Gold Coast Light rail: New public transport patronage figures back Broadbeach to Burleigh tram extension

NEW data obtained under right to information has revealed the real impact of the light rail on the Gold Coast’s public transport and what will happen to buses once the Burleigh link is built.

THE case for the Gold Coast light rail’s $660 million third stage has been bolstered with new data revealing an extra 7 million trips were made using city’s public transport network thanks to trams.

Public transport patronage has increased by more than 50 per cent in the past five years, according to figures obtained under right to information.

INCREDIBLE NEW TRAM PATRONAGE FIGURES REVEALED

Use of the Gold Coast’s trams and buses have gone up 50 per cent in five years. Picture Glenn Hampson

Political leaders say the figures add momentum to the push to extend the light rail line to the border.

The State Government yesterday said it was a handful of weeks away from finalising the business case for stage 3A from Broadbeach to Burleigh.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey also revealed existing bus services would be protected after the trams were extended given the appetite for public transport.

Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Mark Bailey (AAP Image/Darren England)

“Bus relocation has been a big success and the additional investment in light rail did not take it away — they were simply redistributed and we are now seeing the benefit of this,” he said.

“The same thing will happen with stage 3 and this extension will mean the connection will go further down — it is a no-brainer.

WHERE FUTURE TRAM EXTENSIONS WILL GO

Trams will soon be heading south through Mermaid Beach.

BUSINESSES BACK TRAM EXTENSION

“These figures show the investment in light rail has proven correct that when you provide adequate transport infrastructure which is well-researched and planned then people will use it.”

The data was obtained under RTI by public advocacy group Rail Back on Track.

It revealed patronage on the Gold Coast’s bus network plummeted 14.4 per cent, or around 3 million people in 2014-15, the year light rail was introduced.

WESTERN TRAM LINES PLANNED

Bus routes will be changed to service east-west connections once light rail stage 3 is completed.

However, overall tram and bus patronage together is up 50.9 per cent since 2014 — with 21.4 million people using them last financial year, up from 13.9 million in 2013-14.

“It is remarkable that for every two people using public transport five years ago, there is now an extra person joining them and another person who is not using their own vehicle,” Rail Back on Track Gold Coast spokesman Steven Jamieson said.

Steven Jamieson.

“It is not only driving better patronage but this will also mean that bus resources will be invested elsewhere so you will be seeing them run every 15 minutes to places which have not been serviced that regularly before.”

Buses and trams will be integrated on the southern end of the Coast.

The light rail’s Stage 3A will run down the centre of the Gold Coast Highway and end at Burleigh Heads.

The Federal Government is expected to chip in $112 million while council will put in around $66 million.

The State Government will underwrite the project and cover the remaining cost.

GoldLinQ chairman John Witheriff with a tram. Picture: Jerad Williams

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GoldLinQ chairman John Witheriff said it was clear more people were taking up public transport.

“The numbers do not surprise me and anecdotally I see a change in habit from the residents of the Gold Coast and I think this growth will continue in ears to come as we realise that public transport is the future,” he said.

Gold Coast bus and tram patronage

2012/13: 14,220,164

2013/14: 13,933,729 (down 2.01 per cent)

2014/15: 18,198,953 (up 30.6 per cent)

2015/16: 19,673,423 (up 8.10 per cent)

2016/17: 19,628,855 (down 0.23 per cent)

2017/18: 21,466,740 (up 9.36 per cent)