Gold Coast light rail stage 3A: Gold Coast mayor demands $45 million to fund Broadbeach to Burleigh tram

9AM tomorrow morning. That’s the time Mayor Tom Tate wants an answer from Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition leader Bill Shorten on $45 million of funding need for the Gold Coast light rail’s third stage.

9AM tomorrow morning. That’s the time Mayor Tom Tate wants an answer from Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition leader Bill Shorten on $45 million of funding need for the Gold Coast light rail’s third stage.

The Gold Coast Bulletin this morning revealed the tram system was on hold over a funding shortfall which threatens to see the $741 million project itself called off entirely.

A funding shortfall has put the tram extension on hold.

The Council’s Transport and Infrastructure Committee this morning voted to lobby the Morrison Government and Shorten Opposition to make a pre-election commitment to meet the shortfall - as high as $45 million.

Cr Tate said the money for the Broadbeach to Burleigh tram link could be sourced from the Federal Government’s recently announced $4 billion Urban Congestion Fund.

“We want bipartisan support for the Gold Coast. Don’t take us for granted and do the fair thing by allocating the funding,” he said.

“We deserve to have this funding for light rail stage 3 so we can get it going.

TWEED LIGHT RAIL TO CONNECT TO GOLD COAST

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate.

Cr Tate said he wanted a prompt response from by Mr Morrison and Mr Shorten, who he planned to write to today.

“9am tomorrow is good – there are not a lot of calculations to do we just want $45 million,” he said.

Timing is everything and with an election around the corner, I am asking for the one thing which is most important for our city - the transport infrastructure.

If you are serious about a fair go for the Gold Coast, come out and say we will put forward the additional funding.

NEW FIGURES SHOW MASSIVE SUPPORT FOR LIGHT RAIL

The trams will terminate at Burleigh Heads.

Councillors will hold an emergency meeting next week when they will vote to determine how much funding the city will put towards the project.

It is expected to be around 10 per cent of the total cost.

Councillors at this morning’s committee meeting discussed whether the tram extension would be scaled back if the shortfall was unable to be resolved but Cr Tate dismissed the talk, saying it would be ‘foolish’ to consider.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE BULLETIN FOR JUST $5 A MONTH FOR THE FIRST THREE MONTHS

The tram route.

WORST TIME FOR CRIME ON COAST TRAMS

“The State Government may delay the project, which would not be good for the Gold Coast or they may cancel the project.

“I think this has put an additional burden on the State Government and it is unfair on them to have to find an additional $45 million.”

A Coalition spokesman last night insisted the Morrison Government was committed to the light rail and said the State Government was “trying to distract from their failure to commit any funding” to the tram link.

Mr Shorten did not respond requests for comment by the Bulletin last night.