Green light for tram to Burleigh as councillors tick off on business case

EXTENDING light rail south from Broadbeach to Burleigh has been ticked off by city councillors today after they reviewed a preliminary business case behind closed doors.

EXTENDING light rail south from Broadbeach to Burleigh has been ticked off by city councillors today after they reviewed a preliminary business case behind closed doors.

Councillors at the city infrastructure committee meeting met in private at the Evandale chambers where they debated the findings on the proposed tram route south.

Council has not released the preliminary business case and the recommendations provided on a public council report only show the route will be from Broadbeach south to “an interim terminus at Burleigh Heads”.

Light rail is about to head further south than Broadbeach.

WHERE THE LIGHT RAIL IS GOING NEXT

The business case is to be given to both the State and Federal governments with the aim that the next stage will be an “investment priority”.

The light rail rolling into Burleigh.

Both governments will be told that the extension of light rail south to Coolangatta remains “among the highest priorities” for the council as it moves forward from the Commonwealth Games next year.

SNEAK PEAK FOR NEWEST TRAMS

Outside the council, Acting Mayor Donna Gates told the Gold Coast Bulletin: “We need to do a comprehensive business case to put to government for funding so they are across every detail.

The two Burleigh stations considered.

“We don’t want this to fail. We know everyone wants the tram to Coolangatta. We need to make sure the business case is strong.”

THE PLAN FOR GOLD COAST SUPERTRAMS

The likely time line is the final business case to be completed by November next year, a three-way split on funding negotiated between governments and council with work to begin in 2020.