rail delivery is continuity of construction,” he said.
“There has been none since pre-2018 Commonwealth Games – almost three years – a whole stage could have been delivered in that time.”
Light rail stage 4, which will run down the coastal strip through Palm Beach to Coolangatta via Gold Coast Airport, is expected to be one of the critical transport projects supporting the southeast Queensland bid for the 2032 Olympic Games.
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Now, a year after unveiling the project, Transport Minister Mark Bailey said the government was rapidly ticking off the boxes needed before funding could be secured, including confirming the final route and performing community consultation.
“The race however isn’t finished yet for Queensland to host a 2032 Olympic Games and there’s still plenty of legwork that needs to be done, including identifying what projects would be required to support a games bid,” he said.
“Light rail will give people more options to travel, and as council has reported we have already seen it cut traffic, with a 47 per cent reduction in traffic on Scarborough Street at Southport and increased pedestrian movement to Pacific Fair Shopping Centre by 180 per cent.
“With both the preliminary business case for stage 4 and multi-modal corridor study well underway, we will see an extensive consultation process begin in coming months.”
Public consultation will begin by mid-2021 with the final report, along with business case and multi-modal corridor study, which will determine the final route, all due in mid-2022.
If funding is secured in the 2023-24 council, state and federal budgets, then work could potentially begin the same financial year. It would directly follow completion of the Broadbeach to Burleigh stage 3.
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It is expected to cost at least $2.5 billion with construction to take four years.
The business case for stage 3 was completed in late 2018, with funding and contracts both awarded little more than a year later.
Light rail insiders confirm the final coastal stage of the project could begin in late 2023 but warned the date would be subject to both the Games being won, and on the electoral cycle.
“If absolutely everything goes right then yes it could begin by then but the issue with stage 4 is that it is extremely politically fraught.
“You’d need to get the council, state and federal governments on board and secure the airport’s involvement given they need to build a station,” the insider told the Bulletin.
“There’s also the NSW Government to consider given they are investigating their own light rail route in Tweed and it would make sense for both to be built at once.
“If everything goes right then late 2023 or early 2024 is possible but if there’s a funding fight between the levels of government, it could be another year beyond that.”
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Construction of stage 4 is considered to be the most challenging since stage 1, which was built between 2011 and 2014 because of the amount of infrastructure required for the route.
Among the most significant elements are bridges crossing Tallebudgera and Currumbin Creeks and building a route around Burleigh Hill.
Mayor Tom Tate, who last week called for light rail to the airport to be fast-tracked, said the council would be ready to commit funding once the business case was completed.
“I have consistently said it makes economic sense to have the next stage of this project shovel ready once stage 3 is finished,” he said.
“The Olympics to me is more than sport - it is a prime opportunity to leverage infrastructure development right across the SEQ region, well ahead of 2032.
“Council would need to carefully consider the funding model, with the federal and state governments majority investors in light rail, to date.
“I applaud the State for their enthusiasm and look forward to business case modelling, and community consultation, on stage 4.”
THURSDAY
MAYOR Tom Tate has told southern business operators that he wants to build the light rail to the airport as fast as possible.
Councillor Tate took the opportunity of a packed luncheon organised by the Southern Chamber of Commerce on Thursday at the Currumbin RSL to put the region’s most divisive issue up for discussion on the dinner plate.
Currumbin Labor Party candidate Kaylee Campradt asked Cr Tate for the major projects he considered important for the southern Gold Coast in the next 10 years.
“OK,” he said. “I will go to the top one, the elephant in the room. I’ve never hidden the fact the light rail should go all the way to the airport and Coolangatta. I know other people have different opinions, well that’s democracy.
“I took to the election a couple of times we should do the light rail, and we got the commitment, and sod turning will happen shortly (from Broadbeach) to Burleigh Heads.
“From Burleigh Heads to the airport the next bit, then Coolangatta, we’ve done the joint-funding arrangement with the government. So what I want to do, top of the list, there is no long delay between stages.
“So by the time Stage 3 is completed the contract is let, detailed design and consultation is done, you know where the stations are, we keep going.”
Cr Tate admitted he had “stirred a few people up” with his suggestion that if Palm Beach protesters opposed the tram, it would run express to Tugun.
He said Transport Minister Mark Bailey had contacted him and said “what the hell is that”.
Cr Tate told him his reasoning for the provocative remark was seeking a response from the silent majority of voters who supported the trams.
The Mayor said it was important to have consultation to ensure the tram stop was in the right location to generate business for retail operators.
“The jury is out (on the stop locations). I’m getting a lot of emails and things that people want to stop there. I’ve got ones that say ‘I don’t want it at all’. People who want the stop in Palm Beach, a show of hands. People who want it to go straight through Palm Beach, no stop, show of hands. All right done, motion carried, we will have a stop in Palm Beach.”
Many in the crowd of more than 120 business members were laughing as the Mayor exited the stage.
Outside the meeting, the Bulletin asked Cr Tate how quickly light rail could reach the airport. He replied: “Well, at the moment the consultation will end in about eight months. The speed of it, I’d like to have that contract awarded, everything done, so that when the end of Stage 3 is complete we continue on with the next stage. I think that will be quick enough for the Olympics (in 2032), and I think there’s support from the community to keep going.”
But Burleigh MP Michael Hart, who was at the function and supports exploring a tram route west to Varsity Lakes and along the M1 corridor, still doubts community support for the coastal route.
“Three people put their hands up for a stop at Palm Beach,” he told the Bulletin.
“Nobody put their hand up for light rail going through and not stopping. This is the problem with council and state government thinking. They didn’t consider or offer a third option.”
Earlier, Destination Gold Coast CEO Patricia O’Callaghan and Major Events Gold Coast CEO Jan McCormick were applauded after outlining a road map to recovery for tourism operators hurt by COVID-19 restrictions.
Ms McCormick outlined a growing events calendar for the rest of the year, and Ms O’Callaghan spoke with optimism about the Glitter Strip’s recovery and how the city was already reaching out to international markets.
“We want to be the first to welcome New Zealand here. We will be ready to go when quarantine travel is allowed to Australia,” Ms O’Callaghan said.
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