Gold Coast’s biggest debate: the council is about to determine how much will be spent on new roads

Councillors say more dollars must be ploughed into fixing roads as ratepayers demand spending on congestion-busting projects — this is how much it could cost to fix the city’s roads.

COUNCILLORS say more dollars must be ploughed into fixing roads as ratepayers demand spending on congestion-busting projects instead of an oceanside cruise ship terminal.

While Mayor Tom Tate prepares a draft budget, councillors are using Facebook to survey residents on where they think money needs to be directed, with transport emerging as the Gold Coast’s number one priority.

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Helensvale-based Councillor William Owen-Jones has congratulated Mayor Tom Tate on seeing roads as a priority. Picture: Richard Gosling

Deputy Mayor Donna Gates says her Division 1 survey has feedback from motorists saying they are too frightened to drive on busy arterial roads.

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A resident in a post wrote: “Along with State Government, fix Exit 45 (on the M1), Peachey Road and Eggersdorf Road. Why do we pay rates in Ormeau if you can’t fix the roads?”

Helensvale-based councillor William Owen-Jones congratulated Cr Tate on Facebook after he promised ratepayers they would not be funding construction of an offshore cruise ship terminal.

COUNCIL NEEDS TO WORK FASTER TO FIX ROADS

Hinterland-based Councillor Glenn Tozer suggest a big increase in roads budget. Photo: Jerad Williams.

“In my opinion, it was never in the hunt to be competing with roads for funding. Cr Tate said he expected the council would spend at least $110 million on road works in 2019-2020,” Cr Owen-Jones said.

Residents in their posts called for a halt to spending on more studies and reports into a cruise ship terminal, calling on the council instead to “divert the funding — roads need it more”.

Budget papers show more than $116 million has been allocated to city transport, with that amount for capital works set to increase to $123 million in 2019-20.

Cr Owen-Jones believes ramping up “new and upgrade capital works projects” is the best way to reduce traffic congestion.

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Traffic congestion near Coomera on the Pacific Motorway M1. Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

Hinterland-based councillor Glenn Tozer suggested, in a post on Cr Owen-Jones’ page, that the budget could be dramatically increased.

“An overall allocation of $160 million to $170 million in 19/20 might be prudent, in my opinion, so we can give congestion a good busting,” Cr Tozer wrote.

Council insiders suggested that a more likely figure for funding to cover fixing existing roads and building new ones would be about $130 million.

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After he made the cruise ship terminal pledge, Cr Tate on Tuesday urged ratepayers to access the online budget survey before it closes next month.

The link is at: gchaveyoursay.com.au/budget19-20.

“Councillors are also running their own social media surveys and I trust they will bring that information to the table when we discuss the 2019-2020 budget over the next three months,” he said.

Asked yesterday about a ballpark figure for the transport budget, he declined to speculate, given community feedback was not finalised.

“I need my budget consultation to finish by March 15. Then I will know what my new figure is,” he said.